Cultural curiosities & pop-tastic art in Southbank & Bankside

Join us at Southbank and Bankside to soak-up some seriously good street-life, see some marvellous contemporary art, and have a fabulous coffee and a drink with interesting people at a couple of London’s loveliest outdoor spaces.

We’ll meet at a great little al-fresco Aussie cafe for refreshments, before sauntering along the Thames as modern flâneurs, observing the ever-changing street-life, and checking-out some of the area’s hidden gems and cultural curiosities.

We’ll discover thought-provoking public artworks, secret Thames viewpoints, and amazing artists and craftspeople. We’ll explore free exhibitions at a world-class art gallery, and we’ll end the afternoon with a chill and a chat at a riverside pub.

We welcome seasoned art-lovers and anyone beginning their journey in the weird and wonderful world of visual art. We’re a friendly and welcoming bunch, we don’t bark or bite, so don’t be shy and please do come along.

Full disclosure
We’ll meet for introductions, refreshments and a pitstop at Beany Green – a fabulous al-fresco cafe-bar-in-a-shipping-container. It’s decorated as a tribute to British Pop Artist Peter Blake, famous for The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, and The Who’s iconic graphics. The cafe serves-up perfectly extracted third-wave flat-whites, Aussie lamingtons, and award-winning homemade banana bread. Nom-nom!

We’ll drag ourselves away from all that authentic Aussie goodness to saunter along the Thames, soaking up the street-life on Southbank and Bankside – arguably London’s finest public outdoor spaces. We’ll poke around some of the area’s lesser-known attractions and quirkier corners, where we’ll discover public artworks, hidden gardens, printmakers’ collectives and craft shops. And, if you promise not to tell anyone, we’ll sneak up to an amazing Thames viewing deck they’d prefer you didn’t know about!

When we’ve had enough street culture, we’ll head for the awesome Tate Modern gallery, where we’ll learn a bit about Pop Art, including Roy Lichtenstein, an amazing American mid-century Pop Art legend. If we feel like it, we can also explore video and sound installations in The Tanks – the original cavernous concrete fuel stores under this repurposed power station.

When we’ve had our fill of amazing art, we’ll head to The Anchor pub, with its fabulous riverside views. We’ll have a drink and chat about what we’ve seen, and anything else that comes to mind.

Where & when
START – We begin at 1pm at Beany Green cafe-bar, not far from Waterloo station. They’ve great coffee, lamingtons and banana cake. Savoury food and toilets are next-door in the Royal Festival Hall cafe. We’ll leave Beany Green around 1:30pm.

END – We finish at the The Anchor pub, not far from London Bridge station.

Live location
We won’t have time to check comments or messages during the meetup but, if you get separated from the group, you can find us here on Google Maps

Small print
We‘re building an inclusive, responsible and respectful community, and a safe space for everyone, so please play nicely!

• We’ll start the event on time, so come early to allow for transport delays.
• Let us know if you can no longer make it by changing your rsvp in good time.
• We may have to change some details before or during the event.
• Please show tolerance and respect for other members.
• This is not a guided tour, but a self-guided event with a hobby group, where we freely share our knowledge.
• Nobody is providing a service of any kind. You are responsible for your own safety. You attend completely at your own risk. By attending, you accept that group organisers and members have no liability for any injury or loss.