Restoration Project
Our venue has an amazing history of arts events, stretching back to the late 1960s. Sadly it fell into disuse from 1990 until 2012, when a major renovation project was mounted to bring it back to life
Arts and cultural activities at our Riding Hose Street venue can be traced back to the late 1960s when it was a student arts workshop and folk music venue. Then, in 1972, a collaboration between the Polytechnic of Central London (now the University of Westminster) and the Soho Theatre Company formed the Soho Poly Theatre Club. The venue, known as the Soho Poly, became a vital part London’s alternative theatre landscape. Vacated in 1990, it had been host to theatre practitioners such as Bob Hoskins, Barrie Keeffe, Pam Gems, Timberlake Wertenbaker and many others. Having fallen into disrepair, it was rediscovered in 2012 and plans were immediately put in place for a major renovation project to ensure that the history and stories of this remarkable venue could be preserved.
The Soho Poly is located in the heart of Fitzrovia and works to forge links with local communities, charities and schools. The space now offers a contemporary performance space for the wider London arts community and beyond.
Gallery
In 2023, the Soho Poly venue was officially reopened.
The new artistic team has created a vibrant performance space and cultural hub for its local community. A home for theatre, music, poetry, workshops, exhibitions and more – anything, in fact, that contributes to our aim of creatively disrupting people’s everyday life with arts and culture.