In an era where LGBTQ+ visibility is at an all-time high, it’s tempting to think that the fight for gay spaces is behind us. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the UK for over a decade, Pride festivals attract record numbers, and even your local high street might have rainbow bunting in June. But for many gay men, especially post-pandemic, there’s a growing recognition that visibility alone isn’t enough—we still need places where we can truly belong.
For years, there’s been talk of the “death of the gay bar.” With the rise of dating apps and more integrated social scenes, many LGBTQ+ venues across the UK—from Manchester’s Canal Street to London’s Soho—have closed their doors. But now, something interesting is happening: a quiet but powerful resurgence of queer spaces.
More and more, queer spaces are becoming cultural hubs. Nights out aren’t just about drinks and dancing—they’re about drag bingo, queer cabaret, LGBTQ+ film nights, Rock Painting or just a place to sit with a friend and feel seen.
The vibe is shifting from survival to celebration.
And in 2025, celebration is political. As conversations around identity become more complex, and occasional headlines still stir up anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, there’s real value in being surrounded by people who understand your story without needing an explanation.
So this summer, go beyond the apps. Head to that Pride picnic, check out the local gay pub, or support a queer-run event in your city.
These aren’t just nights out—they’re lifelines, full of laughter, history, and possibility.
Gay spaces in the UK aren’t fading—they’re evolving. And they still matter. Maybe now more than ever.
We’re creating an online memory board for some of London’s lost venues. Since the turn of the century, London’s gay scene has lost over 100 venues.
We’d love for you to help us grow this historical archive of London’s lost gay scene. If you’ve got photos or memories of any of the venues you’d like to share please use the comment section below and we’ll add them right here.
The Backstreet
The club’s dress code is among the strictest of its kind anywhere, earning it a dedicated following among rubber and leather men worldwide.
Help us deliver unique, usable and reliable journalism that supports the gay, bisexual and curious community of the United Kingdom. Can you help protect LGBT+ media? Publishers like us have come under severe threat by the likes of Google and Facebook. The problem is that advertisers are choosing to put their money with them, rather than with niche publishers like us. Our goal is to eliminate banner ads altogether on site and we can do that if you could pledge us a tiny amount each month.
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We’re creating an online memory board for some of London’s lost venues. Since the turn of the century, London’s gay scene has lost over 100 venues.
We’d love for you to help us grow this historical archive of London’s lost gay scene. If you’ve got photos or memories of any of the venues you’d like to share please use the comment section below and we’ll add them right here.
The Spiral Staircase
A description from Dan who worked there in the 90s.
On the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Rivington Street at 138-139 Shoreditch High Street.
Was part of the 90’s ‘gayditch’ scene along with the Joiners Arms, George and Dragon et al.
Slightly ‘upmarket’ wine bar atmosphere to the ground floor, with a spiral staircase taking you to the basement level which was often given over to Karaoke.
Usual DJ nights & cabaret.
Worked there in 97-98. Not sure when it closed.
Approx open date: Can you help with this info? Comment to update the listing.
Approx closed date: Can you help with this info? Comment to update the listing.
Help us deliver unique, usable and reliable journalism that supports the gay, bisexual and curious community of the United Kingdom. Can you help protect LGBT+ media? Publishers like us have come under severe threat by the likes of Google and Facebook. The problem is that advertisers are choosing to put their money with them, rather than with niche publishers like us. Our goal is to eliminate banner ads altogether on site and we can do that if you could pledge us a tiny amount each month.
We’re asking our readers to pledge just £1 per month, more if you’re feeling swanky. You can stop payment at any time.
It’s quick and easy to sign up and you’ll only have to do it once.
We’re creating an online memory board for some of London’s lost venues. Since the turn of the century, London’s gay scene has lost over 100 venues.
We’d love for you to help us grow this historical archive of London’s lost gay scene. If you’ve got photos or memories of any of the venues you’d like to share please use the comment section below and we’ll add them right here.
The Cellar Bar
A description from Brian about the venue which was attached to Heaven nightclub.
It was a leather bar attached to Heaven. You could stroll around and at a certain point in the evening the door was opened into Heaven so if you felt like dancing in your leather you could.
Help us deliver unique, usable and reliable journalism that supports the gay, bisexual and curious community of the United Kingdom. Can you help protect LGBT+ media? Publishers like us have come under severe threat by the likes of Google and Facebook. The problem is that advertisers are choosing to put their money with them, rather than with niche publishers like us. Our goal is to eliminate banner ads altogether on site and we can do that if you could pledge us a tiny amount each month.
We’re asking our readers to pledge just £1 per month, more if you’re feeling swanky. You can stop payment at any time.
It’s quick and easy to sign up and you’ll only have to do it once.
It goes without saying that the bar, pub and club industry has been completely brutalised by lockdowns and Tier systems in place in the UK caused by the on-going coronavirus pandemic.
