A tale of two Cubes

The former Cube club/bar, sporadically open on the corner of Camberwell Grove and Church Street, has reopened as the grandly named Club Couture. I never went to Cube, although I went there on occasion many years ago when it was the anonymous club beneath the Greek restaurant, and the only place open after 11pm. I can only remember that it was small, and I was drunk.

Further down the road, the hairdresser, Cube (no relation) is to stay open and expand. The owner had planned to sell after 13 years in the area, but the deal fell through so he’s decided to open a tanning/massage/health area in the basement. I’ve been getting my hair cut at Cube (and its previous incarnation, Kut Klose) more or less since it opened (with a few years gap when I moved away), so I’m happy it’s staying.

In non-Cube non-news, still no word on what’s happening at Redstar, no signs of movement at Angels & Gypsies, and I’m still waiting for someone to provide a review of the toilet on the Green.

Author: Peter

Long-time resident of Camberwell, author of this blog since July 2004.

68 thoughts on “A tale of two Cubes”

  1. Rosy — it is apparent that word of mouth marketing by punters can sometimes come across as more professional than a small business’ own version, in this age of the democratisation of the media, and the articulate consumer.

    Meanwhile, in other news:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7046200.stm

    Camberwell could pioneer the introduction of this limit across its historical boundaries and the whole of the New Road. Now that’s a realistic, and achievable local community campaign.

    This could help with some of the handbrake turn markings we often see near the welcome to Camberwell sign, approaching from the north.

  2. I know you’re going to love this fable.

    Yesterday I was sitting next to a partner from one of those mega accounting firms at a works lunch.

    Straining for conversation, we got onto who lives where. Turns out he lived in Camberwell on, where else, Grove Lane.

    We got onto the general “flavour” of SE5 and he then tells other diners:

    “Yes, the incredible thing was that I was living there with young children and, just round the corner, at a nightclub I never even knew existed, two people were gunned down. I’d never even noticed this place and people are getting shot there!”

    Thinking he was referring to the Aristocrats machinegunnings I chipped in:

    “That’s the thing about Camberwell, very diverse. Amazing isn’t it. I’d never noticed that club either. It’s almost a year ago since those shootings, I think.”

    He looked confused:

    “A year? No, I moved away a while back. This happened eight or nine years ago.”

    Silence as we realise that — ten years of mad property price rises and regeneration on — history is repeating itself in SE5. Then dessert arrived.

  3. We need more proper jerk places, fewer fried chicken places. Rice N Peas in East Dul is great. We need one in CWell.

    I jerk my own chicken and ribs. The jerk stuff is surprisingly expensive for a load of salt and chilli, but it’s gooooood.

    Can we set up a separate food discussion area here?

    Flying Fish last night truly delivered. Twas great. According to my recent experiences there, the next time it will be ropey.

  4. @Phil G

    Have you tried Walkerswood Jerk seasoning? You can get it in most Supermarkets and the Greeks on Church Street. That’s the best Jerk seasoning I’ve used by some way, it costs less than £2 a jar and I think it has pretty good ingredients.

    Rice and Peas is good but no better than Patty Island on Church Street or the bakery on on the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Vestry Road.

    There’s also a new place opposite on Coldharbour that’s sold out of Brown Stewed Chicken both times I’ve been in, anyone tried it?

  5. Rosy

    Sorry for suggesting you were anything other than genuine — I guess I’m getting a bit too cynical for my own good!

    We went to the Bear on Sunday and had a good time. The Bear is a good pub and I wish it well. Has anyone been to the quiz and is able to comment on how easy/ hard it is? Would it be better than the Tuesday night George Canning delight?

    Whilst we’re on the subject of pubs I thought it was very helpful of the Fox on the Hill to provide a price comparison (see http://www.flickr.com/photos/se5forum/1530208026/ ) — we can now make informed choices on what we want to pay!

  6. They keep their prices low by cutting down on their atmosphere costs. Drinking in a Wetherspoon pub is like drinking in an empty shipping container.

  7. That jerk chicken on the Wal’rth, ‘n’ fresh carrot juice ‘n’ all, looks good.

    Mmm hmmm.

  8. yeah, the jerk chicken on WWorth interests. Never been.

    Patty island I haven’t tried but I’m not keen on the patties.

    The best jerk seasoning I had was a paste, as opposed to a powder, and was about £2 for a small jar. Will deliver name one day.

