Poetry for Prescription – The Poetry Pharmacy
Following the huge success of their pop-up in 2023, The Poetry Pharmacy now have a permanent home on Oxford Street, inside Lush Spa.
@urbanadventurerldn ???????????? [BLOG POST IN BIO] The Poetry Pharmacy is the world’s first walk-in pharmacy offering poetic remedy to fight emotional ailments @PoetryPharmacy ???????? Instead of Paracetamol, they offer ‘Poemcetamol’ pills to help cure broken heart, general stress of modern life, the heavy weight of grief and other ailments ???? ☕️ There is everything from books curated by emotions, ‘Poemcetamol’ pills filled with poetic verse, literary gifts and stationery for the restoration of the self #poetrypharmacy #poetry #relaxingvibes #hiddengems #cafe #oxfordstreet #metalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #CapCut
The First Walk-In Poetry Pharmacy
Floor 1, Lush, 175 Oxford St, London W1D 2JS
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The Poetry Pharmacy is the world’s first walk-in pharmacy offering poetic remedy to fight emotional ailments.
Instead of Paracetamol, they offer ‘Poemcetamol’ pills to help cure broken heart, general stress of modern life, the heavy weight of grief and other ailments.
There is everything from books curated by emotions, ‘Poemcetamol’ pills filled with poetic verse, literary gifts and stationery for the restoration of the self.
Events at The Poetry Pharmacy
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The Poetry Pharmacy is hosting a range of events and collaborations in their new Oxford Street location.
There will be book launches, reading events with publishers, ‘Poetry Walks’ to explore literary London (coming soon) and much more.
One of the upcoming events will be taken place on the 7th July, when award-winning poet, Jen Feroze will be writing bespoke poems on the spot on her vintage typewriter.
No need to book, just show up on the day!
Another exciting event will be happening on 24th July from 6:30pm. ‘JOY//US – Poems of Queer Joy from Arachne Press’ will celebrate an anthology of queer joy with reading poems from poets, including Dean Atta, Cherry Potts and Erin Sheehan.
Ticket for this event is £8 which includes a refreshment. Plus, £3 discount copies of the anthology will be available for ticket holders. Book your ticket here.
Dispensary Coffee Shop
Photo: Urban Adventurer
There is a lovely coffee shop within the pharmacy offering freshly ground coffee, a range of delightful teas served with complimentary verse, and some delicious cakes.
Private Consultations
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Book a consultation to the treatment room, put your feet up, open your heart and let the words flow.
“I think the combination of being carefully listened to; being taken to idealised places through the ‘consultation’, putting your feet up on the chaise longue and then having a hand-picked poem is always a winning combination.” – says Deborah Alma, founder of The Poetry Pharmacy.
The in-person consultations – which are currently only available in Shropshire (not yet available in London) – are by appointment only and the price includes tea or coffee of your choice and some delicious cake, plus a copy of ‘The Emergency Poet – An Anti-Stress Poetry Anthology’.
If you can’t make it to Shropshire, you can book an online session. The online consultation includes your prescription and a copy of ‘The Emergency Poet – An Anti-Stress Poetry Anthology’ posted to your address.
How The Poetry Pharmacy Started
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The Poetry Pharmacy was shortlisted for an Independent Business Award in 2021. Lush was on the judging panel and the project caught the eye of co-founder and CEO of Lush, Mark Constantine who later contacted with Debora Alma.
They set up a pop-up within Lush Studios in Soho in 2023 which was a huge success. Following that success, Lush Oxford Street branch offered a permanent space for The Poetry Pharmacy on the first floor of the store.
The Poetry Pharmacy’s grand opening was on the 1st July 2024 and Mark and Deborah are now working on a book together, titled ‘The Poetry Business School’ to give valuable advice to small business owners in a form of poetry prescriptions. The book will be published in this November.
Next time when you’re on Oxford Street, make sure you stop by for a refreshment for your body and soul.
Ready for your next adventure? Japan House London have recently opened their new free-to-visit exhibition, ‘Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN’. The exhibition was honoured by the visit of His Majesty the Japanese Emperor this June.
