New live music and comedy venue to open in south London next year

A new 300-seat venue that will host concerts, comedy and showcases of local talent will open in south London next year.

Called the Tail, it will open in Catford and is part of the town’s existing entertainment complex, Catford Mews.

It will open to coincide with Lewisham’s time as London Borough of Culture in 2022 and will have a capacity of 300.

The venue is named after the town’s Catford Cat statue, which has adorned the entrance to Catford Shopping Centre since the 1970s.

News of the venue follows a commitment from Lewisham Council to enhance Catford’s status as a cultural destination and to help grow the night-time economy.

Catford Mews founder Preston Benson said: “With so many exciting artists across South London, a new music venue in Lewisham is great news for the borough. The Tail will be an opportunity for younger and amateur musicians of all shapes and sizes to come in and play.

“We’ve got through the last year of Covid-19 restrictions thanks to the support of Catford’s wonderful community and we’re delighted to be able to complete our vision for Catford Mews.”

Andre Bourne, cabinet member for culture at Lewisham Council, said the venue would be “a fantastic addition to south London’s live-music scene, providing opportunities for promising local artists and putting Lewisham on the map as the place to be for new music”.