Space at 61 is a creative events venue in Nunhead that allows small businesses or individuals to rent out the space for creative use. We chatted with owner and Marketing Consultant Shona Chambers about how she reimagined the space after her first business didn't work out, the most memorable event hosted there and her favourite place for a cocktail in Peckham.

Creative events venue in Nunhead, South East London

So what is Space at 61?

We are an events space for hire in Nunhead, South East London. We market ourselves as an 'Airbnb' for business. We are different from other event spaces as we hire out by the hour, half day or day depending on the needs of the client, whereas many pop-up spaces require longer hire.

Space at 61 wasn't always an events space, was it?

No, actually Space at 61 is the second business I started at this venue! The first was a cafe called The Dish and Spoon, it was open for 4 years from 2012 to 2016. Whilst the cafe proved successful as a concept it was not a financially sustainable business. So, I decided to investigate other options. I followed advice from a local stylist and friend to reimagine the space as a venue rather than a cafe. That's when I landed on the idea of making a place for creatives to try out their ideas. Since then, after 2 years of trading, we have been really busy and are continuing to grow.

What kind of events do people host?

We have a real mixture of events from art exhibitions, supper clubs and pop up retail events to business networking events and children's parties.

Networking event held at Space at 61 in South East London

Have there been any memorable events?

The most memorable so far would probably be when our venue was used as a location for a TV commercial, where the main character was a man dressed up as a panda! There were about 50 crew members who transformed the space, which was quite fun. It should be airing on Channel 5 sometime soon.

Do you hold any regular weekly events?

Yes, we currently have pilates, yoga, art classes and ballet. People can see what events we have on by visiting our website.

How would someone go about booking the space?

Anyone interested in booking the venue is very welcome to inquire at spaceat61@gmail.com then we can arrange a viewing and go from there.

Have you always lived in South London?

Well, I have for the last 20 years! I'm currently in Forest Hill but I did live in Nunhead for many years and Deptford before that. I am a real South East London resident.

What do you love about Nunhead/Peckham?

Nunhead has a very creative population; as demonstrated during the wonderful Nunhead Art Trail, where many people in the area open up their homes to showcase their fantastic art, crafts and, other creative items. Nunhead also has a lot of long-standing independent shops and lots of fantastic newcomers! Peckham is busy and fast-paced. It attracts a lot of new blood whilst retaining a whole host of local characters.

Favourite place to eat in SE15?

Ganapati - gets a huge thumbs up from me.

Best place for a cocktail in SE15?

Peckham Levels

If someone is visiting Peckham/Nunhead what is the one thing they should do?

Definitely go for a peaceful walk around the beautiful Nunhead Cemetery. Then head down to the Old Nuns Head pub for a pint. It's a real locals pub with fab pop-ups like Kaki Lima and The Flygerians.

Three words to describe SE15:

Busy, friendly, Creative.

www.spaceat61.wixsite.com/events

61 Cheltenham Road, Nunhead, SE15 3AF

The 'Airbnb' style events venue in Nunhead