Tag: London News

All the latest from London, the capital of the UK, home to the UK’s largest gay community.

THEATRE REVIEW | Dirty Great Love Story, The Arts Theatre

★★ | Dirty Great Love Story, The Arts Theatre
CREDIT: Richard Davenport
I’m a bit unconventional in my views when it comes to romance. I strongly believe that sex before the first date is a sensible action (who wants to sit through a tedious meal with a fake smile plastered on your face when you can cut to the chase?) but I also have a secret love of ‘will they won’t they’ romantic comedies.

Slam poetry champion Richard Marsh and writer/performer Katie Bonna originally conceived Dirty Great Love Story as a short pub performance piece.

It evolved into a longer two-hander play and was well received at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2012 where the writers also performed the piece. Outlining a meeting between gauche and shy Richard and recently heartbroken Katie on a stag and hen do, followed by a one night stand in a Travelodge, the play then goes on to tantalise with an almost/on and off romance, that burgeons in spite of obstacles.

It’s classic rom-com but recited partly in verse.

In this new incarnation at The Arts Theatre, the pair is played by actors with accomplished performances from Ayesha Antoine and Felix Scott. This is where the problem seems to lie, though. Maybe performance poetry works better coming from the mouth of the poet and in this case, fails to translate over easily despite the actors’ efforts.

In spite of their skill as performers, the verse feels stilted coming from their mouths and sits oddly with a touch of the painfully twee about it in parts. Yes, they’re sometimes talking about the dirty bits of this relationship, but in a Richard Curtis style romantic comedy format with poetry that sounds like Pam Ayres on a 1980s edition of That’s Life.

It splutters dimly more that it illuminates and feels tired and dated. Not so great and a tiny bit dirty but a love story nonetheless, there are flashes of brilliance but they feel few and far between.

When the funny moments hit they’re worth waiting for, there’s a clever set by Pia Furtado with bits that drop down and pop up to illustrate various scenes but overall it all falls a bit flat.

Dirty Great Love Story plays at The Arts Theatre until 16th March 2017

28th January 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Brasserie Zedel

★★★★★ | Brasserie Zedel – perhaps the best restaurant in London?

Steps away from Piccadilly Circus is one of the most beautiful, elegant and affordable restaurants in London. It’s Brasserie Zedel.

If you walked by the entrance to the restaurant you would have no idea that beyond the front door, and down several flights of steps, is a grand Parisian brasserie, with vaulted high ceilings, marble columns, Beaux Arts/Art Deco decor with dozens and dozens of tables to accommodate you for either lunch or dinner. But not only will you find a restaurant, this huge cavernous complex also houses a cabaret lounge (Crazy Coqs) and the elegant Bar Américain. And if that’s not enough, there’s the ZL Café upstairs which is sneakily and actually the entrance to the entire complex.

The restaurant serves traditional French food at amazingly very affordable prices. In what is perhaps the best dinner deal in London, they offer, for a mere £12.75, a three-course Prixe Fixe meal which includes Carottes Rapées, Steak Haché with Frites, and a Café Gourmand or a Tarte aux Fruits. It’s a very delicious and satisfying meal. Or, you can splash out a bit more by trying their Plats de Jour – Plates of the day (£14.25 each), ranging from Poulet au Curry on Mondays to Cassoulet de Toulouse on Wednesday. Highly recommended, however, is the Boeuf Bourguignon, a delicious and tender beef braised in a red wine sauce with a helping of mash potato – it’s absolutely divine (£12.50). Other meat dishes include a whole roast free range french chicken for two (£14.75 each) – I’ve seen it and it’s huge. Other meat dishes include smoked belly of pork (£14.00) or a massive Rib Eye Steak (£25.75). If fish is your thing, Zedel will deliver. Deep fried whiting, trout, and seabass, among others, are all on offer, and all under the friendly price of £17.75. Side dishes (entrées) are all in abundance – with cheeses, onion soup, endive salad, steak tartare and fish soup and more to allow you to start the evening with a nibble. And to end the evening you can pick from cheese dishes to a Tarte au Citron, a Chocolate Souffle, to my favourite – champagne poured over mandarine sorbet – an absolute steal at £5.50. And the drinks list has top notch wines, biéres and cidres and champagnes to complement any and all the main courses.