As Boris Johnson’s administration announced which areas in England would be placed into which tiers, many cities which have large LGBT+ scenes found themselves in Tier 3, leaving them unable to open unless operating as a takeaway or drive through. Many gay bars are simply not set up to handle or offer food.
Live venues and performer in Tier system overlooked by government
One drag performer tweeted Boris Johnson demanding to know why certain settings like theatres, casinos, theme parks and escape rooms were permitted to open yet live venues which, do not offer food, but offer live entertainment such as cabaret and drag shows were not permitted to open.
Carrot, a non-binary drag performer wrote,
“Live performers & venues in music, cabaret & drag need clarity from @10DowningStreet NOW. Why can theatres open and sell drinks in the intervals, when live venues who have spent huge amounts of £s and time making safe allocated seating cannot without selling food?”
“Why can casinos & theme parks & escape rooms open in tier 2, places that are essentially impossible to clean entirely & keep safe, yet pubs & bars with allocated seating and table service cannot?
“Live artists & venues have lost so much already & are still being overlooked.
“It’s really heartbreaking. and yet somehow completely unsurprising.”
Live performers & venues in music, cabaret & drag need clarity from @10DowningStreet NOW.
Why can theatres open and sell drinks in the intervals, when live venues who have spent huge amounts of £s and time making safe allocated seating cannot without selling food?
How does hospitality contribute to the rising numbers of Coronavirus cases?
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association said, “Hospitality has accounted for as little as 2% of Covid cases”, and Kate Nicholls CEO, UK Hospitality said, “Pubs and restaurants pay the price of tougher tier restrictions – no other sector are facing restrictions like these.”
Government data has shown that house-to-house mixing has the highest rate of rates of transmission for the virus.
Bars and clubs have closed because of COVID-19 restrictions.
The CEO of one of the UK’s oldest and best-loved LGBT+ bars, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, has hit out at Boris Johnson’s Christmas plan of allowing multiple houses to mix during the height of a pandemic, but not allowing them to mix in Covid-secure settings like pubs and bars is a “road to nowhere”
He said it was “inflicting devastating pain to an industry on the verge of collapse”.
James Lindsay, The RVT‘s CEO has written a blistering open letter to Boris Johnson and his cabinet saying that the current Christmas plan to allow up to three households to mix for five days during the festive season is a “mockery” of all the hardship that the hospitality industry has been through in the last 39 weeks.
He also told the Prime Minister that the plans to allow families to mix in their own homes, but not in restaurants or pubs, was putting “vulnerable people at risk” and denying the LGBT+ community a chance to mix and socialise with their chosen families.
He wrote, The Government’s olive branch for a ‘family Christmas’ is clearly aimed at appeasing the “party” faithful. As well as putting many vulnerable people at risk this also denies the LGBTQ+ community their much needed time with friends and our chosen families.
“Our venues offer a safe space for people who often don’t have the ‘normal’ family support”.
Gay Bars are at particular risk when the tier system returns.
One of the issues facing many bars, but in particular gay bars, is that many aren’t equipped to serve food – which is one of the requirements for pubs to be able to open in at least two Tiers of the Government’s system. Bars which solely sell drink are unable to open in Tier 2 and Tier 3. Only bars which sell “substantial” food can open in Tier 2 and can only operate as takeouts in Tier 3.
With most of the country expected to be entered into Tier 2 or 3 when Boris Johnson announces the Tier system today, the Equator bar in Birmingham announced that it might have to close forever, adding “Equator bar is not a restaurant so will not be allowed to open in Tier 2” and added, “Maybe time to call it a day”.
Speaking about the crisis facing the LGBT+ Scene, Lindsay continued, “The vast majority of LGBTQ+ venues don’t serve food but offer cabaret, DJs, screenings and a whole range of other events that people need to buy tickets in the same way theatres do.
“A venue such at The RVT not only supports its staff and customers but has a whole range of self-employed performers and promotors that rely on us and all the other venues, many of whom are from marginalised groups within our community.”
How does hospitality contribute to the rising numbers of Coronavirus cases?
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association said, “Hospitality has accounted for as little as 2% of Covid cases”, and Kate Nicholls CEO, UK Hospitality said, “Pubs and restaurants pay the price of tougher tier restrictions – no other sector are facing restrictions like these.”
Government data has shown that house-to-house mixing has the highest rate of rates of transmission for the virus.
Government must compensate the hospital sector
Lindsay continued, “We understand the need for safety and Public Health, since March we have followed every rule the Government has told us to, but now the Government needs to do the honourable thing and financially support the approach to destroy a much loved industry and fully compensate commercially viable businesses who have been operating Covid-19 compliance.
“That means grants that fully cover their fixed costs and loss of business and loss of profit.
