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London is considered to be the gay capital of the UK.
At the heart of this is Gay Soho, with the most famous part
being around Old Compton Street. Here's a brief listing
of some of the best venues and places of interest in Soho
Restaurants
Balans
60 Old Compton Street - 020 7437 5212
One of the most established and definitely one of the best
eateries in Soho.
Bistro
Soho
64 Frith Street - 020 7734 4545
Old
Compton Cafe
34 Old Compton Street - 020 7437 5976
The 24hr eatery for gay boyz and girlz on the go all night.
Pubs
and Bars
The
Admiral Duncan
54 Old Compton Street - 020 7437 5300
Pub
with a relaxing a atmosphere.
Alphabet
61-63 Beak Street (off Carnaby Street) - 020 7439 2190
Bar
Code
3/4 Archer Street, Soho, London W1V 7HE - 020 7734 3342
Gay Bar on two levels. DJ's most nights, pool table, mixed
clientele (mostly gay, older), large space and friendly
staff. Relatively new stylish design. The upstairs bar is
often very busy with good music.
Comptons
53 Old Compton Street - 020 7437 4445
Britain's
most profitable pub with a fierce loyal following! It has
two floors and is still hugely popular despite the bar prices.
Feels like a traditional pub compared to some of the newer
designer bars. Predominantly gay male crowd, wide age range
and perfect for unpretentious drinking. Compton's also serves
traditional pub food in the afternoons. Due to its central
location an ideal as a place to meet friends or to spend
an entire evening before going onto a club. If you take
your beer as seriously as your men, then this is the place
to be.
Escape
8 Brewer Street - 020 7734 2626
Right
in the centre of "gaydom" with the new Prowler
store and Rupert Street Bar just opposite, Escape (formally
the Back Bar) has just reopened under new management. Already
well established on the Soho scene, particularly popular
in summer, it has a late license, and serves pretty good
food in the afternoons. Clientele are mixed gay/straight
male/female, mainly under 40. Good place to stop for a drink
if on a pub crawl.
Freedom
60-66 Wardour Street - 020 7734 0071
The
Kings Arms
23 Poland Street - 020 7734 5907
King's
Arms is another great traditional English pub. Located several
streets away from the main Soho scene, it attracts a much
smaller crowd than other venues. Frequented by "older
city gents" (clones in suits) during the day and clones
(older city gents in civies) in the evening. Nothing wrong
with it but a bit dull unless you like that sort of thing.
Ku
Bar
75 Charing Cross Road - 020 7437 4303
A
stylish edge of Soho bar, popular with a young, scene-friendly
crowd.
Rupert
Street
50 Rupert Street - 020 7734 5614
Trendy
bar. Office boys and gym queens mix. Food also available.
Always packed and you can expect to queue to get in after
10pm. A pint will cost you £2.50. Spirits only come in double
measures and are hence a expensive option.
The
Candy Bar
4
Carlisle Street- 020 7494 4041
Lesbian
venue opened seven nights a week hosting an exceptional
series of club nights. Men allowed as guests only.
West
Central
29-30 Lisle Street - 020 7479 7981
Village
Soho
81 Wardour Street - 020 7434 2124
One
of the bars responsible for the rebirth of Old Compton Street
and surrounding area as London's new gay village. New, smart
and trendy with a modern decor and an up-to-date jukebox
make it a favourite for the younger crowd. Good food served
during the day combined with friendly bar staff. L-shaped
layout with main bar and coffee bar, small upstairs bar.
Crowded most evenings, nice place to drop-in during the
day (especially upstairs)
The
Yard
57 Rupert Street - 020 7437 2652
The
Yard has a lovely secluded courtyard. Upstairs there is
an overlooking balcony and enclosed bar with comfortable
leather sofas. Great lunches and afternoon snacks/salads
and a very comfortable upstairs makes the Yard a great place
to meet friends. The upstairs bar occasionally has acts
on.
79
CXR
79 Charing Cross Road - 020 7734 0769
A
large busy downstairs bar with reasonably priced drinks.
A good place to meet friends. Mainly a gay male crowd, wide
age range. It is opened after 11pm but a small cover charge
will have to be paid.
Zebra
Bar
62 Frith Street - 020 7287 1645
Clubs
Carioca
(Sundays - Ballroom)
Ruby's Dance Club, 49 Carnaby Street - 020 7287 3957
Camp
Attack (Fridays - 70's and 80's)
The Astoria, 157 Charing Cross Road - 020 7434 9592
G.A.Y.
(Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays - 020 7734 6963)
Pink Pounder - Mon and Thurs - LA2
Saturday - The Astoria
Gay
Tea Dance (Sundays)
The Limelight, 136 Shaftesbury Avenue - 020 7434 0572
This
normally straight nightclub holds a gay tea dance (disco)
with is very popular. Excellent venue which is a converted
church building. Plays 'retro' dance music - classic poof
anthems from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Heaven
The
Arches, Villiers Street, 020 7930 2020
Hidden
away inside the Arches shopping centre underneath Charing
Cross Rail Station is London's most famous gay nightclub.
£4 - £8 entrance (more on special events eg pride night)
is on the high side (cheaper if you take a flyer from gay
press - check out the fag tags in THUD Magazine).
Madame
Jo Jo's
8-10 Brewer Street - 020 7734 2473
Substation
Soho
1a Dean Street - 020 7287 9608
The
Tube
Falconberg Court
Shopping
American
Retro
35 Old Compton Street - 020 7734 3477
Boy
Moor Street
Clone
Zone
64 Old Compton Street - 020 7287 3530
Hom
Fouberts Place, off Carnaby Street
Paradiso
60 Dean Street and 41 Old Compton Street - 020 7287
6913
PVC, Rubber, and Leather Clothing. Also accessories, boots,
shoes and even saucy French lace lingerie
Prowler
Superstore
3-7 Brewer Street - 020 7734 4000
Gay lifestyle shop selling everything from clothes to videos,
they even have their own travel agency!
Rainbow
52 Dean Street - 020 7287 5373
Rob
24 Wells Street - 020 7735 7893
Sun
Sun
17 Newburgh Street - 020 7287 0909
Walking
Tour
Celebrating
London's "Gay Village," Gay and Lesbian Walking
Tours of Soho has organized a colorful journey from the
past into the present, in the city's West End. The guides
present evidence of the fashionable and seedy side of London's
gay life through the ages in a two-hour historical tour.
Visit
the Charing Cross, where those convicted in the "Molly
Trials" were pilloried for two
hours, enduring the contempt of the crowd. You'll
make a somber visit to the Golden Lion Pub where mass murderer
Dennis Nilsen picked up his rentboys (hustlers). At Soho
Square you will learn about William Beckford who, in the
1820's was England's richest man, and openly gay, spending
much of his time at the Seven Dials, a famous pickup spot
in the 18th and 19th centuries. You will also be introduced
to Soho's modern clubs, ending in Old Compton Street with
its thriving gay venues and rainbow flags.
The tours start at St. Martin-in-the-Field's, Trafalgar
Square, at 3pm every Sunday. Walks last about two hours
and are priced at £5. All proceeds go to Kairos, a social
and spiritual project serving the area gay and lesbian community.
The group operates a cafe, bookshop, plus counselling and
arts spaces.
Londres
est consideree comme la capitale de l'homosexualite des
United Kingdom.
On
y trouve plusieurs retaurants, pubs et clubs, que vous pouvez
consulter ci dessus, notamment dans le quartier Soho, repute
pour pour etre l'endroit fetiche des homosexuels.
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