West End Comedy Club closes as venue redeveloped into pod hostel
The West End Comedy Club has revealed it has now closed, due to the landlord of the Covent Garden Social Club - where it holds its shows - announcing it will be redeveloping the building into a pod hostel.
Based at the venue next to Leicester Square, The West End Comedy Club was founded as covid restrictions lifted in August 2021 as a mid-sized, mid-week comedy club hosting a mix of mixed-bill pro shows, Edinburgh Fringe previews, and alternative and themed nights 4-5 times a week. The club was born out of "frustration with poor pay, lack of transparency and underrepresentation of women and minority groups in the industry".
The club quickly grew to sit comfortably in the top 10 London comedy clubs on TripAdvisor, welcoming hundreds of audience members every week. It was booking over 600 spots a year, employing over 200 comedians.
The club's producer Liam Pape comments: "A huge thank you to everyone who's supported us over the past three and a half years! When we launched in July 2021, we set out to tackle some of the comedy circuit's biggest challenges in central London - like pay transparency and progression - and we're proud to say those values have been at our core since day one.
"It's been an absolute joy bringing audiences incredible nights like our monthly Alternative Comedy Night, showcasing fresh talent with Comedy Youngers, hosting Edinburgh Fringe previews, and being part of the Camden Fringe.
"A special shoutout to the amazing West End Comedy Club team, past and present: Joy, Maddie, Nayonica, Laura, and Megan -you've been the heart and soul of this journey. A huge thank you to the Covent Garden Social Club too for being such a fantastic home.
"To everyone who's cheered us on - audiences, comedians, agents, producers - thank you for supporting a new, independent comedy venue."
The club posted a video on its Instagram feed to explain the situation: