So, after all this rain recently it’s important to stave off the blahs with a little celeb hunt taking in bars that exclude those you’ll normally find in the Sun’s Bizarre column. Happily, London has plenty so you’ll not hear a single mention of Mahiki- except for that one there.
Refuel Bar at the Soho Hotel
The Soho Hotel just got the nod over The Box, another of the area’s rather interesting places to visit and that’s based purely on my own sentimental star gazing past. It’s one of those places where anyone can come over all exclusive as a flight of fancy pushes them through the doors towards £15 cocktails that always impress. Sean Bean will probably sit next to you and regale you with old Sharpe stories (again…) or you might even get what’s known in this game as a ‘Hollywood’, like Natalie Portman. You just never know. P.S. Sean Bean is not a ‘Hollywood’.
Kensington Roof Gardens
So the urban legend goes, rock-stars got tired of throwing TVs out of windows when they went wafer thin and turned instead to the flamingos at Kensington Roof Gardens. Of course, you’d hope that’s just a myth but what is very much real is the presence of the A-listers there. Owned by Richard Branson and boasting an acre of lush gardens six stories above Kensington High Street you merely have to sneak into the VIP section to see Jagger and Bowie- almost definitely ‘jamming’. If you’re lucky enough to have ten friends you can even have your own summer BBQ for £50.00 a head with free club entry and star spotting included.
Cafe Oto
Sometimes far out isn’t far enough, but in the case of Dalston’s Café Oto you’ve gone way the hell out there, so far in fact that the mainstream’s just a haze in the west’s commercial whisky mist. Heavily Japanese influenced, it’s a café, bar and all round excellent art and performance space and lo-fi celeb haven. I’ve lost count of the times Jarvis Cocker’s told me about obscure Woody Guthrie songs and Simon Callow’s tried to improve my Shakespearean acting- I’m still sooo wooden. ‘To go or not to go?’ Go.
Notting Hill Arts Club
I can already hear the objections to this one, ‘it’s not what it was’ etc, etc, but it still has a hold over many and whether or not you object to surly bar-staff and overzealous bouncers the music and other totally creative endeavours are still attracting the odd famous faces there to support label mates and industry pals. YoYo is still going strong after over a decade and at the least you’ll find Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts at the Thursday night weekly.
The Phoenix Artist Club
Always save the best for last and this one’s the real deal, once beloved by washed up soap stars, they’ve now decamped to do Daz adverts and left the Phoenix to the stars of the comedy world. PAPPED: David Mitchell, Simon Amstell, David Cross and an Alan Davies lookalike so good I had to ask (not him). This place is vital and if you’re really serious about the business of show you should be in its basement right now swigging wine to the sound of Maurice the manager’s Never-Ending Show Tunes Playlist (just make sure you get in before the eight o’clock members only cut off). Now where can I find Gary Busey?!