Road to nowhere
“It feels like we are on a road to nowhere that will result in the decimation of the hospitality sector as well as more deaths from Covid.
“Maybe I should ask – What is the purpose of this Government? They have not consulted with the hospitality industry and the advice that has been provided by the industry experts has been ignored. Equally the advice of the Governments own experts with the strategy they have deployed has also been ignored.”
With England’s latest lockdown ending in just over a week many bars, and in particular many LGBT+ venues are really feeling the pinch. One gay bar in Birmingham has said it might be time to”call it a day”.
One of the issues facing many bars, but in particular gay bars, is that many aren’t equipped to serve food – which is one of the requirements for pubs to be able to open in at least two Tiers of the Government’s system. Bars which solely sell drink are unable to open in Tier 2 and Tier 3. Only bars which sell “substantial” food can open in Tier 2 and can only operate as takeouts in Tier 3.
With most of the country expected to be entered into Tier 2 or 3 when Boris Johnson announces the Tier system in the next few days, the Equator bar in Birmingham announced that it might have to close forever, adding “Equator bar is not a restaurant so will not be allowed to open in Tier 2” and added, “Maybe time to call it a day”.
If the Equator Bar, which has been operating for over 15 years, does close it will be the second bar in Birmingham to have fallen victim to the economic woes faced by the hospitality industry due to the Government’s handling of the current Coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to THEGAYUK.com the owner said, “It’s devastating that customers cannot come to their local community bar. We haven’t had a single case that I know of…
“I’ve been here 18 years and not sure how much longer we can stay closed with no help from the gov”.
Not the first victim of the devastating Tier system
The Tier system used in England has brought economic hardship for many businesses, but in particular for social-based businesses like pubs and bars.
Nightclubs have not been able to open since March.
In Tier 2, which most of England is expected to enter come the 2nd of December does not allow for household mixing, meaning that friends and family from different households are unable to meet in public, including in pubs and restaurants. In Tier 3 all bars and restaurants must close and are only permitted to operate as a food takeaway.
Bars and pubs across England have spent huge sums of money on becoming “COVID-secure” and have restricted their capacities in order to aid with social distancing, adding extra pressure on their bottom lines.
Writing about the latest announcement from Boris Johnson, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London tweeted, “We are all stuck in the worst possible purgatory with the worst possible ruler”
We are all stuck in the worst possible purgatory with the worst possible ruler
We’re creating an online memory board for some of London’s lost venues. Since the turn of the century, London’s gay scene has lost over 100 venues.
We’d love for you to help us grow this historical archive of London’s lost gay scene. If you’ve got photos or memories of any of the venues you’d like to share please use the comment section below and we’ll add them right here.
Holland Park Sauna
A memory from a user:
A sauna right in the middle of the shopping centre (not the Westfield creation), in you went, across to the changing rooms and off you went but this was the time before sex was possible in open as some horrid little man would patrol but, you always found action.
The showers, the jacuzzi, the saunas and the “rest” area upstairs that were a load of single beds laid out like a dormitory.
I remember I had my nipple pierced which was unusual at the time, this proved very popular. On leaving you would rejoin the shoppers or pop into Safeway or if you were still up for more, Silks club was next door. Very handy.
Help us deliver unique, usable and reliable journalism that supports the gay, bisexual and curious community of the United Kingdom. Can you help protect LGBT+ media? Publishers like us have come under severe threat by the likes of Google and Facebook. The problem is that advertisers are choosing to put their money with them, rather than with niche publishers like us. Our goal is to eliminate banner ads altogether on site and we can do that if you could pledge us a tiny amount each month.
We’re asking our readers to pledge just £1 per month, more if you’re feeling swanky. You can stop payment at any time.
It’s quick and easy to sign up and you’ll only have to do it once.
The Royal Vauxhall Tavern has created an “in house” safety video which will play before all its shows, very much like an inflight safety video, instructing patrons on how to keep safe during these COVID times.
The video stars Myra Dubois and she gently reminds customers that they must sign in or use the track and trace app, check all coats and bags to make sure that the floors are kept clutter-free and ordering drinks from the official RVT app.
She also asks customers not to cheer or sing along to the show and to “follow the rules”.
Lastly there’s a reminder that last orders are at 9.30 PM and that the bar must close at 10 PM.
Here is our new safety video which will be played in-house before shows.
Many thanks to global megastar and RVT resident @myradubois 💋
Another LGBT+ bar has said it is to close after trading in 2020 became unsustainable due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the government to try and curb the rising infections.
Eden Bar in the heart of Birmingham‘s gay village wrote an emotional goodbye post on social media saying that it was closing with its last day of trading on the 24th October.
The owners outlined how the government’s response to the pandemic had stretched many businesses, like theirs, beyond their limits, saying,
“Like many small businesses, 2020 has stretched Eden beyond belief. A reduced capacity to 25% then further reduced to 10% under Region Tier 2, heavy staff costs due to the ongoing changing government guidelines, the recent 10 pm curfew and an imminent Region Tier 3 lockdown, has meant we have decided to bite the bullet, making this drastic commercial decision.”
