Wilton’s Music Hall

Beautiful theatre within this old building, oldest one of its kind in London. Bar downstairs offers beer and wine and upstairs a nice range of spirits and cocktails. Recently refurbished the selection of events, from film screenings to gigs, makes Wilton’s a must in East London and Cable Street.

Having coming here a couple of times a year over the last few years, this was the first time since the restoration has been completed, what an amazing job they have done. New rooms have been opened up and there is lots to explore. A new bar is now opened upstairs since my last visit and the upstairs feels like a new venue. The bar downstairs is just as great as ever and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
We came to see a performance of The Sting, not the best of plays and is easily forgettable but will be back to enjoy many more evenings at the Wilton Music Hall, don’t miss out visit soon.

Having moved into the area, Wilton’s is one of the locals, it is one of those places you love about London, walk down a random street and there’s an old music hall there.
It has a small bar, nice vintage seating and does performances all the time of many different types.
The only thing I’d say was it gets busy really quickly and has ran out of beer on tap a few times during busy periods, but other than that, it is well worth a visit

Wiltons music hall never disappoints! It’s such a lovely venue! Theatre in the main room was good and drinks after even better :)

Beautiful old fashioned music hall, recently refurbished Im told.
Came here for a Swing Patrol dance night (which was great and has a lesson included in the ticket price before the dance starts… everybody swing!) but there seems to be an extensive monthly events list, which includes silent movies and cockney sing-​a-​longs to old music hall classics.
I highly recommend going here if you want to see a proper gem of London. Even if it’s just for a drink or two at the bar upstairs.

Wilton’s Music Hall should be on anybody’s London bucket list. The staff are great, the hall itself is beautiful and the swing night was really well organised, with a lesson at 7pm and competitions later in the evening. For those who don’t want to dance, the balcony overlooking the hall has excellent views. There are also a couple of bars with loads of serving space and, more importantly, an excellent range of gin and other cocktails, plus plenty of beer and wine. Fantastic!

My favorite place to grab a pint in London, and I often think about how old buildings like this would have toppled in a Californian earthquake a long while ago.
An old ale joint from the mid-​1700s, it’s now the world’s oldest music hall. Summer is a great time to hang out here since the sunshine is still golden right after work, and it’s honestly nice to pop a squat outside Wilton’s to drink in Graces Alley.
Not that the tables inside aren’t somehow perfectly rustic, and all the hipster paraphernalia that seems to come out of a box fits in well here. The stairs look like they’ll collapse soon, and there are little goblets of flowers on the tables.
Beers are standard central-​London prices, but they serve up some nice brews, especially from Kernel from just south of the river. Highly recommend the citra IPA for a good hoppy kick in the teeth as the sun goes down.
Random, but Wilton’s has such nice-​smelling soap in its bathrooms. That’s all.

Very old. Very interesting. I think this will be a new fav.
I like these old haunts around London. The city seems to be building at a rate that is almost stripping the history and character away, so lovely to see a gem like this.
This is a merge of many homes to create this music and bar venue. I like it.
The ambiance is chill, the staff friendly yet not intrusive and the patrons are relaxed.
You may not be able to see every bit of the structure because some areas are off limits for H&S reasons but that takes nothing away from the historic charm of this building.
Get in there for a £7 cocktail and enjoy!

I don’t want to overuse the cliché ‘hidden gem’, but Wilton’s Music Hall should be the definition of the term in London.
Nestled between various council estates in the Tower hamlets area, it appears Wilton’s was neglected for decades before being recently revived. Originally an Ale house in 1743, it was elaborately converted in the 1850’s and is currently the world’s oldest surviving music Hall.
There are usually an interesting line up of theatre, music, comedy, cinema and cabaret and each time i got to there is a diverse range of people there from hipsters to old pensioners which is a testament to its broad appeal. Both the upstairs and downstairs bars are normally quite busy even during the week.
This is one of those places you don’t want to become too popular so you can keep it all to yourself!

Difficulty in pin-​pointing its location aside — I asked a rather flustered man carrying furniture into a nearby flat in desperation, before spotting the signpost 3 metres further down the road — I thought this place was brilliant.
Perfectly attired bar staff make lovely — and strong — cocktails (I had a sweet Manhattan, stirred not shaken, and it was perfect), there are nooks and crannies galore, exposed brickwork, random fairy lights (or I might have imaged them, it was that sort of place)… Just a nice place to enjoy good drinks with friends.
I went on a Friday night and it was surprisingly empty — a lot of people were stood outside on account of the weather, but it had just the right amount of atmosphere.
Would definitely visit again. That Manhattan was £7, which is the best value I’ve seen for a long time, cocktails-​wise!

