The Craft Beer Co. at 168 High Holborn is the chain's Covent Garden/Holborn branch in central London — a proper pub with the UK's biggest beer selection (45 taps) and a knowledgeable, enthusiastic team in the heart of the West End. It hosts a weekly open mic every Friday from 7:30pm (run by Accelerando Records), with check-in and sign-up from 7:15pm and a recurring 'WIN £200 & Studio Time' prize for performers; backing tracks are welcome. A friendly, attentive central-London crowd — solo songwriters and acoustic acts work best, though backing tracks broaden the range.
Limehouse · Every Thursday · Free
Craft Beer Co. Open Mic
Limehouse's thursday-night free open mic at Craft Beer Co. — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7:30pm, 10-minute slots, all ages.
Open mic at a glance Craft Beer Co. · London
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
10 min
Slot length
Community
Listing status
Run a London open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
Craft Beer Co. Open Mic — Quick Facts
Limehouse's thursday-night free open mic at Craft Beer Co. — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7:30pm, 10-minute slots, all ages.
We need your help verifying thisWas this open mic on recently?10 seconds, no signup
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length10 min
EntryFree · all ages
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic · Comedy · Poetry
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
Craft Beer Co.168 High Holborn
Limehouse
London WC1V 7AA
Limehouse, London — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music, Comedy, Poetry welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
What’s on in London this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About Craft Beer Co.
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in Limehouse, London
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
10-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the London open mic directory
The Night
Craft Beer Co. runs an open mic every Thursday in Limehouse, London, starting at 8pm with free entry for performers and audience. Known for free drink for performers. It's one of London's regular weekly open-mic slots — listed across [public open-mic guides](https://www.designmynight.com/london/open-mic-nights-in-london).
Sign-up opens at 7:30pm on a walk-in basis (no advance booking). Slots run 10-15 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo or 4 for a band. PA and at least one vocal mic provided. Bring your own instrument, amp and any pedals.
Sign-up process
The sign-up sheet goes out at 7:30pm at the venue. Popular thursdays fill within 30-60 minutes — arrive early if you want a guaranteed slot. There is no advance booking, no online sign-up, no email list — strictly walk-in.
What to expect
London open-mic crowds skew 25-40 and listen attentively — this isn't a chatter-over-the-music pub mic. Solo songwriters, duos and acoustic acts work best given the gear set-up; full bands should ask the host before turning up. The "Free drink for performers" tag captures what regulars come back for week after week.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How Craft Beer Co.’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
01:00Venue closes
Every Thursday 10-min slots Free entry
Find Craft Beer Co.
168 High Holborn, Limehouse, London WC1V 7AA
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the London live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at London's Craft Beer Co. open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other London open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most London mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
168 High Holborn, Limehouse, London WC1V 7AA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and London regulars across the London open mic scene. London open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Keep up with London
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in London
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in London. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in London over the next four weeks →
Booking or playing in London? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
Run an open mic in London?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, verified within 48 hours. Reach 1,000+ London musicians.
Looking for paid gigs, not open mics?