Tucked away inside Lush Spa on Oxford Street, London, this walk-in Poetry Pharmacy offers a quiet retreat that invites visitors to explore the soothing and transformative power of poetry. Here, poetry is not just literature but a remedy of emotional support, available on prescription.
I paid a visit to London’s new Poetry Pharmacy to see what this unusual literary destination had in store:
Poetry as Prescription
The concept behind the Poetry Pharmacy is simple but profound: poetry can provide relief, insight, and comfort, much like medicine.
Originally founded by Deb Alma and Jim Sheard in 2011 as the Emergency Poet, a travelling service offering poetry from the back of a vintage ambulance.
Poetry Pharmacy in Bishop’s Castle
In 2019, the pair opened a physical Poetry Pharmacy in Bishop’s Castle, close to the border between England and Wales.
The pharmacy’s mission is to create a space where anyone can seek out poetry as a source of emotional care. You can even have a poetry consultation at the Bishop’s Castle branch, where visitors are prescribed poetry by the resident Poetry Pharmacists.
As of 2024, the Poetry Pharmacy has started a new chapter in London…
Where is the Poetry Pharmacy in London?
After the success of a pop-up at Lush Studio Soho in 2023, the Poetry Pharmacy now has a permanent home on the first floor of the Lush Spa in London’s Oxford Street. (Note that the location means there is a strong smell from the Lush products.)
It’s a carefully curated space filled with literary gifts, books, and “poetical remedies,” with an emphasis on mental well-being and inclusivity.
Visitors can enjoy browsing through selections of poetry while sipping coffee or tea from the in-house Dispensary Coffee Shop, which serves ethically sourced coffee from Shropshire’s Hundred House Coffee and teas from the Good and Proper Tea company.
It was a super-hot day when I visited, so I grabbed this flavoured soda (served with a glass beaker filled with ice!), which came with a few lines of poetry:
To not end where you thought you did / not with skin but water / not with arms but meadow / of watercress, dropwort, floating pennywort / against all odds to be buoyant / to feel there is an upward force / greater than the weight of the heart – from swims by Elizabeth-Jane Burnett
The Poetry Pills & Books
The poetry pill bottles are labelled with ailments and remedies, from Social Media Detox to Plath Distilled. Each contains pill capsules with rolled up poetry quotes inside. I really love this idea, especially as a thoughtful gift or stocking stuffer at Christmas, though they are a little pricey.
The Pharmacy also collaborates with the British Haiku Society, creating a special line of Zen Garden Poetry Pills that offer short, calming haikus as an antidote to the fast pace of city life.
I also loved that there’s a poison cabinet, filled with the toxic and macabre:
And, of course, there are poetry books! As well as gorgeous notebooks, books about London, and more:
The Verdict
With its thoughtful curation, unique concept, and focus on well-being, the Poetry Pharmacy is a welcome addition to London’s literary scene and multitude of bookshops—a quiet space where words are medicine.
I love the story behind the Poetry Pharmacy and it’s a cool place to hang out or grab a unique gift. It’s a shame that it’s inside the Lush store itself, so the smell and bustle is a lot. This would be a great place to hold literary events or simply enjoy an afternoon of reading poetry with some good coffee.
Opening Hours
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm
Dispensary Coffee Shop
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
For those curious to learn more, you can follow the Poetry Pharmacy on social media: