The first gay pub I dared set foot now has a rabow plaque. Here’s why that matters | Gary Nunn | The Guardian

Contents:

• THE BT GAY BARS LONDON
• THE 10 BEST LONDON GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS LONDON
• THE BT LGBTQ+ AND GAY CLUBS LONDON
• THE 10 BEST LONDON GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS LONDON
• GAY LONDON, LGBTQ+ CLUBS AND EVENTS
• GAY BARS AND CLUBS SOHO
• THE FIRST GAY PUB I DARED SET FOOT NOW HAS A RABOW PLAQUE. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS

THE BT GAY BARS LONDON

The spac beer garn — slathered the Pri rabow — mak this place somethg special, and the outdoor loft space is available to hire for anyone wantg to throw themselv a gay old birthday. As early on as the 1940s, gay men were drawn to the venue — which is now a daily rt of baret, quizz clubbg — and the annual panto.

The Glory pris self beg one of east London’s bt gay bars, drag hotho, LGBTQ+ performance venu, nightclubs, and curators of London shows, ftivals, ntts and battl.

Comptons of Soho Photo:, Shutterstock Comprisg of two bars and a quieter lounge area, Soho’s Comptons pub has been a staple the cy’s gay scene sce 1986. Halfway To Heaven, Trafalgar Square Loted between Charg Cross Statn and Trafalgar Square, Halfway To Heaven is a tradnal gay pub and baret show bar wh a laid-back ground floor and club-like basement area. Kgs Arms, Soho Loted on Soho’s Poland Street and open sce the 1700’s, the iendly Kgs Arms was one of the first spots Soho to serve the gay muny, billg self as a ‘gentlemen’s bar’ the 1970’s.

THE 10 BEST LONDON GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS LONDON

Officially a gay bar sce 1981, ’s now a firm favoure wh the LGBTQ+ muny – ‘bears’ particular – om London and around the world.

From tablished legends of the gay scene to on that play baret and everythg between, there’s somethg for everyone here. 24 plac sorted by traveler favorBars & Clubs • Gay BarsTrafalgar Square / EmbankmentGay Bars • Dance Clubs & DissTrafalgar Square / EmbankmentBars & Clubs • Gay BarsLeicter Square / Shaftbury AvenueWhat travelers are saygBier than expected but service was fast and iendly.

Loted the heart of London, Comptons is a mt-vis gay pub that guarante an credible experience. Brilliant staff (pecially Jack, the fabulo bar manager and cktail maker), fabulo cktails and a relaxed atmosphere for all whether gay, straight or somethg else. A beguilg, alternative London gay bar.

THE BT LGBTQ+ AND GAY CLUBS LONDON

Though the number of LGBT+ venu London has seen a cle the last or so, the cy's gay scene isn't ailg yet – fact, a handful of excellent new venu have opened recent years around the cy. The hight ncentratn of LGBT+ spac n still be found around Old Compton Street Soho, a former red light district that's been heavily gentrified recent years, but remas London's gay heartland. This Soho stalwart tends to attract a slightly olr crowd of gay guys and has a reputatn for beg cisy.

THE 10 BEST LONDON GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS LONDON

It’s closed on Mondays and Tudays, but hosts a r Sunday pub quiz and gets pretty packed on Friday and Saturday nights when the small dancefloor fills up wh a largely, though not exclively, gay male crowd. Loted Clapham, a 15-20 mute tube ri om the cy centre, this tradnal gay pub-club is a perennial favoure wh LGBT+ Londoners who love an unpretent party.

Keepg the gay flame burng out wt is this tradnal gay pub Ealg, a leafy suburb that’s about 25 mut by tube om central London. Follow on om a swim wh a drk at the nearby Kg William IV, one of the cy’s olst gay pubs.

GAY LONDON, LGBTQ+ CLUBS AND EVENTS

Gay Amerin artist Dennis Severs spent 20 years turng his home to a livg mm, wh the townhoe’s 10 rooms reprentg snapshots the life of an imagary fay between 1724 to 1914.

Addrs: Gay’s the Word, 66 Marchmont Street, London, WC1N 1ABWebse:!

GAY BARS AND CLUBS SOHO

Where to go at nightRoyal Vxhall TavernOne of London’s olst survivg gay venu, the Royal Vxhall Tavern has been an entertament statn sce the 1860s.

THE FIRST GAY PUB I DARED SET FOOT NOW HAS A RABOW PLAQUE. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS

Heaven, Charg CrossHands down the biggt and most famo gay club central London. Highlights clu the John Waters-spired lbian theme night Female Trouble; the d-visual queer spectacular Outré Voyage, the male-centric mic nights Homodrop and Dissodoma, the by-femm/for-femm monthly Femmi-Errect, and the hedonistic Happy Endgs, which turns Superstore’s unisex loos to a pop-up rave. In Hackney Wick, near the Olympic Park, the monthly gay rave Chapter 10 is at Bloc and Pxssy Palace tak place at Mick’s you need fuel on your night out, Dalston is packed wh late-night eateri.