Hannah added: “We have volunteers here from 16 to 80 years that come regularly and help in the kitchen, behind the bar, at the door.
“There are musicians, creative people, artists, producers, photographers, people who want to do what is necessary to help us survive.”
The story of the sound hall begged much before Sutton, as they were, then 22 years old, opened a small recording studio at Merton Abbey Mills in Colliers Wood.
When he struggled to stay, he and Hannah joined and transformed him into something new.
She explained: “We obtained this storage of Ikea shoes. We created a counter, we had some palettes and painted them black for a stage. We found an old broken coffee machine on eBay and we did it. This is how it begins.
“The monthly festivals would bring a thousand people at the same time.”
When that space was unsustainable, Letly moved to Tooting before a developer closed them and then moved to Sutton.
She explained: “Everyone asked” what are you doing? This is a ridiculous idea. No one in Sutton is going to be in that. ”
“But we only think, there are people everywhere who love music.”
Now, The Sound Lounge is a home for talent, creativity and base connection.
She said: “We have a microphone night open one a month, which is beautiful. All ages of 14 to reach their 70 years.
“There is a young woman, she wanted to sing to an accompaniment song and challenged that you had to play an instrument. He left, learned the guitar, returned three months later and touched. I, child or cried.”
There are plans to introduce a new session also disconnected in Sunday’s, inspired by Irish popular traditions.
Hannah said: “We are just going to sit around some tables with guitars, mandolinas, violins. Not for performance, just to play together.”
It is not just music that drives its work. The Sound Lounge executes food workshops for local young people, barista training, sound engineers courses, James Juvenile and a new community cuisine that offers payment lunches.
The place is totally vegan and neutral carbon, a conscious decision rooted in personal values.
She said: “It’s not just about food, it’s everything. We try to be local, ethical, organic, because it damages the planet less. I am an ecological boredom. It costs more and is more difficult, but it matters.”
Behind the scene, both founders carry deeply personal motivations.
Kerion explained: “I moved when I was 17 years old. The police would only be raided by the police. My mother was a drug addict.
“My dad is going to spend 15 years of his life in prison. If they gave me a chance, I would be in heroin or prison or something. So I think it’s about making a space where you can give that opportunity to Kive Ethers.”
Hannah said: “We don’t reject people if they don’t have money. If you want to enter and listen to music, you just enter. Be part of it.”
For those who have never losing, Hannah has a simple message: “They only see. Even if it’s a night with a ticket, someone will let you in. Just stay for 20 minutes. People need to experience it. Every time some pass, I liked them.”
