Sunday 30 November 2008

Prada Fondazione's Double Club

A new bar / restaurant / art installation / club with a revolving dance floor which is ten minutes away from my house, charges no admission fee and is owned by one of the most famous fashion brands around? Count me in. The Double Club launched last week. It’s located in a Victorian warehouse just behind Angel station and will stay as it is for six months only.

The idea for the club was conceived by artist Carsten Höller (who was responsible for the slides in the Tate Modern) and was supported by Fondazione Prada, Miuccia’s company’s art foundation.

Venturing inside this multi-purpose haven, I was pleased but slightly surprised to find the club to be rather small-worryingly, the bar (let’s face it a key concern of the night, art or otherwise!) ostensibly a set of mini-fridge’s manned by a lone barman. Thankfully, we decided to go exploring and discovered a large bar area in the very next room. And the western and Congolese restaurant. And lots of art. AND the best Mojito I have ever sampled (and I am someone who has sampled quite a few over the years!). This club is something of an anomaly in London-it feels exclusive, a mixed and (mostly!) pleasant crowd enjoy it and it makes you feel cultured no matter how many mojitos you glug.

Failings? It’s temporary and far too close to home-I need my wages for rent, not mojitos!