  9. Grace also make a ready made paste, it is convenient but can’t beat the homemade marinade — I keep asking various Jamaicans about how to make it but they all keep their recipies secret!
    I used to like the Jerk chicken at the back of Brixton Market where they used to have the Jerk kettle/BBQ set up — wahappen to it? was it a health & safety issue or something?
    It really needs the charcoal to seal the juices & give that special jerk flavour!
    On the subject of Jerk — they had a Jerk cook off competition at the Horniman musieum back in July I think, unfortantly didn’t hear about it till too late — did anyone go?
    sounds like heaven ! with some nice Appleton gold & cold Dragon to wash it down.…mmmm!

  10. I’ve been to the flying fish on numerous occasions and found every time i go, the food excells and it is very reasonalby priced concidering the owner gets fresh fish from billingsgate (unlike other places frozen fish AND frozen chips).

    seacow was a let down with mingy portions and normal pea’s being masked off as mushy pea’s not to mention flavourless fish!

    Last night me and freinds tried the grilled seabass and tuna (garlic or chilli optional) in The Flying Fish restaurant and absulotly LUVED it we brought our own wine (no corckage charge)
    and felt relaxed in the calm atmosphere.

    In comparison to any other fish and chip shop Flying Fish wins my vote every time it’s nearest thing to a seaside fish and chips.

    I really recommend the grilled fish with a fab salad, portions are great!
    Eat in or take away the standerds never drop!

    When it comes to eating fresh flavoursome fish fryed or grilled The Flying Fish is our first port of call!!

    Kids loved the cod bites too which was suprising as they usually hate fish and only eat it if we are in the flying fish!

    Hope they stay around for many years to come!!

  11. I like Flying Fish and the owner is a friendly chap too…A throwback to the days when proprietors were genuinely pleased to see you frequent their emporiums…a credit to Camberwell

    I think he was on my list of great things about Camberwell last year on the se5forum…There are a lot when you think about it

  12. I have never been fly fishing, but I suspect that the bumberclat Lib-Dem council wonks who are threatening that the Livesey children’s museum will close, will soon be hauled in — careers battered, chips well had.

    What is wrong with the Lib-Dems?

    They look weird, act weird, dress weird, pretend they are nice, have weird hairdos and wish they lived anywhere but in Southwark. They have weird nobby attitudes but want to seem to blend in with us modern urban people of all kinds — and are so far up their own arses on the way to national glory that they sing the faecally charged, shrill harmonics of Orwellian treble-speak.

    PAINFUL CHOICES indeed will be made for them to remove their heads from their bumholes and drag all the piles and ghastly clogged wiry hair with it, thus to gasp for the air that they so despise here south of the river, longing as they do for the pompous pong of Westminster.

    Long live the Livesey, long live the Liberals. The Lib-Dems — with their history of alliances made in the putrefaction of self-satisfaction and in the lack of faith in the pleasure of others- have become onanists so engorged with their own sense of beauty that they make both the Labour and Conservatives, in their Punch & Judy way, look like representatives who have some grip of what is really going on here amongst the people of the London Borough of Southwark.

    Strange fish, indeed. The Conservatives would make it work, Labour would work it out, but the Lib-Dems DEMONSTRABLY blow in the wind of opportunism.

    Even the private-equity-era-boom-surfers will say it, sitting in Camberwell & Dulwich in a few years time, where will the children play, where DO they play?

  13. I feel sorry for Southwark. It’s full of people who refuse to believe they bear any responsibility on thier own lives. Mother Gov should take care of them every step of the way. Feed me, cloth me, protect me, house me, raise my kids. No wonder they are broke. And now more calls for them to do more and more. Yes, tax the ‘rich’. You know the ones who are told to shut up when they dare seek accountability in spending, responsibility by those who get handouts and occasionally would like to have a say in how things are done. Darned rich: “shut up and pay more”.

  14. Club couture, formerly cube bar is a place to avoid like the plague, despite its refurbishment, the place is still a shithole, full of local “yoots” who avoid a search at the door because they know the owner, carry weapons and create a generally threatening atmosphere, it often has lock-ins and closes whenever it likes, full of people smoking crack on the dance floor,a place to avoid!!!

  15. Wow is Club Couture like that? Never seen those types hanging round outside. But then, I’m usually well drunk when I walk past at that hour.
    I’ve been to Fus a few times and even a non black like me was OK there. But C Couture sounds like the real deal. See you in there this weekend!

  16. A naff name like that holds no surprises…

    Still if you smoke crack in Camberwell everyone says “Typical”

    If you do it in Shoreditch everyone says “Cool”

Comments are closed.