It's no secret that South West London is steeped in musical tradition. 

From Twickenham's Eel Pie Island and the Toby Jugg to the south of Kingston where David Bowie first debuted Ziggy Stardust, to the numerous local venues that each catered to their own niche of diehard regulars – music fans have been well-catered to for years.

Nowadays, the scene is in dire straits. COVID dealt a death blow to many struggling pubs and clubs in the borough, with those remaining facing a tougher market than ever.

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However, from the rubble of these historic locations have risen a number of up-start organisers determined to return the area to its music-loving roots.

Tucked away on Stanley Road in Teddington, at the end of Broad Street, is one such optimist operating out of the town's Constitutional Club.

Sue Hill is a 60-year-old legal secretary living in Feltham – but for two Saturdays every month, she is Disco Sue, a DJ serving 60s, 70s, and 80s tunes to more than 100 people crammed onto the club's dance floor.

With the help of sound engineer and fellow DJ Markus Yearley, she lugs roughly 300 vinyls to her events, which include Swinging in the 60s, Stuck in the 70s, Poptastic 80s, and Sue's personal favourite, Disco Soul.

"It's like our baby," she says.

Disco Hill runs the club's retro nights with the help of technically-minded fellow DJ Markus Yearley. (Photo via Sue Hill)

While Teddington Constitutional Club has hosted Disco Soul nights for the last seven years, it wasn't until its previous host moved to France before the pandemic that Sue took over.

While initially apprehensive of taking the reins, Sue says husband-slash-roadie Paul – who she met in 1982 during the mod revival – helped encourage her to take the plunge, saying: "If you don't do it, you're going to regret it!"

Equipped with new gear, the nervous new DJ took to the decks and hasn't looked back since.

Sue with 'husband and roadie' Paul. The couple met in 1982 during the mod revival. (Photo: Oliver Monk)

While not 'the best seat in the house' according to Sue, this table is strictly reserved for her, husband Paul, co-DJ Markus, and their guests. (Photo: Oliver Monk)

Disco Sue hasn't just upped the numbers of the club's Disco Soul nights, but expanded its demographic beyond her peers looking for a nostalgia trip. 

"I tried to open it up," she says, estimating her youngest regular to be 23, while her oldest is around 80 years-old. Her fanbase is dedicated, often dressing up to match their DJ's own retro wardrobe.

"It's a good crowd. We've never had any trouble," explains Sue, before sharing one dramatic exception where she ejected a particularly rowdy part-goer herself. "The Christmas one was just mental," she adds, laughing with husband Paul.

Friday night Disco Soul events frequently see more than 100 people in attendance. (Photo: Oliver Monk)

Why the success? One reason is obvious: the club's bar, described on all Sue's event listings as 'reasonably-priced', is just that, with a nearby punter boasting his pint cost just £3.70.

While bar manager John Freeman takes proceeds at the bar, Sue and Markus collect on the door – £5 a ticket, or free if someone's come for their birthday.

Sue is known throughout the club for her retro, decade-appropriate outfits. (Photo via Sue Hill)

Accessible prices can attract first-timers, but they won't keep an audience for long. This is where Sue's personal flair (and undeniable stage presence) comes in. 

It's hard to argue with Sue's unofficial motto on all the events' flyers: 'You won't get more fun for your fiver!'

All the music throughout the night comes from the DJ's personal collection stacked on one end of her dining room. Sue justifies the inconvenience of lugging 300 disks to events – most of them singles – simply.

"It just sounds better… it's tactile," she explains, before confessing she also can't trust herself to remember what she played earlier in the night without stacking the vinyls to one side after they finish.

Only vinyl will do at the Teddington Constitutional Club. (Photo via Sue Hill)

Alongside Sue's insistence of using vinyl, the club's disco ball undeniably adds to the retro charm of the twice-a-month events. (Photo: Oliver Monk)

Alongside the satisfaction of hearing the old-school sound (and the occasional scratching and jumping), Sue's enthusiasm to song requests is also a hit with the crowd.

"They're paying for it. We'll play whatever they want to hear," she says, hastily adding: "Within reason!"

However Sue herself manages to sum up the appeal of her retro music nights best: "We just want to help people have a good time."

The ex-mod couple have fond memories of the South West London music scene in the 80s. (Photo: Oliver Monk)

Her events and venue are a breath of fresh air to fans. Disco Sue's genuine passion, from her iconic sequined getup, to the mandatory disco ball suspended above the club's particularly spacious (and strictly drink-free) dance floor, is infectious. Add in nearly a hundred equally-committed music lovers, and it's hard to not get caught up in the party spirit.

The work of Disco Sue, Markus, and her countless other supporters is admirable. Their enthusiasm for all things retro have helped buck the trend of dying venues and managed to make Teddington Constitutional Club a new must-visit for anyone who is even remotely musically-inclined.

Besides: where else can you get this much fun for a fiver?

Disco Sue's next event will be Stuck in the 70s, taking place Saturday 3 August. Doors open from 7:30pm, with tickets costing – you guessed it – £5.

There will be a break for the rest of August as Sue and Paul take off on their beloved Vespas for a holiday at the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, with the DJ returning in September. (Photo via Sue Hill)