Twenty years of pub nights in London – the story of expatriate Luxembourgers

A London-based friendship group for Luxembourgish expats and people with ties to the country has celebrated its 20th anniversary.

The “Friends of Luxembourg” group marked the special milestone at their regular gathering in their usual pub, the Liberty Bounds, a stone’s throw from the Tower of London.

Around fifteen Luxembourgers and friends of the Grand Duchy accepted the invitation from Eddie Bohnert, the founder of the group back in October 2005. To mark the birthday, pints were replaced by glasses of English style ‘crémant’ – sparkling wine.

The group was launched when a small gathering of Luxembourg expats living in the British capital decided to get together for a drinks evening on Drury Lane.

At the time, Bohnert said, he wanted to offer a more relaxed alternative to the Luxembourg Society, the historic club in London frequented mainly by Brits with ties to the Grand Duchy.

The idea was to have an informal meeting place, with no membership fees or formalities, where anyone could drop by without prior notice. “Nobody thought it would last,” he said. “But people came, then came back, and it became a ritual.”

For almost ten years, meetings were held at the Penderel’s Oak in Holborn before moving to Liberty Bounds, a vast pub belonging to the Wetherspoons chain. “We’ve always been well received here, even though the owner is a staunch Brexiteer,” said Bohnert with a smile.

The decor has not changed: large wooden tables, thick carpeting, portraits of English sailors on the walls, and a view of the Thames. For many, this pub has become a landmark, a little piece of Luxembourg with the small flag on the table serving as a rallying point in the heart of a sprawling city.

A second family in the big smoke

Over the past twenty years, these pub nights have become much more than just a monthly get-together. In a metropolis where everything moves fast and friendships are often fleeting, these evenings have become an anchor. “It’s my second family,” said Bohnert.

The stories that emerge are testimony to the patient years of networking. Thanks to the group, one member got advice from an engineer on repairing his house, and a couple even organised their wedding reception at a Wetherspoons. When Bohnert had to undergo an operation, it was a friend from the group who picked him up from the hospital. It is these simple gestures which have formed the foundations of friendship.

“It’s not an organisation with roles or titles,” he explained. “Everyone is free to come, to talk, to come back or not”. In twenty years, Bohnert has only missed two or three evenings. He doesn’t see himself as the leader, more as the guardian of a long-established connection. Every month, he sends an email and makes sure that the meeting takes place.

For several years, he also taught Luxembourgish in London, first privately, then at the University of Sheffield. Some of his former students are still among the group’s regulars. Despite all these years spent across the Channel, he has never applied for British citizenship. “I remain deeply attached to my country,” he said. “I’ve lived here for a long time, but I’ve never stopped being Luxembourgish.”

Over time, the group gradually took shape and developed a structure, almost unintentionally. In 2016, with the technical assistance of Serge Moes, former director of the Luxembourg Tourist Office in London, a website and newsletter were launched.

Each month, they share news from the diaspora: concerts, exhibitions, festivals, conferences, as well as the group’s own events. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when pubs closed, Bohnert and Moes maintained contact remotely, sharing readings, videos and archive material about Luxembourg.

The group celebrated its 200th meeting in 2024, in the presence of Luxembourg’s ambassador to the UK, Georges Friden. Since then, the pace has slowed: a meeting every two months, but the pleasure of getting together remains the same. “What strikes me is that the circle is still widening,” said Bohnert. “The veterans stay, the newcomers integrate, and it all happens quite naturally.”

The group was launched back in October 2005 © Photo credit: Audrey Somnard

From Wormeldange to London

At a meeting earlier this week, conversations were mostly conducted in English, the common language of the group. While the evenings are designed for Luxembourgers, they also welcome their partners, friends, and those simply interested in the country.

Some occasionally exchange a few words in Luxembourgish, happy to rediscover a language rarely heard in their everyday lives in London, but English remains the common thread. “This mix is ​​part of our charm,” said Bohnert.

Among the guests at this week’s meeting was Joe, a native of Wormeldange who has been a film producer in London for 17 years, who had a long chat with Brayden, an American with a passion for genealogy. They both discovered that they shared roots in the same village in the Grand Duchy. “It’s amazing how small the world can be”, said Brayden.

Anna, a young mother of twins, is preparing to leave London and settle in Schifflange with her French husband by the end of the year. She admits to being undecided about which language to improve before her arrival in the Grand Duchy.

“I’m wondering whether I should improve my French or learn Luxembourgish to integrate better,” she said. She has also noted, with amusement, the significant role of Portuguese in the country’s daily life. “It’s a fascinating mix of cultures, and I’m curious to see how I’ll adapt.”

Leonard, for his part, has never lived in Luxembourg but maintains a strong connection with the country. His mother emigrated there from Vietnam in her youth, and he fondly remembers Christmas holidays spent in the Grand Duchy and receptions at the embassy.

“I grew up in London, but I’ve always had one foot there,” he said. “And I appreciate how lucky I am to have a European passport,” he said, adding that he plans to live on the continent.

As the evening continued, some spoke of forthcoming holidays in Luxembourg, while others reminisced about their first few months in London. Before parting, those gathered raised a final glass to the group and to friendship.

Twenty years after that first gathering, the principle remains unchanged: a set place, a set time, and the certainty of encountering a friendly face. In a city where everything changes so quickly, the “Friends of Luxembourg” group embodies a rare consistency: that of a community which, between beers and memories, nurtures what truly matters – human connection.

(This article was originally published by Virgule. Machine translated, with editing and adaptation by John Monaghan.)