As mentioned above, there is also the Crazy Coqs cabaret room, offering top notch talent in the world of cabaret and beyond. Previous performers have included Brian Batt, Steven Brinberg (the world’s most famous Barbra Streisand impersonator), to actress Sally Kellerman and Julian Clary. Coming up is an, even more, star and talent-studded lineup including the comedy cabaret of Coqs favourite Miss Hope Springs, X-Factor winner Matt Cardle, restaurant Critic Grace Dent, drag queen extraordinaire La Voix, and the House of Q, an all new night of cabaret, burlesque, music, mime and more. Have a look at the website as there are a lot more upcoming acts and so the programme really needs to be looked at and studied.

For more about the program and the restaurant, please go here:
https://www.brasseriezedel.com

Reviewed by Tim Baros

Brasserie Zédel opening hours:
Mon – Sat: 11:30 a.m. – Midnight
Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
20 Sherwood Street
London
W1F 7ED
Telephone: 0207 734 4888
For general enquiries, please email: info@brasseriezedel.com
BAR AMÉRICAIN
Monday – Wednesday: 4.30pm – Midnight
Thursday – Friday: 4.30pm – 1.00am
Saturday: 1.00 pm – 1.00am
Sunday: 4.30pm – 11.00pm
ZL CAFÉ
Monday – Friday: 8.00am – 11.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am – 11.00pm
Sunday: 11.30am – 11.00pm

PRICE: £££ (explained)

STAR: ★★★★★ (explained)

25th January 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Bitches Ahoy!, Above The Stag

★★★★ | Bitches Ahoy! : Above The Stag

Batten down the hatches, all hands on your AussieBums, and anchors – prudes advised to stay on dry land – aweigh.

CREDIT: Above The Stag

Gareth, Max and Fat Pam set sail for a new adventure on the Mediterranean awash with a couple of love interests in close-quarters. This is up-and-coming Playwright Martin Blackburn’s second production – an all-at-sea sequel to Aright Bitches! – and in Blackburn’s previous style: pummelled with more innuendos than a Navy Officer in the engine room after six months at sea.

Buoyant party-buoy Gareth (Ethan Chapples) is holibobing with new squeeze Drew (Chris Clynes), and giving monogamy a stern-go onboard a queer cruise with two thousand homo-hotties – will either walk the plank of infidelity? Nothing’s ever plain-sailing on this ship.

Max has embarked on a new career as a cabin boy with a firm eye in every porthole and a love/hate taste for his surroundings. Pam (Hannah Vesty) has harpooned the Moby of all Dicks and flaunts new French fiancé Patrice (Simon Burr) from port to starboard causing a splash with the whole crew’s rudders. Straight guy aboard a gay cruise – what could possibly come adrift?

Blackburn clearly knows how to quill a boat-rocking quip, but on this voyage, some of the jokes were washed ashore unnoticed, mainly due to the delivery.

Come aboard this vessel for cock-capers, tampon-tomfoolery and to catch a glimpse of Pam wet wiping her lady bits. This is a camp factor 50 with the potent UVAs radiating from Vesty and Chapples – giving you the Jolly Rogers and the January blues the heave-ho.

Bitches Ahoy is at Above The Stag Theatre until 26th February

24th January 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Holding The Man, Jack Studio Theatre

★★★ | Holding The Man, Jack Studio Theatre

CREDIT: Nicholas Chinardet

Holding the Man is a play by Tommy Murphy (Strangers in Between) that was also made into a film in 2015.

It’s based on Timothy Conigrave’s 1995 memoir, an elegy to his late partner, John Caleo. The pair met as teenagers in 1970s Australia and fell in love, facing parental disapproval, trying to find where they fitted into society and experimenting with their sexuality. Sadly, Conigrave died aged 34 from an AIDS related illness shortly after completing the book. This is more than just a play about the AIDS crisis, though. It’s a tender love story and a reflection on the problems faced by young gay people, which is still pertinent today.

Director Sebastian Polka has taken a clever starting point to staging this play. The play is wide in its scope, covering Tim’s Catholic school upbringing through to his death, looking at his first experiences of the gay scene and gay activism, his career as an actor and the highs and lows of his relationship with John. Polka takes Tim’s acting career as a point from which to present the characters with the stage being a dressing room where Tim conjures up scenes from his life. Tim is played with skill and sensitivity by lean and angular Christopher Hunter along with astonishingly good muscle hunk Paul-Emile Forman as John. The astonishing thing is that this is Forman’s professional debut and he gives an incredibly subtle and nuanced performance. The rest of the characters from Tim’s life are played by four actors who constantly change clothes and accents along with their roles.
It’s an interesting play that is well staged but ultimately the problem lies in the play itself. It’s a major task to try to present twenty-five years of a man’s life in such detail in one play.

