Seven Church Lane: Leytonstone's most exciting new opening in 2026?
Plus: The Old Crown to replace The Birds, Bakers Arms' pay-what-you-can vegan lunch, a beginner's guide to Zaxx and Homerton's unheralded gem
When I moved to the area back in the teens, Church Lane’s long-running live music venue Luna was the bar I swung by more than any other.
Situated opposite the bucolic 200-year-old St John’s Churchyard, there was something welcoming about its distinctive facade, especially in spring and summer, when doors and windows were flung open directly onto the pavement.
Better still, the beguiling sound of live jazz, soul artists or singer-songwriters effortlessly lured my compadres and I in for one more (or, realistically, more than one more). Once inside, the venue was an inclusive safe space, a melting pot of genders, ages, sexualities and cultures reflecting East London’s much-valued diversity.
And now, in 2026, Luna —rechristened temporarily as Seven Church Lane — is about to be born again.
But first, if you’ve never paused to study the huge building it’s housed in, cross the road and take a good hard look. The venue forms just a fraction of the grand 1934 Grade II-listed art deco library, which some bloke at Historic England haughtily called “a suburban branch library of considerable architectural ambition.” Steady on, old boy.
A long pioneering council-owned cultural spot, Luna boasts a hardworking — and touching — backstory: founded in 2004 by Suja Luna Khaled, the quirky, homely venue once hosted over 400 gigs annually, a crucial platform for emerging artists. Entrance was always free and, over the years, the spirit of the place only grew as Leytonstone found itself more on the map with nearby foodie arrivals such as Homies On Donkeys and Filly Brook, not to mention the rise of the mighty Singburi.
Following Khaled’s sad passing in 2021, the venue — soldiering on in fits and starts with a new team — eventually descended into financial turmoil and disrepair. In July 2024, it finally closed its doors.
And then nothing — until now.
So who is behind the reboot?
In this week’s issue I sit down with three of the new team for a natter.
First up, there’s a new provisional name you can follow on Instagram: @sevenchurchlane. Simply the venue’s address, this is the “holding” account — but personally, I quite like it. “We want to release the new final name at a later date when we start going on with the build, around springtime,” says co-founder Danny Saunders — yep, he’s the bloke behind Leyton’s Chop Shop Tavern, Leyton Calling and Tilbury Yard.
Also steering the project is Dreamhouse Records owner Jon Clifford, whose vinyl store and bar has been on Francis Road now for five years; Simon Singleton, the founder of Leytonstone’s annual music festival, Shake The High Road; and Toby L, founder of Transgressive Records, home to Foals, Arlo Parks and even Leytonstone-raised icon Damon Albarn himself.
This blended skillset reflects the multi-tasking nature of the new venue, which will morph from civilised daytime hangout to evening gig venue and sweaty club basement. The team are also committed to offering a “meaningful community space for the next generation of creatives,” says Danny, and have thus partnered with Waltham Forest’s Future Formed, which inspires and supports local residents aged 16 to 30.
Upstairs, the famous doors and windows will still open wide onto the street, weather permitting. Seating will be minimal, with a bar offering local craft beer, wine and cocktails. There’ll also be a kitchen, although the team are still deliberating on the details of the daytime and evening food offer.
Musically, the venue will lean into the current listening bar vogue, with vinyl-only sound system, as well as an in-house record store courtesy of Dreamhouse, who’ll also host intimate in-store artist performances tied to key new releases.
And, of course, you can expect all manner of live music and late-night club nights in the basement. Interest piqued? Scroll down for my chat with the visionary trio to get the full picture. @sevenchurchlane
Welcome to issue #67. Well, that was quick: next Wednesday, February 4th, The Birds relaunches as The Old Crown, its historic name from when the current pub was built in 1888. However, don’t expect a lively roster of local craft breweries or food pop-ups: as part of their “Unity Social” brand, owners Punch Pubs, the corporate group which runs 1300 pubs across the UK, says here that The Old Crown will offer “great value for money as your go-to place for all things sport and big weekend entertainment. Enjoy pool tables, dart boards, and cheer on your favourite teams with your perfect pint in hand.”
Elsewhere, I seem to have written a heck of a lot about new Middle Eastern bakery Farha recently. But my last word (for now, anyway) on Leyton’s uber-popular new daytime hang is an interview I did this week with owners Nargis and Umar for Broadsheet London: you can read it here.
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In a nutshell — behind today’s paywall:
As we sit in a dusty Luna, Danny, Simon and Jon give me the full lowdown on what we can expect from the venue to be temporarily known as Seven Church Lane.
Why you should try the pay-what-you-can weekly vegan cafe at Bakers Arms.
A Beginner’s Guide To Zaxx, Francis Road.
The first restaurant in Homerton? Or last before Leyton? Either way, this elegant newish dining room flies under the radar.
A new expanded opinion section, plus gossipy titbits and this week’s forthcoming pop-ups, one-offs and foodie happenings.