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January 15, 2026
The pub that changed me: ‘We would flirt and mingle with the wild children of the wealthy’
To me and my friends from a Battersea council estate, the Dome seemed the very height of Thatcherite hedonism – and seeing ‘successful’ people up close was an eye-opener
TL;DR
- Pubs were initially seen as unwelcoming spaces by the author and his peers in mid-1980s Battersea.
- Attending Richmond College introduced the author to pubs and bars as social meeting places.
- The Dome, formerly the Roebuck, was a popular pub in west London that became a significant social hub.
- The author felt that The Dome represented Thatcherite hedonism and served as a gateway to interacting with middle-class individuals.
- Youth culture on the estates was divided between 'raggas' and 'trendies', with the author's group identifying as 'trendies' or 'freaks'.
- Crossing from Battersea to Chelsea, the author's group transformed from being seen as 'freaky' to 'edgy cool Black guys'.
- Interacting with wealthy individuals at The Dome helped break down the author's mental barriers and realize that 'successful' people have flaws.
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