Earls Court - Gay Area

Contents:

• LOST GAY BARS OF EARL’S COURT, LONDON
• EARLS COURT - GAY AREA
• NIGHTCLUBBG: GAY CLUBBG ’70S LONDON
• EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS EARLS COURT

LOST GAY BARS OF EARL’S COURT, LONDON

In the 1970s and 1980s was one of the ma gay areas of London, but most or all of the bs aimed at gay men have disappeared, as Soho and Vxhall tablished themselv as the foc of gay nightlife. The first public nightclub aimed at a gay clientele, The Copabana, opened Earls Court Road the late 1970s, but was re-themed as a general venue the late 1990s. The bar upstairs, Harpi and Loui, was until the late 1980s the most popular gay bar London.

The pub unrwent several different rnatns as a gay nightclub, the last as "Infy", but is now closed. The Coleherne dat om the 1880s and had a long history of attractg a bohemian clientele before beg known as a gay pub. The Boltons, near the Coleherne, was "one of the seedier gay venu, wh dgs and prostut helpg to create a pretty prsg atmosphere.

EARLS COURT - GAY AREA

In the 1970s Harold Haywood and others were volved the Earls Court Project, aimed at helpg gay young people the area [2]. Gay London, 1997 lists 20 tablishments Earls Court:.

It may be hard to image, but there was a time when Soho and Vxhall weren’t the centre of gay nightlife London. Way back the 1970s and 1980s Earl’s Court was THE place to be, wh a btlg gay scene offerg a number of different f and bars to meet a stranger or dance the night away. Before we get started, do you have any memori om the lost gay bars of Earl’s Court that you want to share?

Lost Gay Bars of Earl’s Court 1960s Lord Ranelagh Where: 294 Old Brompton Road, Earl’s Court When opened: 1964 When closed: 1980s The story behd this one is wonrful.

NIGHTCLUBBG: GAY CLUBBG ’70S LONDON

The pub wasn’t a gay bar until, 1964, a band lled The Downtowners, who played there regularly, me up wh a ltle gimmick for their gigs. 1970s The Copabana Where: 180-182 Earl’s Court Road When opened: late 70s When closed: transned to a non-gay bar the late 90s.

The Copabana (or jt Copa’s if you’re the know) opened on Earls Court Road the late 1970s, and is remembered as the first public nightclub aimed at a gay clientele. “If you got there early enough, you’d have this sort of like spam supper served to you… two slic of whe bread, a leaf of salad, and some prumably spam, which, actually, we were all starvg, so we ate …” Prcs Julia on Lost Spac Listen & Subscribe for Free: Apple Podsts | Spotify | Google Podsts | Everywhere Else The Coleherne Where: 261 Old Brompton Road, Earl’s Court When opened: 1970s When closed: 2008 Talk to any self-rpectg gay-of-a-certa-age about Earl’s Court back the day, and The Coleherne is bound to be the first bar they mentn.

EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS EARLS COURT

Though long had a reputatn as a bohemian haven, and attracted a mixed clientele that clud many queer people, wasn’t until the 1970s that the bar officially beme a gay bar. And not jt any gay bar – a leather bar!

The most well-known of the, Col Ireland, also referred to as ‘The Gay Slayer’, murred five men he met at The Coleherne. In the mid-1990s the bar shifted s foc once more, beg a regular gay bar orr to attract more ctomers. The Boltons Where: 326 Earl’s Court Road, Earl’s Court When opened: 1970s When closed: early 1990s The Boltons, which origally opened 1892, beme a gay bar the 1970s.