Jazz Cafe

The Jazz Cafe stands at 5 Parkway in Camden, London NW1 7PG. It presents itself as a live music venue, a restaurant, a club and a party venue, and the room does all four jobs, often in the same evening. Its own pages describe it as an older venue, and they say so plainly when they discuss access.

The room is built around the stage. Most of the audience stands on the floor. Above them, a restaurant on an upper mezzanine overlooks the stage, reached by 16 steps. Its tables seat two or four and are fixed at that size. Some are standard tables and chairs, some are raised booths, and some are high tables with high-backed stools. A table is held from the moment doors open until the end of the show, so dinner and the gig share the same hours.

The evening has a rhythm. Doors open, and live music usually starts 60 to 90 minutes later. Entry is strictly 18 and over with photo ID, bags are checked on arrival, and there is no dress code. Coats go in a cloakroom for £2.50 an item, card only. An access area to the right of the stage, with an accessible toilet beside it, is set aside for guests who cannot stand for long.

The listings show how wide the programming runs. Early October brings Bag Raiders in a DJ set, a dance night called soulcity, and The London Ambient Orchestra performing Oxygène for its 50th anniversary. Club nights have their own place in the calendar alongside the live shows.