The focus on so many events ends up detracting somewhat from the whole effect and leaves it feeling oddly bloodless. The actors barely have space within the dialogue to convey much and the piece occasionally feels superficial and has less emotional depth than it could have.

Holding The Man plays at the Jack Studio Theatre until 4th Feb 2017

24th January 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Laughing Gravy

★★★★ | The Laughing Gravy

A restaurant with a funny name sits between Southwark tube stop and Elephant & Castle – it’s The Laughing Gravy.

Blackfriars Road is a bit of a restaurant no man’s land. Right near Southwark Tube station is the excellent upscale Polish restaurant Baltic, and then a few blocks south is The Laughing Gravy, nestled into it’s spot amidst the new expensive apartment blocks and conversions that have made this neighbourhood upscale.

And upscale you will need to be as The Laughing Gravy is not cheap. Most of the hearty mains are priced between £22 and £24 each (though there are few lesser-priced options as well), while the starters are all above £8 each and the puddings no less than £7.50. The Laughing Gravy has been operating as a restaurant for around 6 years, and they are definitely doing something right. Head chef Michael Facey, along with a very friendly staff, deliver a varied modern British Menu, and it has just been named best restaurant in the Southwark and Waterloo area by Time Out.

There is truly something for everyone at The Laughing Gravy. The starters range from Pigeon and Oxtail Sausage Roll to the Roasted and Pickled Heritage Beetroot and the Wild Garlic Infused Roasted Artichoke. The Beetroot (at £8.50) was an absolute explosion of colours and flavours. Served on a black plate, it was a rainbow of beetroot with goat’s cheese and apple puree, candied cashews and kale. Served as a cold dish, it was sexy and perfect. The Artichoke starter was quite the opposite, a bit bland, though the artichoke puree and potatoes saved it from being a total waste – though at £8.50 there wasn’t a whole lot on the plate.

For the main course, my dining companion and I decided to have meat and fish. I ordered the Lincolnshire rib eye steak (225 grams), and I am glad I did. With onions, plum tomatoes and mushrooms, it was perfectly cooked (I asked for M to MW), and that’s exactly what I got. Both sides were cooked dark brown, and it was tender and scrumptious. It was served, under the meat, with delicious Madeira (wine) sauce. At £23, it was worth every penny. My companion had the Roast Lemon Sole (£22.50), and it was a panoply of seafood. Not just sole, the dish also included Devonshire crab and sweetcorn dumplings, kale, braised celery and sweetcorn curd and crab bisque. She was very happy with her portion, which I thought was a good value considering how much seafood was on the plate. Other menu choices in the lower-priced range include the Aberdeen Angus burger (£13.50), Superfood Salad (£11.50), and the Roast Heritage Vegetables (£14.00). Other higher-priced recommended items include the Roast guinea fowl (£22), Pan-fried seabass (£22.50), and the Lamb Rump (£22.00). Sides are a must and include Hand cut or Truffle chips, or the excellent Salt baked champs (mash potato) (£4-5 each).

I recommend having a dessert as there was quite a selection. My companion had the Plum, quince, Madeira and honey crumble, and it was just as we expected, crumbly delicious. I had the Champagne, mango and lime cheesecake, and it was small yet heavy and came with a tiny doughnut. Next time I will order the Treacle and apple tart or the Salted caramel mousse (£7.50 to £8.50).

The restaurant’s wine, beer and cocktail list goes on for days. There are about 24 cocktails to choose from, my companion was happy with her margarita, while I was happy with my Lemon Drop (Ketel One vodka, fresh lemon juice and Cointreau) – though it was very sweet. Other options include the LG Bloody Mary to the Hazelnut Martini and the divinely sounding Waterloo Sunset (elderflower liqueur and gin topped with champagne and Chambord – and the most expensive drink on the menu at £13.50). With my steak, I had the full-bodied and delicious French 2014 Cotés du Rhone – highly recommended. The Laughing Gravy’s wine list includes wine from other countries including Italy and Spain – it’s one of the most exhaustive wine lists I’ve ever seen.