Graces Alley doesn’t exist.
Well, not according to Google anyway, or at least GoogleMaps. And as a girl who relies solely on her iPhone to the extent that I refuse to download IOS6 simply because I can’t bear to lose my beloved app, this is troublesome. So, you may end up like me, wandering around Aldgate on a freezing night wondering how long until you get raped/​mugged/​murdered (this is Jack the Ripper’s stomping ground, after all), but then accidentally take a hopeful turn down a small road, and then an alley, and suddenly: lights. Fairy lights. A few people stand around smoking outside battered, heavy wooden doors, huddled against the crumbling brickwork. Step closer and music swells. .. the pulsing sound of a swing band within. .. push open the doors. .. a breath of warm air. .. and you have arrived.
Wilton’s is a collection of 250-​year-​old houses which have been knocked together to form the bar and entrance to a wonderful space which was originally a music hall (and remains the oldest one in London) but is now used for plays and performances of any and all natures. It’s sprawling and wonderful and quite literally falling apart before your very eyes, with holes in the wall and railway struts holding up the corridor. Unfortunately the very dilapidated nature which makes it so charming and popular has also served to be its (temporary) undoing, since large chunks have been rendered unsafe for use and you’re liable to wander around a corner and find a section boarded up to the general public. But this is what makes it so phenomenally atmospheric. You also know full well that back in the day, this would have been heart of London’s slums and (as one friend cheerfully pointed out), each little nook and cranny probably housed an entire Victorian family busy dying of consumption. Nice.
Visit on a Tuesday and the front bar will be filled to capacity with a big band playing tunes from the 1920s-​50s and clientele of varying ages embracing the music, all dolled up and taking their footwork supremely seriously, but not quite so pretentiously as their brethren further east. Everyone’s welcome to have a go, but you’re unlikely to find space (so just stand in the corner, if you possibly can, and see if you can stop your feet tapping and your hips shimmying — you can’t — I guarantee it). You’ll be packed against people, but everyone is remarkably friendly there. And the great thing is that it’s a fantastic place to grab a drink too, since the cocktails are divine. Expensive (£7-£12) but divine; concocted with such dreamy and exotic ingredients as pine syrup and butternut squash liqueur, with names containing Fezziwig and Morocco and garnished with cubes of cheese and miniature scrolls of terrible poetry (honestly). They change seasonally and if you go to the bar upstairs (hidden behind a velvet curtain; check out the hundreds of dusty Hendricks bottles adorning the rickety stairs) then you can have a chat with the barman who is extremely knowledgeable, not only about the drinks but the place’s history. Fact: Spike Milligan squatted there once and spent his time making a film about a very bad poet called McGonogal. And this little titbit of information just tipped the balance from four stars to five. Well done that barman.

An utterly unique, brilliant throwback to the halcyon days of music hall. Yes, it’s lost any sense of authenticity it may have had, but the bar staff dress the part, cast members from plays often burst out on to the street in character and it serves one of my favourite whiskies. Great all year round, but particularly in the extremes of summer when you can sit/​stand outside till late or in the dead of winter, when the ancient décor warms the cockles. The kind of place that could only flourish in London.

Using a printed off map and directions, GPS on my phone, the kindness of strangers and (mainly) my natural sense of good direction I was able to find the tucked away gem that is Wilton’s. (There were also a few signs so it wasn’t actually that hard — although crossing that Cycle superhighway takes some nerves…)
Anyway, once there I was blown away by the crumbling façade and vintage feel to the place. Inside, with old tunes on the gramaphone I felt like I had been transported into Vichy France and half expected Rene to come bumbling out from the side room followed by a dishevelled Yvette.
It is magical, like nowhere else in London and as mentioned elsewhere here, in need of work and very much as endangered as a building gets.
We went to see The Coral play here and found the main music hall to be just as intoxicating as the bar — although the sound was noticeably far better from the balcony upstairs. What a unique venue to see something like this.

Something tells me writing this review will turn me into a hated and hunted woman by artists, historians and musicians alike… but…I celebrated my New Years here, and it was mostly tragicomic. (Comic for my own appreciation of its hilarity).
This space is rich with history, as one of the oldest surviving music halls. Its interior is both magical and in severe disrepair. This place needs money and lots of it and evidently New Years is the perfect place to pinch £75 from bohemian — seeking, Fiona Shaw — loving (however morose the Wasteland might appear as a New Years starter), SCHMUCKS. I can say this because I, too, yes, I am one of the schmucky suckers.
In brief, I missed Ms. Fiona, largely because our hostess failed to tell us to make our way to the theatre rather than make our way to the bar and then became obstinate about us entering after a minute past door closing. Was shoved and pushed around in a derelict waiting area where drinks were not included. Finally seated in the threatre for the second part of the evening. Our ‘food offering’ included store-​bought stale pork pies, hummus, carrots, cheese and a sad lonesome cupcake just for midnight.
Crowd — a motley mix of Delia, geriatrics, hipsters, Surrey schoolgirls playing bohemian and us, ‘schmucks’. Performances — oddball. I say this largely because they included Charlie Chaplin stripping down to pasties (this over my full plate of pork pies), and a trans-​gender magician, whose mic cut out halfway between number guessing and object finding. Drinks — one very warm and very rationed bottle of Sainsbury’s finest sparkling split for all of us 10 schmucks at midnight.
If you want this place to live beyond it’s rubble, just donate anonymously. If you are seeking absurd /​bohemian over NYE 2011, tie a bow around your head, read T.S. Elliot to your lover in an abandoned derelict warehouse and share a pork pie — you’ll be wealthier and wiser in the coming year.

