At the junction of Porters Avenue and Lodge Avenue stands a curious circular building that, for six brief years in the late 1960s and early 1970s, transformed from an unremarkable estate pub into one of the most important rock venues in eastern Greater London. The Dagenham Roundhouse played host to Led Zeppelin, Queen, Pink Floyd and dozens of other acts who would go on to define the era's sound.
A Curious Circular Design
The Roundhouse was built in 1936, the work of Alfred W. Blomfield, the in-house architect for brewers Watney Combe & Reid. The main building measures approximately 50 feet in diameter, with a T-shaped upper storey and a bulky square tower at its centre. Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described it as a "highly unusual design." The pub was constructed to serve the rapidly expanding Becontree Estate, then the largest public housing development in the world. Its original layout included an indoor bowling green and tea room along Lodge Avenue, plus an oval lounge at the rear, which still survives today.
The Birth of the Village Blues Club
In 1969, the building's function room, formerly a bingo hall, became home to the Village Blues Club. The venue opened on 29 March 1969 with Blodwyn Pig headlining; membership cost 5p and entry was 7s 6d. Over the following six years, the Roundhouse established itself as the premier rock venue for east London, drawing crowds of up to 2,000 people to performances that typically cost about £1 to attend.
The venue's location, roughly halfway between Upney and Becontree stations on the District line, made it accessible to music fans from across Essex and east London. Buses on route 368 still stop nearby, carrying on a connection that has linked the venue to its audience for more than half a century.
The Acts Who Took the Stage
Between 1969 and 1975, an extraordinary roster of bands performed at the Roundhouse, many early in their careers before achieving international fame.
Led Zeppelin appeared on 5 April 1969, supported by Reflection and The Further. Deep Purple made multiple visits, with performances on 20 December 1969, 28 March 1970, 9 May 1970 and 19 February 1972. Pink Floyd played on 12 December 1970, whilst Queen performed on 12 March 1974, before the release of their breakthrough album "Sheer Heart Attack."
Other notable performances included Jethro Tull on 7 June 1969, Fleetwood Mac in November 1970 and August 1971, and Yes in August 1970 and February 1971. Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Genesis and Uriah Heep all made multiple appearances. The American blues legend Howlin' Wolf performed on 25 October 1969.
Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher played at the venue both with his band Taste and as a solo artist, appearing on 19 April 1969, 24 July 1971, 8 January 1972, 1 July 1972 and 19 April 1975. The band Stray holds the record for appearances at the Roundhouse, performing there 13 times during the venue's heyday.
The Scene and the Closure
The Village Blues Club developed a distinct culture. Former regulars recall crowds of "peace-loving hippies" in Afghan coats, with post-gig house parties extending the evening's entertainment. Music journalist Nik Cohn coined the term "Dagenham Delta" to describe the area's influence on English musicians absorbing American blues styles.
The venue closed in 1975, a victim of noise complaints from neighbours and the changing musical landscape as punk began to displace rock. The building returned to its original function as a public house, though its brief period as a music venue had already secured its place in rock history.
A Lasting Legacy
The Roundhouse's musical significance has not been forgotten. In 1999, Bragg Close, a road behind the pub formerly used as its car park, was named after singer and songwriter Billy Bragg, whose family had lived in the area for more than 100 years. Bragg opened the street on 24 August 1999, dedicating it to his brother.
A Facebook nostalgia group, also named Village Blues Club, formed in 2008 and grew to more than 100 members by 2012. This online community has organised several reunion events at the Roundhouse between 2012 and 2015, with Stray returning to headline in May 2012 and May 2014.
The Campaign for Real Ale includes the Roundhouse in its database of heritage pubs, noting its historic interior. The building continues to operate as a public house, its circular form a distinctive landmark on the edge of the Becontree Estate and a reminder of the time when Dagenham briefly stood at the centre of Britain's rock music scene.