Fold

Nightclub

Gillian house, Stephenson St, E16 4SA

£10-20

Fold opened back in August 2018, gifting East London a brand new, 24-hour licensed venue. It was a blessing to all – with a close connection to nearby Canning Town’s Jubilee line night tube, and a 110db sound system in the main room. Having heard of Fold but never been, I was keen to check it out after reading countless good reviews online. We went along for LSDXOXO’s set on a cold evening in November, and it did not disappoint.

There are a few great things about this venue. Firstly, given that it is based in a non-residential industrial estate, there are simply zero worries about noise complaints. When we arrived just after midnight on a Friday, there was no queue and the staff who checked our tickets and did a bag search were jovial, friendly and really pleasant – a million miles away from the invasive aggressiveness of E1’s entry. The venue was only around half full when we got there, which meant plenty of space in the smoking area and no bar or toilet queue. The space itself was perfect – a stage at the end of one big room, with a bar running along the right-hand side, some elevated platforms along the left. Toilets and the door for the smoking area were located at the back. I’m pretty sure there is usually another room, however, on this night I think it was reserved for more intimate activities… The evening itself was called ‘floorgasm’ and the bouncer showed us away when we mistakenly took it for the toilets, claiming it was for 'guestlist' only.

Even when things filled up an hour or so later, nothing ever felt too packed. Admittedly, if the whole of the smoking area were to join us on the dance floor at the same time then it would have been rammed, but there is always safety in the fact that at nights like these you’ll probably end up spending half of it outside chatting shit anyway. Bruce and LSDXOXO’s sets were great – far from the heavier techno stuff I usually find myself dragged to and much more eclectic and upbeat. The sound was crisp, clean, loud, but never too much; there wasn't one point that I couldn't turn around and have a conversation to the person next to me. Bar prices were very reasonable – around £5 for a can and £7 for a spirit mixer. The bar staff were super nice, and the bar itself was slick in appearance and operation (although did get busy as the night went on). The smoking area was a wide, wrap-around balcony of the venue, which I originally thought wouldn’t be big enough, but with seats either side there was enough room for everyone to feel reasonably comfortable.

The crowd at Fold was amongst the friendliest I’ve seen in London. This particular event had a lot of LGBTQ+ representation, which was potentially what made the space feel so inclusive and safe. However, after getting chatting to a Fold regular, he claimed the venue always had the welcoming and friendly feel I was experiencing that night. He advised me to check out the Unfold events they hold every Sunday night – where the Fold enthusiasts or just hardcore ravers who haven’t quite finished their weekend end up. I haven’t quite got the stamina I used to, and given Sunday is a school night (and I’m a square) I probably won’t make it anytime soon, but will definitely check in out some time. The staff operate a ‘no-photo’s’ policy, and give you small stickers to put over your phone camera (hence the lack of my own images in this post). This can sometimes come across as a little pretentious (like it does at Phonox in Brixton), but for some reason here it seems to make sense – you’re here for the music, for the people, and for the safety Fold seems to encompass.

Overall, Fold was a seriously great place to go for a night out. The only set back I can think of is the out-of-the-way location, and therefore pricey Uber home that took a while to arrive, but once the night tube on the Jubilee line returns this will no longer be an issue at all. Fold? It’s the closest to a perfect venue I’ve experienced in the capital. I would return in a heartbeat.

OVERALL RATING: *****

https://www.fold.london/