The Laughing Gravy sits about 50 people, it’s got a small welcoming bar past the entrance, and a room that’s big with high-pitched ceilings. Beautiful wood floors and a smart decor makes The Laughing Gravy cosy and comfortable. Noise levels get a bit high when they are busy (we were there on a Saturday night), but it’s bearable. The staff are very welcoming and our waiter Oliver and hostess Freddi made us very welcome from beginning to end, including when I accidentally put the menu on top of the candle and it caught on fire. Luckily the restaurant survived the fire though your wallet might not be so lucky.

Reviewed by Tim Baros

Telephone: 020 7998 1707

thelaughinggravy.co.uk

RESTAURANT HOURS:
Monday to Thursday: 1200 – 1500 & 1700 – 2200
Friday: 1200 – 1500 & 1700 – 2230
Saturday: 1200 – 1600 & 1700 – 2230
Sunday: 1200 – 1630

Address: 154 BLACKFRIARS ROAD, LONDON SE1 8EN

22nd January 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Promises Promises, Southwark Playhouse

★★★ | Promises, Promises – Southwark Playhouse

CREDIT: Claire Bilyard

‘Promises Promises’ has a fine pedigree. It’s a 1968 musical based on the classic 1960 Billy Wilder film, ‘The Apartment’. The script is by King of the one-liners Neil Simon and the music is from the outstanding duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The set list contains the lilting ‘A House is Not a Home’ and the glorious ‘I’ll Never Fall in Love Again’ which topped the charts for Dionne Warwick and Bobby Gentry. Surely, this a case for high expectations being met if ever there was one? Sadly it’s a bit of a mixed bag and isn’t all it pledges to be.

The main problem with the piece is the tone of the musical which feels dated and uncomfortable to watch. It’s more reminiscent of Benny Hill’s stomach curdling capers than the suave sex appeal of ‘Mad Men’. Chuck is a junior executive who accidentally hits on a way to curry favour with his married bosses by lending them his bachelor pad to take their girlfriends to for sex. After a lot of songs, dialogue and an inordinate amount of set up, Chuck realises that the object of his affection, waspish cafeteria worker Fran, is being taken back to the flat by the boss of the company. The first act limps along and feels uncomfortable because of the dated references to women whilst the second act takes a darker turn but feels equally uncomfortable in its bizarre response to one character’s suicide attempt.

There’s a cringe-worthy set piece in Act One where a group of married executives prance around and sing about where to take a girl to have sex on the sly. The girls are of course young and pretty (and largely devoid of character) whilst the executives are overweight and lumbering. The rest of the songs blend into one at times and the script feels less than zippy. Chuck addresses the audience and feels like he should be hilariously funny to watch but he just isn’t. The odd strong one liner that should be really funny (a woman downs a drink in one and he says ‘I’d hate to see her eat!’) barely raises a laugh, feeling lost amongst a swamp of too much dialogue and too many songs. At three hours there feels like not much content over a lot of time.

There are plenty of positives, though. The cast is really skilled and likeable. In spite of his humour falling flat, there’s something really quite loveable about Gabriel Vick’s portrayal of Chuck. Vick is a decidedly good looking man who can belt a tune out and is magnetic. He’s worth the ticket price alone. I defy you not to come out of the theatre with a slight crush on him. Equally strong is Daisy Maywood as the sharp-tongued but soft-centred Fran. Naturally, there are good songs among the setlist (it’s Bacharach and David. They write bloody good songs). Simon Wells slightly creaky set feels fun and is versatile and the choreography is filled with joyous moments.

Although this musical misses the mark by a mile in many ways it’s still worth a stroll to the delightful Southwark Playhouse just to see such strong performances and sit back for a few hours and let the music wash over you. Just don’t listen to the words too closely.

Promises, Promises plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 18th February 2017

19th January 2017
Woman robbed in homophobic attack in London

A woman was grabbed by the throat and robbed in what police in London are calling a homophobic attack.

CREDIT: Google Maps 2016

Detectives in Lambeth Borough are appealing for witnesses and information following the robbery of a woman in Denmark Hill.

The incident happened at some point between 22:15hrs and 23:15hrs on Friday, 30 December 2016 on Denmark Hill, SE5.

The victim, a 37-year-old woman, was approached by a group outside the Nandos restaurant. One of the group, a woman, made homophobic remarks to the victim before grabbing her around the neck and forcing the victim to hand over her belongings. The suspect then threatened the victim and then fled the scene.

Detectives from Lambeth Community Safety Unit are appealing for anyone who was in or around the area and may have seen the incident, or the suspects fleeing the scene, to contact police.

