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.
Our series of weekly artist talks features inspiring theatre folk from around the world. Courtney, Eloise and Aimie will come together to share stories from their careers and chat about a very exciting upcoming project they are all involved in called Breaking Free, an empowering musical celebration with LGBT+ theatre artists.
The Thespie Thursday artist talks stream live on Thespie at 8pm GMT and can be viewed anywhere in the world. They are free to watch and will also be available to view on demand following the initial event.
(No spoilers included in this review)
Get your Sinitta and 5 Star albums of feel-good music at the ready because if you haven’t already binged watched Russell T Davies new Channel 4 drama, It’s A Sin, then brace yourselves for grim viewing.
Having seen the advert teasers and the first show on Friday 22nd January that doesn’t leave you in a good place after the show, then I can tell you that it only gets worse.
The ’80s were not great times for the gay community and Russell manages to pick up the fear so well and quickly too. The accomplished writings of Russell are there from the start and the show bounces with an occasional break in the fourth wall with the view.
Thankfully these are very brief but important and hammer out almost a whole programs worth of what was going on in around 3 minutes as to some peoples perceptions of HIV and AIDS and what was to come played out. Our main character Ritchie Tozer (Olly Alexander) does I have to say grate on you in this part but then again this is 1981 and with some 40 passing years and hindsight it all becomes relative.
There is no sugar coating what the AIDS crisis was from the start of the show and the experiences so many had in the real world in the ’80s, characters dropped like flies. In Friday’s episode, the lovable Henry (Neil Patrick Harris) who you instantly warmed too is killed off by the virus in the bleakest of ways. His boyfriend “goes home” and the crying starts. Russell is a dab hand at writing tear jerkers. I don’t think there are many out there who can say they didn’t cry watching Dr Who where the Dr and Rose were parted. Well, tissues at the ready because worse is to come.
And it does. Admittedly there are some funny bits and if you pay attention to the finer details you’ll howl laughing at the disgust the Tozer gave when the infamous AIDS TV advert aired. Instead, they click it over to Michael Barrymore’s Strike It Lucky. “Oh I like him,” says Valerie (Keeley Hawes). And Keeley really does shine throughout to the point where you are screaming at her. The meek and mild mother of two suddenly becomes emboldened when she discovers the grim news. And then goes on to be a total bitch.
But one mustn’t single out the actors because everyone plays a vital part in this gripping drama of six friends and their peripheral groups in dark times. But it is Jill (Lydia West) who has the hardest of times throughout the 5 episodes. The only female within the group and the one watching all of those around her fall to a virus or living in fear of it.
The last episode ends with all 6 friends together in a flashback of happier times. And it’s this ending that sets you off. It combines the feel-good with what was and might have been.
So grab your best friends, the ’80s feel-good CDs and a box of tissues. It’s hard viewing. Just don’t watch this on your own.
Today is international data protection day, a day to highlight the importance of Data Protection and the right to privacy. But please don’t let that put you off reading further, I appreciate that when you say the words ‘Data Protection’ most people’s eye’s glaze over. And in many ways that’s deserving, it does have a bad rep, but also it’s far more important than that.
Let me ask you a question, are you a user of the app Grindr? If not, then this is just a fascinating article for you. If so, you really do need to be aware of what Grindr has been up to with your data.
When you use these apps, you expect them to take care of the data given that a wide range of people from our community use such apps. Yes for hook-ups, but also for contact and even just reaching out for those in remote communities or those unable to be ‘out’ where they live/work/other.
The knowledge of where a gay/bi/trans/non-binary user is and indeed their data around their personal pictures is something that, if misused, can be used to huge detrimental effect.
Grindr has had a troubled history with its Data Protection and Cyber Security protections. In 2020 a flaw in its security was highlighted to it by a ‘hacker’ and highlighted concerns over some back Cyber Security principles and standards with the online app. As an early user of Grindr, I remember the various bugs, crashes, data quality flaws that the app has faced over the years. This recent flaw highlighted some concerns in basic account security settings for an App that should now be ‘more mature’ in its approach to protecting customer data.
Earlier in 2018, Grindr made headlines as it was revealed that Grindr was owned by a Chinese firm linked (like most Chinese firms seem to be) to the Chinese Government. A regime, claimed by many Countries, to be engaged every minute of every day in cyber warfare. In 2020 the concerns became so much that the Chinese firm announced it was selling its shares in Grindr to a US-based company.
An app that contains location, names, photos, sexuality and HIV status details of millions of users around the globe has had a chequered past of inappropriate data sharing and storage.
This was highlighted again this week after it was announced that the Data Protection Regulator in Norway was intending to fine Grindr NOK100,000,000 (or around €10M or ~$12.1M). If the fine goes ahead, this will be one of the more serious fines under Data Protection (almost 10% of Grindr’s annual turnover last year) that we have seen since the introduction of the GDPR.
The Danish regulator investigated Grindr after a complaint was raised around Grindr’s sharing of personal data, specifically what it tells users and how it’s ‘take it or leave it’ consent is unlawful under Data Protection law.
The investigation found that Grindr was sharing users personal data with third parties for marketing purposes (including location, profile data and the fact the person has an account on Grindr (itself a revealing characteristic)). Grindr states that it informs you, the user, of this and you consent to it. When it has been found that they don’t, as what they do provide you is unclear and misleading in the way it is written.
It’s worth noting that Grindr isn’t the only one to engage in such practices. Several investigations over a range of dating and fertility apps around the globe have revealed some creepy behaviour from the majority of them. Grindr, it would seem, given the context of the platform, is just the most recent to be called out for its poor data sharing practices.
So why is this an issue? Why should you, a ‘motivated’ user, for one thing, care about your Data Protection? The key is choice. Under Data Protection you can choose to use a service and not be subjected to marketing or irrelevant data sharing. You pay or want to use an app to do X or Y or Z. Not to then have your messages, images, profile data and even the fact you are on the app shared with other parties without your knowledge, or indeed consent.
For the vulnerable in our community, Grindr (or other such apps) can be a lifeline to allow them to express themselves and reach others. This practice can only ever be creepy unless you are happy with it and are happy to have your details shared. Knowledge and choice. Such laws are there to go give you, the individual, the power to know, understand and chose what you want to happen and not to be forced into doing it because you have no real choice.
As members of the LGBT community, we know in our history what the power of data can do. It can build and connect; it can also destroy and damage. While I’m not advocating dumping Grindr as this is a chance for them to improve their practices, I encourage you to see Data Protection as more than just a dull legalistic thing. It is every day in everything. Even if you chose to give away your data, which is your right and freedom, at least make an informed choice.
P.S. You might also want to take a look at WhatsApp and Facebook. They wrote the book on being creepy and it’s only getting worse.
Cruisiest Spot: There are two toilets that can be used if needed, at night both the far wooded area to the right as you enter the park (near the river) is active with guys and down behind the rear of the main hall building close.
Look out for toilet attendants and other users. Head to the last cubicle and quietly cough to see if anyone’s inside. If you’re in the cubicle and want some company open the door. Cruisest spot is the Urinals but there is also quite a lot of action at the cubicles as there are large gaps below the doors/walls.
Busiet time is between 3 and 5.
Look out for toilet attendants and other users. Head to the last cubicle and quietly cough to see if anyone’s inside. If you’re in the cubicle and want some company open the door.
Cruisest spot is the Urinals but there is also quite a lot of action at the cubicles as there are large gaps below the doors/walls.