Brixton Culture Capital 11.12.2025
Courtesan closes after 13 years – owner tells all + what’s on in Brixton
Back in April, I called The Courtesan “Brixton’s hidden gem of dim sum, cocktails and burlesque” – a secret world tucked behind an unassuming door on Atlantic Road. Eight months later, I’m writing a goodbye. On the 27th of December, The Courtesan will close, after 13 years of quietly holding court for Brixton’s brilliant, late‑night life.
My heart is broken. Not just because we’re losing a favourite venue, but because it didn’t have to end like this. This isn’t just another restaurant shutting – it’s one of the last independent stages in South London where emerging performers can work and a different kind of nightlife feels possible.
In an emotional conversation with BCC, co‑founders Hammant Patel Villa and Viktorija Kaskonaite describe their challenges and struggles to keep this unique venue open.
“We didn’t lose this heartfelt venue overnight. We watched the Courtesan drown in slow motion, and we did everything we could to save her.”
video created by @JonathonHancock from Reel Scenes Media and Vibrant Nights
🎟️ SECTION 2: What’s On in Brixton (Thu 11 – Wed 17 Dec)
🎶 Music & Nightlife
✨ Thu 11 Dec – Love Ting: Multi‑Genre Mingle @ Chip Shop BXTN
🕒 6:00 PM–12:00 AM | Hip hop, R&B, dancehall and amapiano under one tiny, sweaty roof on Coldharbour Lane. Free entry, regulars on rotation, and heads passing through before and after shows round the corner. Proper Brixton Thursday warm‑up. 🎟️ Event info
✨ Thu 11 Dec – Degiheugi + Miscellaneous @ Hootananny Brixton
🕒 Evening – check listing for exact times
French beat‑collage wizard Degiheugi teams with live hip hop crew Miscellaneous for a heavy sample‑driven, brass‑laced session in Hoot’s big room. Expect dusty grooves, live MCs and a mixed Brixton crowd two‑stepping till close. 🎟️ Event info
✨ Sun 14 Dec – Riddim Relief: Jamaica Fundraiser @ Brixton Jamm
🕒 Night – from around 9:00 PM (check listing for set times)
Big sounds for a big cause: reggae, dancehall and jungle selectors link up at Jamm to raise money for community projects in Jamaica. Expect reloads, whistles, and a lot of flags in the air on the Coldharbour Lane dancefloor. 🎟️ Event info & tickets
✨ Wed 17 Dec – Musical Bingo @ Effra Social (Brixton Brewery x BCO)
🕒 7:30 PM–10:00 PM | Brixton Brewery and Brixton Chamber Orchestra turn Effra Social into a live‑band quiz: 90s, 00s and Christmas classics played by brass, you mark your bingo card, winners get free beer and bragging rights. Pub night with extra noise. 🎟️ Event info & tickets
🎨 Art & Heritage
✨ Thu 11 Dec – ‘Tapestry of Black Britons’ Workshop @ Black Cultural Archives
🕒 6:00 PM–8:00 PM | Hands‑on collage and textile‑making with Creative Director Paula Ogun‑Hector, shaping a new panel of the “Tapestry of Black Britons” focused on health and wellbeing. Contribute stories, images and ideas to a living record of Black British life.
🎟️ Workshop booking
✨ Thu 11–Sun 14 Dec – ‘In Review’ Year‑End Photo Show @ Photofusion
🕒 Gallery hours: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM (Tue–Sat) | Photofusion’s annual members’ exhibition fills the Electric Lane gallery with work from emerging and established photographers, closing out the year with new perspectives on London life, identity and place. Free to wander in and linger.
🎟️ Event details & preview images
✨ Thu 11–Sun 14 Dec – ‘A Moment In Time’ Fundraiser Exhibition @ Van Gogh House
🕒 Open most days 12:00 PM–6:00 PM – check booking page for slots
Van Gogh House’s inaugural fundraising show takes over the historic Hackford Road home with affordable artworks, ceramics, textiles and design pieces from 30+ artists, supporting the 2026 residency and community programme. Quiet, thoughtful, and very Brixton. 🎟️ Exhibition info & tickets
🧩 Everything Else (Community, Food, Workshops, Markets)
✨ Fri 12 Dec – Green Woodworking Induction: From Log to Spoon @ Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses
🕒 12:00 PM–4:00 PM | Learn axe, knife and drawknife skills, then carve your own spoon in the middle of Brockwell Park. Small‑group, outdoor, very hands‑on; tickets limited and this one always sells out with the whittling nerds. 🎟️ Workshop booking
✨ Sat 13 Dec – Family Festive Event @ Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses
🕒 11:00 AM–2:00 PM | Low‑key Christmas in the gardens: festive trail, free kids’ crafts, food and drink, Santa’s Orchard Grotto and mini‑panto “Father Christmas Goes on Strike.” Fundraiser for the greenhouses and their education work with local schools. 🎟️ Event details & panto/grotto tickets
✨ Sat 13 Dec – Brixton Village Christmas Programme (Roaming Brass & Market Vibes)
🕒 12:00 PM–6:00 PM | Atlantic Road, Market Row and Granville Arcade go full festive: roaming brass band, DJs, choir performances, gift‑wrapping workshops and indie traders open late for food, vinyl, fashion and gifts. Free to wander; you’ll bump into half of Brixton. 🎟️ Programme details
Stop working from home, work from Brixton's most loved coworking. £150/m. Business address @ £12.50/m and Private office @ £400/person @ Impact Brixton.
TheBccList Film & Theatre Guide (11th → 17th Dec)
🍿 Ritzy Cinema — What to catch this week
🍿 Now Showing (December) – Pillion @ Ritzy, Brixton
Harry Lighton’s queer Christmas romcom drops shy parking warden Colin into a high‑stakes sub/dom romance with mysterious biker Ray. Their dynamic pushes him out of his comfort zone, mixing tender awkwardness, kink and emotional growth in a sharp, British story about desire and control.🧪 Rotten Tomatoes: 100% 🎟️ Book at The Ritzy
🎟️ 13, 19 & 20 Dec – The Cocoa Butter Club: A Festive Feast @ Brixton House
Sadie Sinner’s melanated cabaret collective brings burlesque, drag, live music, circus and spoken word back to Brixton House for a festive takeover. Expect RnB sing‑alongs, neo‑soul moods and an after‑hours speakeasy that turns the theatre bar into a late‑night dancefloor. 🎟️ Book at Brixton House
Brixton Discounts
The Courtesan Brixton- Book to go see them for the last time before they close
Supercute Taproom and Brewhouse- Free beers this weekend for all Bcc readers and happy hours with 20%-off all drinks (£5 pints! ;) .
Impact Brixton- Free £35 coworking trial day pass for new readers of TheBcclist who have never visited IB . One time application
Nuvola Pizza- Half-price pizza deal on Tuesdays at Nuvolapizza in Market Row, Brixton. Nuvolapizza is offering 50% off all pizzas on Tuesday.
Full Moon Designs - up to 50% Online sale and instore discounts on jewellery and homeware in August.
Have a story or an event to share? Get in touch.
Until next Thursday, 11.11am
The BCC list