Earl’s Court: garden squares, small stages and big plans
Earl’s Court is one of west London’s best-connected neighbourhoods. The District and Piccadilly lines meet here, so you’re never far from anything, but the streets themselves feel properly residential, with tall stucco terraces, leafy garden squares and a steady mix of cafés, pubs and neighbourhood restaurants along Earl’s Court Road.
For years the name meant one thing: the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. That’s gone now, and the big site is being redeveloped. The Earls Court Development Company’s plans got the go-ahead from both Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham councils in late 2025, and it’s a long-term project, so it’s worth following their updates to see what’s happening on the ground.
The neighbourhood’s still got plenty going for it in the meantime. The Troubadour on Old Brompton Road is a much-loved coffee house and live music venue with a long history of folk and singer-songwriter nights. Round the corner, the Finborough Theatre is a tiny, punchy pub theatre above Yogi’s on Finborough Road, with seats usually from about £20. It’s one of the best places in London to catch new writing and rediscovered plays up close.
Brompton Cemetery, run by the Royal Parks, is one of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ Victorian cemeteries. It’s a peaceful place for a wander, with lime-tree avenues, wildflowers and a café at the north end, and it’s the resting place of Emmeline Pankhurst and Dr John Snow. Walk through it and you’ll come out by Stamford Bridge.
A short hop north, Olympia hosts shows, fairs and gigs, and the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith is just a couple of stops away for comedy and concerts. We’ll keep adding what’s on nearby, so check back before you head out.
Key venues
- The Troubadour – live music and café, 265–267 Old Brompton Road, SW5
- Finborough Theatre – pub theatre, 118 Finborough Road, SW10 (enter on Ifield Road)
- Brompton Cemetery – Royal Parks cemetery between Old Brompton Road and Fulham Road
- Earls Court Development Company – updates on the former exhibition centre site
- Olympia – nearby, shows, fairs and gigs on Hammersmith Road, W14
- Stamford Bridge (Chelsea FC) – nearby on Fulham Road, SW6
- Eventim Apollo – nearby in Hammersmith, W6
Upcoming events nearby
- Jonathan Pie – The End of the World According to Jonathan Pie – Fri 30 Oct, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, £19.50–£35.75
- Chelsea v Manchester United – Sat 31 Oct, Stamford Bridge, through Brompton Cemetery
- Halloween Family Drop-in at the Design Museum – Sat 31 Oct, Design Museum, Kensington High Street, free
- Jonathan Pie – The End of the World According to Jonathan Pie – Sat 31 Oct, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, £19.50–£35.75
- The Jacksons – Fri 13 Nov, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
- Chelsea v Leeds United (members only) – Sat 21 Nov, Stamford Bridge
- Levellers – LTL35 – Sat 21 Nov, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
Want the full picture? Browse the London events calendar or catch up on our What’s On guides for the best of each weekend.