Goodbye Kabaret

Today is a poignant day for vegan London.

Vegan trailblazers Louise Wallis and Frank Hutson started Kabaret @ Karamel three years ago and today is the day they say goodbye to the project (the venue will change management and stay vegan).

The breakneck speed at which the vegan scene is expanding in London might be enough to fool you into thinking we’ve had it as good as we do for a long time. However, Louise and Frank were downright pioneers when they launched this venue.

Kabaret quickly established itself as a welcoming space that not only served tasty vegan food, but also operated as a nightclub, live music venue, performance space, and art gallery.

We all want to do positive things for our community, but Louise and Frank truly made a profound impact on London. Their venue built social capital and inspired our community in immeasurable ways.

It gave us London’s first 100% vegan bar and nightspot. It was home to our monthly Queer Vegan Disco party. It was a place that tried its best to make us all feel like we belong and that we all valuable and worthy. Indie bands, DJs, guest chefs, spoken word artists, poets, and all manner of creative people found an open door waiting for them at Kabaret.

Louise and Frank. I love you both for your personal sacrifice made in the name of improving outcomes for non-human animals. I’m indebted and inspired by your fight for social justice. I’m thankful for the work you have done to elevate the voices and realities of the at-risk and vulnerable in our community.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for Kabaret. Your contribution to vegan London will be missed more than can be measured.

Love FGV xx