London Lounge (LL) provides arguably the closest western drinking and dining experience in all of Zhuhai. Apart from the warm weather, a patron will actually feel like they are sitting in a bar that situates on Leicester Square.
The interior within LL is dark, but well lit by the large light that seeps in from the front entrance, which is made up large paned glass windows. There are also plenty of beautifully placed commemorative canvases and artworks scattered around the venue that feature landmark locations of London, which will give British visitors a little slice of home.
LL is an incredibly welcoming speakeasy, not just for Brits and westerners, but the local population too. This is achieved by LL’s embracing and wide-open space. Delta Bridges spoke to one of the owners, Martyn Henderson who discussed about the history of LL, “Three years ago London Lounge opened its doors to the public, but back then, its location was next to Jida Beach. We remained there for just under two years until we were told to relocate because the area was being used for financial/business purposes.
“At first we were annoyed about moving, but in hindsight, the venue we have now is much bigger and more open, plus our old location was a problem in relation to the view being obstructed for people who passed by”.
Martyn’s business partner, Mark Clayton also gave his verdict on LL’s location, “What’s interesting is London Lounge has become a ‘destination location’ and what I mean by this is the local public specially only come to this area to come here, this differs from the walk-by traffic most other venues have and so I can say that with confidence we must be doing something right!”.
When it comes to LL’s strength, it’s hard to deny their western menu is second to none. LL’s menu dispenses a great range of mouth-watering burgers, appetising pizzas and a delectable choice of fried chicken dishes with chips. Also served is a broad British menu, so this is perfect spot to try a portion of fish and chips. LL is also in the process of developing a new Asian and Thai menu and Mark gave the reason why, “Obviously we attract many westerners, but it is our aim now to engage with the local Chinese population and we feel that an authentic and enticing Asian menu will do that. I also think that once we receive a lot more Asian custom, we can start to show the local population a more truer representation of the British way of life.”
Dominantly, LL is also one the best night spot locations to head to before moving on to a late night club. Great parties are held at LL at all times of the year. Additionally, on the 12th December, LL is running a Santa Pub Crawl along other organisers. Every two weeks on a Thursday, the venue holds an open mic jam night that always brings in the crowds. There is actually an upper-floor at LL, which gives an excellent vantage point for watching the performances provided.
Right now, Mark and Martyn told Delta Bridges that there are no immediate plans to branch out the London Lounge brand and that they are currently concentrating all their efforts on making the Long Zhou Wan Hua Yuan Jida location the best eating and entertainment venue for both westerners and locals alike.
