The Cavendish Arms — affectionately "The Cav" — is a much-loved arts pub tucked away on a quiet residential street at 128 Hartington Road, Stockwell (SW8 2HJ), about five minutes' walk from Stockwell tube. It strives to bring live entertainment seven days a week, specialising in live music, comedy and cabaret, with an intimate back room built for up-close gigs (roughly 80 standing). It's a fixture of the London open-mic circuit: the free Comedy Virgins night runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and the occasional Thursday (bar from 5pm, comedy from 8pm), and the venue's folk and singer-songwriter listings make it a genuine grassroots music space welcoming both originals and covers. PA and a guitar amp are provided.
Stockwell · Every Thursday · Free
The Cavendish Arms Open Mic
Stockwell's Thursday-night free open mic at 128 Hartington Road, SW8 2HJ — comedy + music pub, PA + guitar amp, 10-minute slots.
Open mic at a glance The Cavendish Arms · London
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
10 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a London open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Cavendish Arms Open Mic — Quick Facts
Stockwell's Thursday-night free open mic at 128 Hartington Road, SW8 2HJ — comedy + music pub, PA + guitar amp, 10-minute slots.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length10 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacityc. 80 standing
Performer typesComedy
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Cavendish Arms128 Hartington Road
Stockwell
London SW8 2HJ
Stockwell, London — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Comedy 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 The Cavendish Arms
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in Stockwell, 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
The Cavendish Arms — 'The Cav' — is a much-loved arts pub on a quiet residential street five minutes from Stockwell tube, with live entertainment seven days a week. Its open mic is the legendary 'Comedy Virgins', one of London's most famous stand-up open mics, running most Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and the odd Thursday) — the bar opens at 5pm, comedy starts at 8pm and wraps around 10.30pm. Book a slot via the Comedy Virgins mailing list, or head down early and grab one of the five walk-in spots. Live music here is curated band nights most Fridays and Saturdays rather than a music open mic.
Sign-up process
Join the Comedy Virgins mailing list to pre-book a slot, or arrive early for one of five open spots.
Getting there
128 Hartington Rd, Stockwell, London SW8 2HJ.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Cavendish Arms’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
22:30Last songs
23:30Venue closes
Every Thursday 10-min slots Free entry
Find The Cavendish Arms
128 Hartington Road, Stockwell, London SW8 2HJ
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 22:30. 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 The Cavendish Arms 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.
128 Hartington Road, Stockwell, London SW8 2HJ.
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?