The Old Dispensary in Camberwell is a raucous, noisy den of energy and sound out from the shadows of the city’s highrises. It’s hard to find a time after dark when the Old Dispensary isn’t loud; its front door takes you out onto the ever-busy Camberwell Road and at peak times the neighbourhood’s cool kids and alternative types spill out onto the narrow pavement, often even dicing slightly with the traffic. 

This shouldn’t be taken as a bad thing, however, because it is a testament to the popularity of The Old Dispensary amongst the area’s younger, artsier crowd. Live music is constant here with a wide variety and, while not every gig here will be for everyone, the energy can’t be faulted. 

With connections to the local skate scene, the Old Dispensary is a place where the mulleted, leather-jacketed alternative students from one of South London’s many arts unis head for a big night. So head down for a night of noise, energy and probably a decent shift spent listening to someone having a moan about the government.