Walking into an unfamiliar London pub on a chilly October evening, Rachel Dixon felt entirely alone. By the time the lights came on at closing, her life had been transformed by the warmth of new community and the spark of a future romance.
From Nerves to Newfound Community
On Thursday 21 October 2021, Rachel ventured into Auberge, a pub near Waterloo station. She was attending a post-rehearsal gathering for London City Voices, a pop choir she had joined to lift her spirits. Despite previous choir experience, the social aspect made her anxious.
Her fears were quickly dispelled. "I'd never met a friendlier bunch," she recalls. She immediately connected with fellow members, including a man named Arasan, who pragmatically bought a whole bottle of red wine to save trips to the bar. Sharing that bottle was the start of a Thursday wine club that endures to this day, having expanded into holidays and days out.
The Magic of the Weekly Singalong
Almost every Thursday since that first night, the pub has become a weekly highlight. The ordinary venue is magically transformed into a space of friendship, laughter, and song. The staff generously accommodate the rowdy singers, providing a dedicated area, drink discounts, and patiently ushering them out at closing.
Customers often film the performances, applaud, or join in. "We even have a couple of groupies among the regulars," Rachel notes. The choir's rousing renditions, from Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive to musical mashups, have become a fixture, occasionally interrupting quiet dates but undoubtedly creating memorable stories.
A Love Song Written in Auberge
The pub's impact deepened further when Rachel began to notice fellow choir member Neil. He was hard to miss with his loud tenor voice, exuberant style, and habit of hugging everyone after a few pints of Guinness.
Their connection, forged over shared bottles of wine and communal singing, blossomed into a relationship. Nearly four years on, they are still together, a testament to the unexpected ways community spaces can foster profound personal connections.
For Rachel, Auberge is more than a pub; it's the place where she found her voice, her people, and her partner, proving that sometimes the best things in life begin with a single note in a crowded room.