Anyone who can assist police is urged to contact police in Lambeth via 101 or by tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

On 6 January a 36-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of robbery. She has been released on bail until late February pending further enquiries.

16th January 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | BU21

★★★★ | BU21

We’re bombarded every year with news of atrocities. We might try to avoid looking at the scenes on the news or alternatively seek them out with a ghoulish fascination. We might worry about it happening to us or think about how we’d cope with say a gunman opening fire or a bomb blast. The certain fact is that bad things happen in the world and we can’t avoid knowing that they do.

CREDIT: BU21

‘BU21’ looks at the human aftermath of a terrorist plane attack which causes mass causalities in suburban North London. It’s a wry and witty play that’s multi-layered and never predictable. Told as a set of interconnected monologues it’s a 100-minute ride with surprising humour as well as pathos.
Graham has been elevated from van driver to national icon, having been one of the first to be filmed at the scene on the news and now finds this gives meaning to his life. Izzy learned that her mother had been ripped apart via Twitter and is trying to use her middle-class skills set to cope with this. Waitress Ana was horribly burned and maimed whilst sunbathing before her shift and is living life in a cold vacuum. Floss is seeing a dead man everywhere she goes. The thing is she was at the kitchen window and a man fell to earth in his plane seat and died looking into her eyes. City banker Alex’s flat was hit by wreckage which led to the unfortunate discovery of his girlfriend’s body welded to Alex’s best friend mid-shag. Finally,
Clive is a devout Muslim. Raised with no religion he’s found comfort in Islam and wants to tell us about his side of the story.

It might all sound unbearably grim and definitely like a play to avoid watching during a grey English January but this is where author Stuart Slade surprises tricks and teases. Slade’s characters are varying in their resilience, their surprising humour and their ability to get through. The play also turns its gaze upon society. Why do we want to watch this and what does our fascination with tragedy say about us as a society or as individuals? Slade plays with our prejudices too and laughs at and forces us to laugh at ourselves too. This is an alarmingly sad, hilariously funny and utterly pertinent play and is an experience you won’t stop thinking about for quite some time.

BU21 plays at the Trafalgar Studi0 until Feb 18th

15th January 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Strangers in Between, Kings Head Theatre

★★★★ | Strangers in Between, Kings Head Theatre

CREDIT: Andreas Grieger

Great performances by a cast of three is the highlight of the play ‘Strangers in Between.’

Playing for the second year in a row at the Kings Head Theatre, ’Strangers in Between’ is a drama about a young man experiencing the big city for the first time. Shane (Roly Botha) has moved from his small hometown in Australia to the big city of Sydney. He says he’s 19, and he works in a liquor store yet doesn’t even know how to use the register. In walks a customer – gay and trendy Will (Dan Hunter). Shane at first is a bit intimidated by him, but they manage to make small talk until another customer walks in – Peter (Stephen Connery-Brown) – a middle-aged gay man looking for a simple yet inexpensive bottle of wine. Eventually, Shane gets Will’s number.

Shane lives in the Kings Cross section of Sydney, an area teeming with prostitutes and crime. But Shane loves it there, especially as it’s far away from his family, and especially brother, he ran away from. He and Will hook up for a few trysts – it’s purely a sexual relationship – while Shane finds comfort in his friendship with Peter. But Shane has a couple secrets, one being his age, and the other involving his homophobic brother Ben (Hunter). But suddenly Ben finds Shane in Sydney after Shane’s world is falling apart after he has lost his job and contracted an STD from Will.

The cast is very admirable but it’s Botha who shines. His Shane is young, cute, innocent and with a nervous tick – he dominates the very small stage – Botha is a wonder. Hunter ably does double duty as Will and Ben, while Connery-Brown is very good as Peter. While the ending is a bit of a letdown, the play, written by Tommy Murphy, is a show that all of us can relate to because at one time we were all young and innocent and new to the big city.

For tickets, please visit:

Strangers In Between plays at the Kings Head Theatre until 4th Feb 2017

13th January 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Mamie’s

★★★★ | Mamie’s

If you’re looking for an excellent crépe in Covent Garden, I’ve got the place for you.

