Clashbar story

The Clashbar is Clink78 London hostel all new drinking venue which opened in autumn 2008. The site was the former base of the old Clerkenwell Magistrates Court where Charles Dickens worked while he wrote and immortalised the adventures of Oliver Twist and the Artful Dodger in the villainous subculture of Victorian London. However, more recent and unexpected residents include international and London rock legends The Clash, who were held in the cells amid accusations of firing guns at passing pigeons.

In 1997 the Magistrates Court finally slammed shut its doors for ten years until Clink78 hostel London took over this impressive building, lovingly dusted off its docks and opened up the cells again to create a party hostel and bar.

We felt it was an ideal venue to create an underground bar! It’s unusual to have a bar of this stature in a hostel but we decided that we wanted to have a communal heart for our backpackers with great drink, entertainment and the best music London could offer – you can bare witness to that most nights of the week! Hence the Clashbar was born.

The Clash at the Clink: Why they are so important? Learn more about The Clash.