The 12 Bar has been described thusly: "If you took a two-car garage, and slapped a balcony in the top, stuffed a stage in one corner, and a soundboard in a closet where the water heater should go, you've got an idea of the 12 Bar." Mike P had this excellent description in his review of the gig there on 03 February 1998.

"Robyn Hitchcock is a firm favourite son of the 12 Bar. No doubt RH himself feels an affinity with this charismatic, down a back alley, Dickensian bolt hole. Constructed around an old forge dated 1635. No bigger than someone's front room parlour, it's hardly the kind of place to find Mr. and Mrs. Tupperware. Gleaming formica not in abundance.

You might be crammed under the low ceiling downstairs or up the creaky stairs to the equally shoehorn fit of the balcony. Wherever you finally squeeze yourself into the distance from the ledge downstairs they call a stage is no more than a mike stand either way.

The 12 Bar is the kind of 'in yer face' venue where performers can't bluff it. No moat between audience and artist. Nowhere for the bum notes to go except out into the audience."

Closed at the Denmark Street location in 2015. Opened again briefly at a different location (203 Holloway Road) between 2015-2016, but Robyn never played there.