Mamie’s, on Catherine Street, right across the street from the Theatre Royal where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is playing, serves many varieties of crépes – both sweet and savoury (also known as galettes). Nestled in a three-story building, Mamie’s is a cozy place for cozy food and has something for everyone. If you’re looking to make the visit a full meal, then your first course will be a galette – there are 9 galettes to choose from, all made from buckwheat, gluten free, and healthy. If you like salmon, you’re in luck – there is Salmon and Cheese as well as a dish called La Baudelaire, which my lunch companion had, with salmon, mushrooms, a fried egg, and cheese, along with lettuce on top. At £9.50 it’s a bit pricey, but it’s served open-faced (as opposed to rolled up) – and it is large. Other options include the Forest Compléte – egg, ham, emmental cheese, créme fraiche, mushrooms and onions (£8.90), and the cleverly-named L’Edith Piaf – blue cheese, pears, walnuts and mixed salad leaves (£7.90). I had the delicious La Chateaubriand – a rolled galette wth sausage, onions, whole grain mustard and mixed salad leafs – a snip at £7.90 – and very very tasty.

Of course, when I think of crépes I always think of the sweet kind – the ones you buy at markets and, if you’ve been to Paris, you can find loads of créperies that serve them – they’re a French institution! And at Mamie’s they’re delicious! I had the homecooked apples and cinnamon crépe. Talk about perfect, it was so so good, and very large, and at only £4.90 an excellent deal. You can choose from other options including Nutella (£4.90), pears and chocolate (£4.90), La Magritte – home cooked apples, caramel and vanilla ice cream (£6.90) or the La Henri Dés – Nutella, caramel and marshmallows (£5.90). Or if you’re a bit too full from your main course, then a butter & sugar or a lemon & sugar might be best for you (£3.00 and £4.50 respectively).

Mamie’s also has a small menu of starters including tapas and salads (though two were sold out on the day we visited), as well as an excellent beer and cider menu, and a cocktail menu that are specially-made and all at £8.00. But Mamie’s is very unique in two aspects of its business – the way you order and what you order. When you sit down you are given a computer tablet to place your order. Each course and drinks options are on the main page – and each dish has a picture of it – so you know what you’re getting! But even more clever is that for each galette and crépe, you can add additional items as toppings. So in the case of one of the galettes, you can add more salad, honey, an extra egg, ham, or onions, all at a very small surcharge. And in the crépe world, feel free to add jam, chocolate, pears, apples, perhaps turn it into a flambée – almost anything you want! There is also dairy free and vegan options. So if this doesn’t entice you I don’t know what else will!

French born Aymeric Peurois opened Mamie’s in early August and has designed his restaurant in the style of Brittany. As a child, he used to go to his grandmother’s house in Brittany (Mamie’s means grandmother in French) where she used to make crépes. So Aymeric, who is a former financier, decided to leave his job and open Mamie’s, which can seat around 40 people on both the ground and first floor (though five of the tables on the first floor are extremely close to each other). Aymeric is very passionate about the place, and he has plans to turn the basement into a cider bar/cider cellar. It’s a beautiful room, made to look like a speakeasy, and it’s got a see-it-to-believe-it large map of Brittany on the ceiling! Très incroyable! I really wish Aymeric all the luck in getting this business established and successful – it’s a very cute and cosy spot right in the heart of the West End.

Reviewed by: Tim Baros

Address: 19 Catherine St, London WC2B 5JS, UK

Phone: +44 20 7836 7216

For opening hours and to check the menu, please visit:
mamies.co.uk

12th January 2017
Popular gay bar in South London closing due to rent hikes

Another of London’s iconic gay bars is to close revealing that unsustainable rent hikes are the cause.

Popular gay bar in South London closing due to rent hikes

Clapham in south London is to see the closure of one of its two gay bars thanks to unsustainable rent increases. Kazbar, which opened its doors in 1995, will have its last day of business on the 1st of January. The Two Brewers, which is local to the Kazbar, will remain open.

A statement released via its Facebook page said that after 20 years the bar would be shuttered from the 1st of January after its annual New Year’s Eve party.

The post reads,

“After 20 years of being the iconic gay bar of South London, we regret to inform you that we will be closing down this year.

“We will hold our last “New Year’s Eve” party until 6 am as usual. But we would love you to join us for the last goodbye drinks of the 1st January until our normal closing time.

“Thanks for your support all these years”

Amy Lamé who was appointed by Sadiq Khan as London’s “night czar” revealed that a rent increase from £86,000 per year to £150,000 was the reason behind the decision to close the bar.

THEGAYUK.com has been following the closure of LGBT bars in London since 2000. Since the turn of the century over 105 LGBT venues have closed.

31st December 2016