How London’s gay scene travelled om the unrground to Heaven a few short years" name="scriptn
Contents:
- LOST GAY BARS OF EARL’S COURT, LONDON
- EARL’S COURT PRI 2022 – AN EVENT TO CELEBRATE THE FABULO ‘GAY HEY DAY’ S OF EARL’S COURT
- NIGHTCLUBBG: GAY CLUBBG ’70S LONDON
- EARLS COURT - GAY AREA
- THE SE OF THE COPABANA THE 1970S – THE FIRST GAY NIGHTCLUB LONDON
LOST GAY BARS OF EARL’S COURT, LONDON
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 * earls court gay scene *
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.
EARL’S COURT PRI 2022 – AN EVENT TO CELEBRATE THE FABULO ‘GAY HEY DAY’ S OF EARL’S COURT
Earl's Court Pri 2022, an eveng to celebrate the goln Earl’s Court 'Gay Hey Days' wh film, fun, iendship, mic, memori, drag queens and celebri, is to take place at the Bolton Kensgton, 326 Earls Court Road, London SW5 9BQ on Saturday, Febary 26 om 6pm. * earls court gay scene *
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:. The Coleherne, on the rner of Coleherne Road and Old Brompton Road Earls Court, was one of London's bt-known gay pubs, terg amongst others for the leather scene.
NIGHTCLUBBG: GAY CLUBBG ’70S LONDON
* earls court gay scene *
It opened 1866 and had a long history of attractg a bohemian clientele before beg known as a gay pub. Origally was segregated to two bars, one for the straight crowd and one for the gay muny, at a time when homosexualy was illegal. The gay muny flourished Earls Court and many ternatnal tourists joed the lols.
In 1972 Coleherne pub goers, angry at the policisatn of gay sex, liftyle and posn society by GLF, pelted passg para goers wh bottl. In June 1976 Gay News reported a 'near rt' outsi the Coleherne after the police arrted a man for obstctg the footpath [2].
↑ Lisa Power, No Bath but Plenty of Bubbl, quoted Matt Cook, A Gay History of Bra page 186.
EARLS COURT - GAY AREA
↑ Coleherne Gays 'Near Rt' Gay News issue 97 June 1976. ↑ Gay News issue 125 Augt 11 1977 'Coleherne fights to keep licence'.
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.
THE SE OF THE COPABANA THE 1970S – THE FIRST GAY NIGHTCLUB LONDON
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. 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.