This is a great little tucked away place. By tucked away, I mean you’ll get lost trying to find your way here. I did, and my phone has GPS.
But when you arrive, your greeted by friendly folk, a lovely bar selling tasty food and wonderful wonderful cabaret.
I’ve got a bit bored of cabaret venues recently (Bethnal Green Working Mens? I’m looking at you). Wilton’s really push the boat out. Opera, bands, acrobats. I don’t think you could predict what you were going to see here from one day to the next.
And that’s what I love about this place. Just go and treat yourself to this wonderful little tiny venue. Meet lovely people and dance until your feet are hurty. Then stroll across Tower Bridge on the way home — such an amazing view.
Great place. I’ll be back. A lot.

I too will give my BRAVO to the great Wilton’s Music Hall. It is tucked away in a little alley near Tower Hill, which is an area I rarely would have reason to visit. So finding it was a bit of a challenge (hence a missing star in the rating).
Once there, I felt like I was walking into a piece of music hall history. The staff was dressed in vintage clothing, the walls were dotted with deteriorating décor, and the amenities were minimal. I really felt like I had stepped back in time — or on a movie set!
I agree with many of the sentiments above — especially about the sound if you’re on the same side of the orchestra (switch sides!) and how amazing the space itself is.
They seem to have a lot going on, and much of it is free or inexpensive. I would definitely visit again and bring a camera!

Make sure you leave enough time to find the hidden treasure that is Wilton’s Music Hall. As even a Londoner born and bred like me had no idea of its existence or location before now. And tucked away as it is, down an alley off an East End backstreet, you might want to take an A-​Z with you!
But it really is worth the effort, and I was astonished to discover such a magnificent and historic venue.
Stripped back to its bare bones of original floorboards and peeling plaster, it has the aura of decaying grandeur and faded glamour. And so it recently provided the perfect setting for The Marriage of Figaro by Vignette Productions.
This delightful opera was performed beautifully by the cast and orchestra. And it was undoubtedly the best operatic event I’ve ever been to. I’ll definitely be paying a return visit to the charming Wilton’s.

This really is London’s hidden gem. I went here to see The Marriage of Figaro this weekend. I just couldn’t get over how amazing the space was. It is absolutely brilliant. I don’t even want to describe it, you just have to see it for yourself.
(Though Emilia up above gives a lovely description!)

Wilton’s is a tangible piece of magic. The world’s last surviving grand music hall tucked away in a pedestrian alley near Aldgate East, the venue has been in existence in one form or another for 285 years.
Its Mahogany Bar was built in 1725 and has always been (and still is today) a public house. The actual hall itself dates from the 1850s and is, simply put, marvelous. I love how the folks behind this grade II* listed building preserve the building without tarting it up (or dumbing it down) for contemporary tastes. That said they’ve got their work cut out for them!
The building is semi-​derelict. Only 60% of the space is safe and in use. In its present condition Wilton’s is extremely vulnerable to vandalism and further decay and sadly, at the current rate of decay the building will cease to be accessible in the next three years. Wilton’s only has half a roof, walls are crumbling and floors have fallen in. So, that means you best get over there soon to take in all its grandeur and you best visit the Wilton’s website to see how you can help save this truest of London gems!

Any excuse to visit Wilton’s is a good one! Go (and take me with you)!

I was lucky enough to attend a KT Tunstall gig here as she launched her last album and was impressed. It looks as if it is awaiting demolition, in fact we weren’t sure we had the right place at first, but it is more than capable of hosting a top night.
Wilton’s oozes history and according to the website it is the world’s oldest surviving grand music hall. The décor appears to be left exactly as it was whenever it was functioning full time and the run down tired look is actually part of its charm and character. It feels like you have broken into an abandoned auditorium and that you are experiencing something a little special and off the radar. The old wooden balcony may creak a bit but there’s no chance of falling through.
The stone walls are impressive too. It reminds me of the entrance to the Dragon’s Den. Sadly Theo and the gang weren’t there to give me any money so I had to settle with buying a drink instead. The staff here were very friendly and enthusiastic about the place and I can see why.
The stage is quite low down and there weren’t any barriers creating a void between you and the act. In fact people were practically on the stage. The acoustics were awesome too which really enhanced the acoustic songs which were performed that night.
I loved my visit to Wilton’s and if the opportunity to visit again arises I shall jump at the chance to go.