The Croydon Clocktower

Once described by Time Out as being the ‘jewel in Croydon’s Crown’, was a popular arts centre that also housed an independent cinema and library. The Croydon Clocktower was much loved locally for its diverse and eclectic programme featuring cutting edge theatre and dance from touring companies, as well as comedy and music gigs.

Heart ‘n’ Soul’s Beautiful Octopus Club

For 10 years, between 1999 and 2009, the Arts Council funded a project at The Croydon Clocktower, which saw one of the UK’s leading disability-led organisations, Heart ‘n’ Soul, bring their notorious club nights for people with learning disabilities to Croydon. They helped establish regular events at The Croydon Clocktower called, Beautiful Octopus Club Croydon, and delivered workshops for people to learn how to DJ. Heart ‘n’ Soul helped bring an awareness and understanding of learning disability culture to the team at The Croydon Clocktower, developing an inclusive practice at the venue and growing a community around the events and other opportunities.

Big White Light Theatre 

The Croydon Clocktower ran an audience development programme, which sought to create more opportunities for underrepresented communities in Croydon to take part in the arts. Professional training was offered to a group of adults with learning disabilities, who went on to devise their own brand of physical theatre, creating original shows which addressed disability issues using a highly physical style which was often funny and absurdist. The theatre company were commissioned by the Learning Disability Team at Croydon Council, to deliver interactive performances to raise awareness of topical themes affecting the community. Once Club Soda was established, the theatre company would have regular performance opportunities and their popularity grew until the company disbanded in 2013.

Soda Crew DJs

Club Soda set-up weekly workshops for people who wanted to learn DJing but also continue to improve their skills. The workshops pre-date Club Soda but in 2009 the group became known as the Soda Crew. 

Club Soda is born

Club Soda was conceived in 2009 because there was strong demand for accessible club nights and performance opportunities in Croydon for people with learning disabilities who lived all over London and the Southeast. Club Soda continued where Heart n Soul’s Beautiful Octopus Club left off, by delivering regular club nights at The Croydon Clocktower, and the events also became a platform to showcase the sounds of Soda Crew DJs and resident theatre company, Big White Light; as well as a place people with learning disabilities could let their hair down and be themselves. Learning disability culture was thriving in Croydon!

The first Club Soda events 

Early Club Soda events at The Croydon Clocktower had over 400 people regularly attend. The main space, The Braithwaite Hall, is fondly remembered by Club Soda members for its beautiful old-fashioned look and feel, including decorative wooden balcony and fake books! But the venue also boasted a professional lighting rig, impressive sound system, smoke machine and raised stage. People could choose to dance the night away; do karaoke in the bar; watch films in the cinema; or get messy creating giant paintings together. There were also actors who promenaded throughout the venue as well as singers and bands who interspersed with the DJs in the main space. These events always had festival vibes and a celebratory atmosphere; they were nothing like an ordinary, mainstream club night. The raw joy and energy in the audience was palpable, there was a huge sense of community and of friendship.

The Pop Artists 

The arts organisation, Action Space, delivered art sessions for people with learning disabilities at The Croydon Clocktower for several years until 2011, when they withdrew from Croydon, owing to funding cuts. Club Soda supported the artists in the group to continue meeting and working together as The Pop Artists, offering them regular opportunities to exhibit their work at quarterly Club Soda events at The Croydon Clocktower. In 2014, Club Soda worked with TURF Projects to successfully transition The Pop Artists group to their new home in The Whitgift Centre, where they became MOSS (Makers of Stuff Squad) supported by the wonderful team at TURF.

Funding cuts and change 

The national spending cuts in 2011, led to the closure of The Croydon Clocktower’s arts programme and facilities. Club Soda survived and continued to be funded by Croydon Council, but it was impacted by the closure and needed to find other venues for their regular events.

The Carbonators 

In July 2011, cult musician Damo Suzuki, from notorious Krautrock group, CAN, came to Croydon to perform at Stanley Halls, in what was the first Club Soda event since the closure of The Croydon Clocktower. Club Soda advertised an opportunity for musicians from the community to play alongside Damo at the gig, as ‘sound carriers’, which is how Damo liked to describe his bandmates. The Carbonators were officially born at this legendary event and the rest is history.

Matthews Yard 

The iconic Matthews Yard, which was opened in 2011 to inspire some positive change following the Croydon riots, became home to Club Soda’s regular live music nights, Soda Beat, for 5 years.

Bad Apple 

This legendary Croydon nightclub, Bad Apple, famed for its alternative music nights and run by the same owners of the infamous Black Sheep Bar, hosted Club Soda’s quarterly club nights more than 24 times across a 6-year period.

Gig Buddies Croydon 

Club Soda had strong ties to the band Heavy Load from Brighton and the charity, Stay Up Late, that formed shortly after the band disbanded. Stay Up Late’s original Gig Buddies project in Brighton was a rip-roaring success and Club Soda wanted in on the action! In 2018, Gig Buddies Croydon became one of the first new Gig Buddy franchises outside of Brighton, and the first in London. 

Club Soda becomes a charity

Club Soda became a charity in 2019 after receiving its first large 3-year grant from The National Lottery Community Fund. They were then a team of 6 staff.

Leisure Link 

Early on during the Covid-19 pandemic, Club Soda were looking for a way of keeping the community connected and feeling positive and hopeful despite lockdown. They started monthly Leisure Link Socials on Zoom and created newsletters that the community could get involved in producing. After lockdown, the newsletters became Leisure Link Magazines that were printed and distributed to hundreds of homes, local venues and shops.

Now and the future

Club Soda is now a team of 14 staff and over 30 volunteers. They deliver more than 350 workshops per year to almost 100 members and reach thousands more people through their popular live events and activities.