It follows the closure of sister bar G-A-Y Late in December 2023
Owner Jeremy Joseph has put G-A-Y Bar, a stalwart of London’s LGBTQ+ scene for many years, up for sale, stating that “Soho has lost its vibrancy” and “it’s a constant up hill battle” to keep it operational. The move has come following issues at Joseph’s other venue Heaven, which was temporarily closed at the end of last year following allegations that a member of staff raped a woman. Though Heaven has now been re-opened with stricter operating conditions, Joseph has said that the impact of the club’s temporary closure while under review put G-A-Y Bar “at risk financially” and that “even now after Heaven’s re-opening, the damage financially and mentally has been irreparable”.
In his statement posted on Instagram, Joseph also went on to say, “I did consider extending G-A-Y Bar’s license to 3am after we lost G-A-Y Late but what’s the point when I know Soho Society will object, police licensing will object, EHO will object.
“It’s a constant up hill battle and another fight in the face of a cost of living crisis which has negatively impacted nearly all of the hospitality sector. It doesn’t feel like anyone with power cares about hospitality and it definitely doesn’t feel like they care about LGBT venues, Old Compton Street has lost its queer identity.”
Though Joseph has also said that he’d consider a franchise option to keep the bar as an LGBTQ+ venue, he believed it wouldn’t happen “in the current climate”, so it looks like the bar is closing for good. This comes after the closure of G-A-Y Late in 2023, which shuttered for a number of reasons, including the impact of Crossrail building works and the development of St Giles and Denmark Street, which blocked the bar’s entrance, fire exit and queue area; safety concerns with customers and staff being attacked on their way to and from the club; and lack of support from the police due to understaffing.
It’s another blow to London’s LGBTQ+ scene, which has lost 61% of its venues in the last decade.
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