The Lexington, Islington

The Lexington is a pub and music venue on Pentonville Road in Islington, London that opened in 2008. The bar specialises in bourbon, as well as American craft beer.[1][2] The building it is in was built over 1875 to 1876 and was originally known as The Belvidere.[3]

The Lexington
The Lexington in 2009
Location96-98 Pentonville Rd
Islington
London
N1 9JB
Coordinates51.531719°N 0.111381°W / 51.531719; -0.111381
Capacity200
Opened2008
Website
www.thelexington.co.uk

The venue area is upstairs, with a raised back section by the bar. The front of this has bench seating, but facing away from the stage.[1]

On Monday evenings the pub has a music quiz, previously sponsored by Rough Trade, that is usually hosted by Paul Guided Missile.[4]

History

The building now housing The Lexington was erected in 1875–6. It was then known as the Belvidere, and was a new construction for the earlier tavern of that name on the same site. It was designed by the architect W. E. Williams and built by Robert Marr.[3]

The Lexington was particularly badly hit by a reform of London business rates in 2017, with a proposed increase of more than 200 percent (the average for London music venues being about 38 per cent). The venue challenged this and managed to get somewhat of a reduction to an increase of 118 percent.[5][6]

The venue's existence has been threatened further by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lexington were among the beneficiaries of the Cultural Recovery Fund administered by Arts Council England, announced on October 12, 2020. The venue stated that those funds “will go some way in mitigating the financial damage and debt accumulated over the last seven months of closure” but that they are “still in serious peril” as they were only awarded 40% of the funding they applied for.[7] In November the Music Venue Trust announced a campaign which highlighted the 30 UK music venues deemed still in crisis, one of which is The Lexington. The venue are currently running a crowdfunder to raise what is still needed.[8]

Notable performers

Recordings
  • In 2011 British soul singer-songwriter Jodie Marie released an EP of songs recorded during her gig at the Lexington in 2011 titled “Live At The Lexington E.P.” which comprised three songs from her then upcoming debut studio album “Mountain Echo”: “Single Blank Canvas”, “Greeney-Blue” and “Dandelion Wishes”. The EP was a digital only release.
  • In 2012 British-Irish soul musician Maverick Sabre released an EP of songs recorded during his gig at the Lexington in November 2011 titled “Live At The Lexington” which comprised three songs from his then upcoming debut studio album “Lonely Are the Brave”: “I Used To Have It All”, “I Need” and “Let Me Go”. The EP was a digital only release.
  • In 2014 British Alternative rock band The House of Love released an LP of songs recorded during their gig at the Lexington in November 2013 titled “Live at the Lexington 13:11:13” which comprised 14 songs: “Destroy the Heart”, “Hope”, “Christine”, “Se Dest”, “Road”, “The Beatles and the Stones”, “Purple Killer Rose”, “Phone”, “She Paints Words in Red”, “Shine On”, “Lost in the Blues”, “A Baby Got Back on Its Feet”, “I Don’t Know Why I Love You” and ”Touch Me”.

References
  1. Hann, Michael (11 February 2014). "The gig venue guide: The Lexington, London". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  2. "The Lexington, Islington, London". Kerrang!. London: Wasted Talent Ltd. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  3. Temple, Philip (ed.). "Pentonville Road". Survey of London: Volume 47, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300139372.
  4. "The Lexington: Time Out Says". Time Out London. Time Out. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  5. White, Megan (9 January 2019). "Treasury accused of discriminating over business rates for live music venues". Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  6. Hann, Michael (10 November 2017). "The fight to save London's live music scene". Financial Times. Nikkei Inc. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  7. Moore, Sam (13 October 2020). "London's Lexington "still in serious peril" after receiving only 40% of the funding they applied for". NME.
  8. Trendell, Andrew (11 November 2020). "Here are the 30 UK music venues still in real danger of closing forever – and what you can do to help". NME.
  9. "The Lexington Past concerts". Songkick. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
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