Looking for places to study? Here are my favorites

Tea House Theatre

139 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HL

Open hours: 

• Mon-Thur 9:30 am–10 pm
• Friday 9:30 am–11 pm
• Saturday 9 am–11 pm
• Sunday 9:30 am–9 pm

My favorite place to study in all of London is the Tea House Theatre in Vauxhall. 

It is possibly the most British place I have ever encountered. It was originally an old Victorian public house that opened in 1886, on the site of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens; immortalized in the novel Vanity Fair (1848). It’s decorated with eclectic (albiet warn down) furniture, has two dusty but ornate fireplaces, and a massive collection of board games. They host poetry readings and jazz nights and club meetings. No two tea cup and saucer, tea pot and knitted tea pot cozy, or mason jar of fresh cut flowers (sometimes half-wilted for the vibe) are alike. Huge cakes are skewed across its tables, on display underneath cloches to tempt you into ordering a slice, including the best carrot cake of my life. Cats roam the place in between table legs, greeting customers, and sleeping on window sills. 

Their menu reads: “We are trying to do something different. We will not hurry you. If this is your lunch break, then have one, you will be more productive in the afternoon. If you want to have a meeting, we will not disturb you. If you are “working from home,” we have Wi-Fi. If you have children, we have highchairs, a chest of toys, and milkshakes. We always have the daily papers, so please, relax, share in what we are trying to create, take a load off, and have a cuppa.”

I highly recommend trying it out mid-morning on a weekday for a relaxed, quiet environment. 

I’m a study space hunter and so far, the Tea House Theatre is my all-time favorite find. 

Looking for libraries instead? Here are some places to start...

Wellcome Library

183 Euston Rd, London NW1 2BE

The Wellcome Library has the most beautiful reading room I have ever seen. It's closed on Mondays, and while the rest of the library is still open I would not recommend venturing there to study when the reading room is closed because when you see it through the locked doors you'll be  disappointed. The electrical outlets in the reading room are blocked off and unavailable for public use, so I would recommend charging your electronics before you leave home, bringing a charged battery pack, or saving your physical books for your time at the Wellcome Library. 

The library is located on level two of the Wellcome Collection building, which contains rotating exhibits connecting medicine and art, as well as the library, reading room, and a cafe. When you need a break to stretch your legs you can grab a coffee at the cafe and peruse the exhibits. 

Open hours:

• Mon, Tue, Wed 10 am–6 pm
• Thursday 10 am–8 pm
• Friday 10 am–6 pm
• Saturday 10 am–4 pm
• Sunday — Closed

The BFI Reuben Library

Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XT

The library at the British Film Institute Southbank is a quiet place to study when your work requires some intense concentration. It has strict rules about silence and food, however, drinking water is permitted if it is in a sealed container. It has a collection of books, journals, and digitized material about film and television. Its location in BFI Southbank means your study breaks can include everything from a coffee at their cafe, seeing film in their cinema, a drink at their bar, a walk by the Thames, or a bite from the food trucks along the street outside. You can even split up your day by spending your morning at BFI and your afternoon at the rest of Southbank Centre next door. 

Open hours:

• Tue -Sat 11 am–7 pm
• Sun & Mon—Closed

National Poetry Library 

Level 5, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX

Did you know that the National Poetry Library is located on the fifth floor of the Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre, accessible by a singing lift, in which a choir notifies you of each level? If you happen to be studying anything related to poetry (which they are strict about at the library) you should stop by. It’s small, and like the Wellcome Library it lacks reliable access to electrical outlets, but it's cosy and contains the world’s largest public collection of modern poetry. Its location at Southbank Centre also means breaks at the Riverside Terrace Cafe downstairs with a view of the river, and the many galleries, places to eat, and art installations in the area. 

Open hours:

• Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun 12–8 pm
• Tue 12–6 pm
• Mon & Sat—Closed

Not into libraries, looking for some white noise instead?

Pubs?

I must admit, I've gotten my best work done this year in the Penderel's Oak Wetherspoons by Holborn station (283-288 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HP). If you go off peak it's dim and quiet with just the low hum of chatter in the background. You can get a bottle of sparking rose and a glass for just five pounds, and in my case, write nine pages in three hours.

Open hours: 

Mon & Tue 8 am-11 pm

Wed 8 am-11:30 pm

Thu & Fri 8 am-12 am

Sat 10 am-12 am

Sun 10 am-10 pm

Cafes

• Riverside Terrace Cafe at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre—Bonus: incredible view of the Thames
• BFI Cafe at BFI Southbank — fantastic coffee, hot chocolate, and fresh made salads
• Urban Baristas Wormwood St — great if you live at Lilian Knowles House and are looking for something close to home

Luckily, London has no shortage of cafes, so simply stumble through the city and you’ll find one that perfectly suits your study needs! (If you are looking for the cheapest coffee in town, bring your own keep cup to any Pret and ask for the organic filter coffee, and your looking at just 49 pence!)

Happy studying!

Written by Teran

Resident in Lilian Knowles House