Henry VIII founded a royal dockyard at Deptford in 1513, and for three centuries the ships of the navy were built and fitted out on the riverbank here. Christopher Marlowe was killed in a Deptford house in 1593 and lies somewhere in the churchyard of St Nicholas, whose gateposts are topped with stone skulls. Today Deptford is one of south London's most creative neighbourhoods, with artists' studios, a conservatoire of music and dance, small theatres and bars tucked into the railway arches. Minibus hire Deptford customers book is mostly nights out and performances, along with market days, student groups, family events and airport runs.
Deptford sits on the river between Rotherhithe and Greenwich, in the north of Lewisham, with Evelyn Street and the A2 crossing it. From our base in SE1, it's about twenty to thirty minutes outside the rush hour, along the Old Kent Road or Jamaica Road and Evelyn Street.
Minibus hire Deptford for nights out
Deptford's nightlife is spread across the railway arches by the station, the bars and restaurants of Deptford Market Yard and the High Street, and the pubs along Creekside and Tanners Hill. Many venues are small and independent, with live music, DJs and late licences, and groups often move between several in one night, finishing at one of the late bars by the station.
For a birthday, a leaving do or a hen night, the driver collects from homes or a meeting point, drops at the first venue and comes back when the group is ready. Pickups happen on a side street rather than by the arches, because the streets around the station are narrow and crowded at night. At the end of the evening, send the addresses and we'll route the drop-offs across south-east London.
Minibus hire Deptford for the Albany and Laban
The Albany, on Douglas Way, is a community arts centre with a theatre, gigs, comedy and family shows, and it runs one of the busiest programmes in south-east London. The Laban Building, the striking coloured-glass home of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance on Creekside, stages dance performances and student showcases.
Dance schools, music groups, school parties and friends book us for evenings at both. Trinity Laban's students and staff book us for performances, competitions and tours, sometimes with costumes, instruments and staging. Tell us what you're carrying, and we'll check what fits in the back.
Market days on the High Street
Deptford Market, on the High Street and Douglas Way, trades several days a week, selling fruit, vegetables, fish, household goods and a famous jumble of second-hand clothes and bric-a-brac. On market days, parts of the High Street are closed to traffic and the pavements are crowded.
Groups coming for a day at the market and lunch at one of the cafés book us to drop and collect at the edge. The driver will stop on Deptford Church Street or Evelyn Street, a short walk away.
The creek, the river and school trips
Deptford Creek, where the River Ravensbourne meets the Thames, is tidal, and the Creekside Discovery Centre runs low-tide walks in waders on the creek bed for school groups. St Paul's Deptford, one of the finest Baroque churches in London, and St Nicholas, by the old dockyard, suit history trips.
Deptford's primary and secondary schools book us for museum visits, swimming and sports fixtures. The Greenwich museums are five minutes away, and the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory a short drive further.
Weddings, christenings and congregations
Deptford has a mix of long-standing south London families, Vietnamese, West African and Caribbean communities, students and artists. Weddings, christenings and big birthdays fill halls and function rooms across the area, and churches and community groups book us for outings and conventions.
Guests are collected from homes across Deptford and New Cross, taken to the ceremony or the party and dropped back at the end. For a big event, we'll add a second vehicle. Vietnamese family celebrations and Lunar New Year bring big gatherings to the restaurants along the High Street, and the Deptford Lounge, by the market, has rooms used for community events.
Evelyn Street and the A2
Evelyn Street, the A200, runs along the riverside side of Deptford and is busy with buses and traffic at peak times, and the A2 along the southern edge is slow through the New Cross gyratory. The High Street is narrow and closed in parts on market days, and many residential streets have traffic filters. London City Airport is about twenty to thirty minutes from here, through the Rotherhithe or Blackwall tunnel, and Gatwick about an hour.
Minibus hire Deptford groups book for a late finish is easiest with a pickup point agreed before the night starts, sent to everyone in the group.
For minibus hire in Deptford, call 020 7183 0567.