KENTSTAYCATION
SUPPER CLUB SOPHISTICATION AT THE ROYAL BELL, BROMLEY
THERE IS SOMETHING WONDERFULLY UNEXPECTED ABOUT THE NEW INCARNATION OF THE ROYAL BELL IN BROMLEY. LONG KNOWN LOCALLY AS ONE OF THE TOWN’ S LANDMARK BUILDINGS, THE GRAND VICTORIAN PROPERTY HAS UNDERGONE AN AMBITIOUS TRANSFORMATION( HELMED BY LOCAL BUSINESSMAN MARK GOLDBERG) THAT FEELS BOTH RESPECTFUL TO ITS HISTORY AND ENTIRELY GEARED TOWARDS MODERN LONDON SOCIALISING. BY SAMANTHA READY
What was once simply a historic building has evolved into a multi-layered destination: boutique hotel, private members’ club, cocktail bar, restaurant, summer terrace and entertainment hub, all wrapped inside a building that still retains the confidence of its original architecture.
The refurbishment has been substantial, but cleverly judged. Period features remain proudly intact, while interiors now lean moodier and more contemporary. Rich tones, ambient lighting and textured finishes give the labyrinthian spaces a sense of occasion without tipping into rigorous formality. Downstairs buzzes with conversation and cocktails, while tuckedaway corners( some hidden behind secret doors) and velvet-lined seating create the sense that something interesting is always about to happen.
And on the evening we visited, it absolutely did.
The Belle Affair has found a fitting home within The Royal Bell’ s glamourous new identity. The evening blends dinner-party energy with immersive entertainment, creating a night out that feels increasingly rare outside of London and most akin to those classically sophisticated evening supper club shows of the Vegas strip. Guests settled in with bottomless prosecco( controlled by tapping the table lamp to indicate to the attentive front of house team that you need a top up) and endless pizza( worth the visit alone and demonstrating the impact that Aldo Zilli has had on the food offering) as the room filled steadily, anticipation building with each refill.
The atmosphere struck that sweet spot between theatrical and relaxed. No stiff dress codes or intimidating exclusivity, just groups of friends, couples and celebratory tables, all leaning into the escapism of the evening. The pizza kept flowing throughout, hot from the kitchen and ideal for indulging in between performances, while glasses were topped up almost before they reached empty. And if free-flowing prosecco is not your tipple persuasion there is a full bar service and some pretty killer cocktails on offer, too.
Then the lights lowered. The show, choreographed and conceptualised by Lauren Cronin, was brilliantly varied and paced so the energy never dipped, sitting at that perfect spot of risqué and suggestive but never crude. A live singer opened proceedings with powerful vocals that instantly commanded the room, before dancers swept between the tables with polished choreography and plenty of playful audience interaction. Burlesque performances brought the glamour and humour in equal measure, teasing rather than shocking, while the aerial performance completely shifted the room’ s focus. Suspended high above the audience, the performer twisted and dropped through the air with astonishing control and grace, the entire room momentarily encapsulated in silence before erupting into applause.
106 • www. insidekent. co. uk