6.4 Example Weekly Programme
Purpose
Programming is a fundamental part of the LAMBA experience.
While coffee remains the foundation of the business, regular cultural events create opportunities for people to return, discover new ideas, and build lasting connections with both the café and one another.
The programme is designed to complement the rhythm of the café rather than compete with it. Most days remain centred around everyday café life, while selected events gently transform the space into a listening room, discussion venue, workshop, or gathering place.
The schedule below illustrates a typical week and should be understood as an example rather than a fixed calendar. Programming will continue to evolve alongside the community.
Weekly Rhythm
Monday
Closed
The café remains closed to guests.
This day is reserved for:
Deep cleaning
Maintenance
Deliveries
Administrative work
Content production
Planning future events
Staff preparation
Closing one day each week allows the team to maintain consistently high standards throughout the rest of the week.
Tuesday
07:30 – Café Opens
Regular café service.
17:30–19:30
Chess Club
Free entry.
A relaxed weekly gathering encouraging conversation, community and friendly competition.
19:30 – Café Closes
Wednesday
07:30 – Café Opens
Regular café service.
10:00–13:00
Family Morning
Free entry.
A welcoming space for parents, carers and young children to meet over coffee in a calm and relaxed environment.
The event reflects LAMBA’s belief that cultural spaces should remain accessible to people at every stage of life.
18:00 – Café Closes
Thursday
08:00 – Café Opens
Regular café service.
18:30–20:30
Live Jazz Evening
Ticketed event.
Small-scale acoustic performances featuring local and visiting musicians within an intimate listening environment.
20:30 – Café Closes
Friday
07:30 – Café Opens
Regular café service throughout the day.
Friday remains intentionally flexible, allowing space for occasional programming such as:
Record fairs
Independent label showcases
Artist talks
Book launches
Film screenings
Community collaborations
Visiting coffee roasters
This flexibility allows the programme to respond naturally to opportunities within the local community.
19:30 – Café Closes
Saturday
12:00 – Café Opens
Regular café service.
Afternoon Programme
Programming may include:
Album launch events
Guest selectors
Listening sessions
Workshops
Panel discussions
Educational talks
Ticketed where appropriate.
Programming concludes with an informal social gathering where guests are encouraged to remain, enjoy coffee or tea, and continue conversations inspired by the event.
20:00 – Café Closes
Sunday
12:00 – Café Opens
Regular café service.
15:00–16:30
Time Capsule Listening Session
Ticketed event.
Curated listening experiences exploring music from different countries, cultures and historical periods.
Guest selectors, collectors and researchers are regularly invited to present carefully selected records and share the stories behind them.
Examples may include:
Japanese Reggae with Kay Suzuki
Spiritual Jazz from Ethiopia
Colombian Salsa & Cumbia
Anatolian Folk & Psychedelia
Brazilian Clube da Esquina
Forgotten Soul from Southeast Asia
Following the session, guests are encouraged to remain in the café for coffee, tea and conversation.
20:00 – Café Closes
Listening Sessions
Listening sessions differ from conventional DJ events.
They are built around attentive listening rather than dancing or socialising over loud music.
During these events, carefully selected albums or themed record collections are presented in full through the café’s hi-fi system.
Guest selectors introduce the music, share its cultural context and invite guests to experience it collectively.
Conversation is paused while records are being played.
Workshops & Talks
Throughout the year, LAMBA hosts educational events exploring subjects including:
Coffee brewing
Vinyl culture
Music history
Sound reproduction
Record collecting
Independent publishing
Architecture
Design
Sustainability
Cultural exchange
These events reinforce the café’s role as a place of learning as well as hospitality.
Community Gatherings
Regular community events strengthen relationships between guests and encourage repeat visits.
Examples include:
Chess Club
Family Morning
Book clubs
Tea gatherings
Film screenings
Language exchange evenings
Community discussions
Creative meet-ups
The intention is not to fill every available evening, but to create meaningful reasons for people to return.
Record Sales
Occasional record fairs and pop-up sales celebrate independent record shops, labels and collectors.
Rather than functioning as permanent retail, these events create opportunities to discover music, support independent businesses and meet fellow collectors.
Frequency may vary throughout the year according to partnerships and seasonal programming.
Panels & Discussions
LAMBA regularly hosts conversations exploring music and wider cultural topics.
Potential themes include:
The future of independent music
Preserving musical heritage
The role of cafés in community life
Women in music
Sound and architecture
Sustainable hospitality
Creativity and wellbeing
These discussions encourage dialogue between artists, researchers, local organisations and the wider community.
Transforming the Space
The atmosphere of LAMBA changes subtly according to the type of event being hosted.
During regular café hours, the large street-facing windows remain open to the neighbourhood, creating a welcoming visual connection between the café and the surrounding street.
For dedicated listening sessions and selected ticketed events, full-height curtains are drawn across the front glazing. This simple intervention reduces visual distraction, improves acoustic performance and creates a more intimate environment focused on the shared listening experience.
The furniture is designed to be easily reconfigured, allowing the café to transition naturally between everyday service, workshops, performances and community gatherings without losing its identity.
Programming Philosophy
Programming exists to support the life of the café, not to overshadow it.
The everyday experience of carefully prepared coffee, thoughtfully curated music and genuine hospitality remains at the heart of LAMBA.
Events simply provide additional opportunities for people to gather, learn and return.
Some guests may visit for a workshop.
Others may come for a listening session.
Many will simply stop by for coffee.
All should feel equally at home.