Closures across the Midlands due to COVID
Eden had hoped that 2020 would be its most successful year to date and had plenty of events planned, which all had to be cancelled. It had also opened a new venue called Sherlocks in Blackpool, which they have had to “inject finance into… in order to stay afloat, despite adapting to the “new normal”
The statement, however, did state that the owners would be looking for new premises. They continued,
“Our focus now is to look to the future with positive eyes, and wait for the pandemic to calm, albeit months. It has always been our long term plan to find alternative premises, therefore, once the pandemic calms, we will be taking active measures, looking for other premises in Birmingham, which we feel would be suitable for a ‘New Eden’
“What is important, is that Eden’s closure is not clouded by COVID but instead, is celebrated for its fantastic atmosphere and countless acts and events, which have graced Eden over the last 13 years”.
Read the full statement here:
After careful consideration, it is with great sadness that we have to announce, Eden will be closing its doors for business, on Saturday 24th October 2020, at 10 pm. Like many small businesses, 2020 has stretched Eden beyond belief. A reduced capacity to 25% then further reduced to 10% under Region Tier 2, heavy staff costs due to the ongoing changing government guidelines, the recent 10 pm curfew and an imminent Region Tier 3 lockdown, has meant we have decided to bite the bullet, making this drastic commercial decision.
Understandably, the fear of COVID is apparent, despite huge efforts to ensure a safe environment, making current conditions none financially viable. 2020 was set to be our best year, with many new events booked, the planned closure of Lower Hurst Street for “The Eden Pride Street Party” and the opening of Sherlock’s Blackpool. Instead of this anticipated bumper year, each week we have had to inject finance into the business in order to stay afloat, despite adapting to the “new normal”, being at full capacity and having to refuse entry. We have all worked so hard to try and make it work, but it is now apparent, we can no longer sustain this form of attack, without jeopardising Eden’s long term future.
Even today’s government announcement is just too little too late. Sadly, now we have to remove emotion and let common-sense prevail. We can only give so much until there’s nothing left to give. Our focus now is to look to the future with positive eyes, and wait for the pandemic to calm, albeit months. It has always been our long term plan to find alternative premises, therefore, once the pandemic calms, we will be taking active measures, looking for other premises in Birmingham, which we feel would be suitable for a “New Eden”.
It is not the bricks and mortar which makes Eden so special. Its a collection of people including our customers, fantastic staff, DJs, entertainment and those who work behind the scenes which share our vision. It is this vision which we believe can be transferred to another venue, once the pandemic calms.
We see this as an opportunity to take stock of the business and come back stronger and fighting fit. In short, Sherlock’s will still go ahead next year, hopefully, once government guidelines are relaxed. For Eden, as stated, our plan is to look for alternative premises in Birmingham and re-establish, once we are in a position to.
Putting the breaks on now will give us the opportunity to do this, protecting the Eden brand and future business, instead of trading at below breakeven using additional finance as a crutch, putting our long term future at risk. What is important, is that Eden’s closure is not clouded by COVID but instead, is celebrated for its fantastic atmosphere and countless acts and events, which have graced Eden over the last 13 years.
Too many to mention individually, but we’re sure you all have your favourites, along with fond memories. We would like to thank all our staff, DJs, entertainment, community groups and customers, in particular those whom have continued to support Eden post lockdown, when we needed you most.
We look forward to welcoming you all back once we are in a position to, along with the opening of Sherlock’s Blackpool next year. So please watch this space for our next chapter. Tickets for our final night will go on sale tonight at 7.30 pm. To open the night we have the fantastic Fanny Burns. There is however only one person who can close this current era, and that’s the fabulous La voix.
We’re creating an online memory board for some of London’s lost venues. Since the turn of the century, London’s gay scene has lost over 100 venues.
We’d love for you to help us grow this historical archive of London’s lost gay scene. If you’ve got photos or memories of any of the venues you’d like to share please use the comment section below and we’ll add them right here.
Bangs Night club
In Charing Cross Road
Opened: Was open in the mid-to late 70s
Closed: We don’t know – can you help with this info?
Help us deliver unique, usable and reliable journalism that supports the gay, bisexual and curious community of the United Kingdom. Can you help protect LGBT+ media? Publishers like us have come under severe threat by the likes of Google and Facebook. The problem is that advertisers are choosing to put their money with them, rather than with niche publishers like us. Our goal is to eliminate banner ads altogether on site and we can do that if you could pledge us a tiny amount each month.
We’re asking our readers to pledge just £1 per month, more if you’re feeling swanky. You can stop payment at any time.
It’s quick and easy to sign up and you’ll only have to do it once.
