Camden Centre

The Camden Centre is located at the back of what used to be Camden Town Hall before it moved to its new site between King’s Cross and St Pancras. The Chinese Community Centre has its fundraising activities there every Chinese New Year where entertainment ranging from acrobats, magicians, lion dances, opera etc celebrate the New Year on a stage in a hall which needs renovating, the entrance to the hall is also dark and uninviting.
The whole building needs an overhaul. However, the yearly fundraising is a lovely event, and the Camden Chinese Community makes use of the space very well, which is attended by the Mayor of Camden and other Camden dignitaries, and the finale is always waited with excitement as the star prize in the raffle is a return ticket to Hong Kong! Next to the large hall, is a smaller room where homemade Chinese food, cakes and drinks are served.

The beer festival is still going, as are other events. There is still talk of selling it off. There is also a great religious event there, I think it has to do with Shiva, but don’t quote me on it. It is a very colourful event and all are welcome. But that will be later in the year, if the place is still there. Maybe, if it does get sold, they should make it a condition of the sale to have a centre incorporated in the new use. I think this part of the town hall is listed, so cannot get demolished.

This is a good building for events. I have attended an excellent beer festival here than has been running for 25 years now.
It will be a real shame if plans to sell this building to take advantage of it’s worth now the Eurostar arrives in this corner of London come to fruition. There will be less and less buildings of this kind when you need them. What’s it going to be? A hotel maybe? Yawn.