London's West End and Soho Top I Introduction I Menu I Map I Pubs & Bars I Soho Clubs I Accommodation If these is any part of London that contains more gays bars, clubs and bars than the average queen could swing a handbag at then it has got to be London's West End and Soho district. The local currency is the pink pound and most of the following pubs and clubs enjoy nothing more than relieving the average of their hard earned "handbag". Just as well that the average London gay guy has plenty to go around but if you are use to provincial pubs prices then be prepared to dig into the gas bill money. Despite that, this is where its at. If you enjoy a pint, a flirt or just being among other gay men then this is where you want to head. A good time is to be had by all. Old Compton Street is the heart of gay Soho and is where most of the gay pubs/bars are located in the vicinity of. The place runs round the clock although most queens don't surface before midday. Early afternoon will see guys sitting in the pavement cafes doing the three C's - coffee, chatting & cruising. Arrive around 10.30pm and seeing the blue rince set coming out of the Prince Edward theatre and "hitting" the gay crowd head on is worth every penny. At 4am in the morning there will still a large crowd sitting outside Comptions cafe sipping their capuccinos and relaxing after a hot and sweaty club before heading home or onto another late night one such as Trade.  Anyway, enough about that, here's my view of the local pubs and clubs. I hope you find it interesting, useful or whatever. If anything is out of date, then I'm sorry but the scene is constantly evolving with venues coming and going. If you are a new venue and want to be mentioned here then send me a big fat cheque (not Robert Maxwell) or a hunk and I'm sure I can oblige. (only joking - about Robert Maxwell!) Go to Menu   Top I Introduction I Menu I Map I Pubs & Bars I Soho Clubs I Accommodation Select Pub / Club Name London Gay Pubs and Bars GAY BARS 79CXR Admiral Nelson Escape Bar Code Brief Encounter Comptons The Edge Half to Heaven Iron Bar King's Arms Kudos Rupert Street The Yard Village Soho London Pubs       London Gay Clubs GAY CLUBS DTPM G.A.Y. Heaven Sub Station Sound on Sunday Trade Melt Clubnights Top I Introduction I Menu I Map I Pubs & Bars I Soho Clubs I Accommodation Map of Soho Top I Introduction I Menu I Map I Pubs & Bars I Soho Clubs I Accommodation West End / Soho Pubs & Bars 79CXR 79 Charing Cross Road, London. 3am Tel: 020 7734 0769  A large busy downstairs bar (rather dark) with overlooking balcony and second bar upstairs. Reasonably priced drinks are a big plus. Double gin and tonic for £2.50 gets my vote even if its not Gordon's. Mainly gay male crowd, wide age range. A good place to meet friends. Combination of cheap booze and good music means its busy most nights and packed at weekends. Thanks to the late license it provides a good place to go 'after hours' ie after 11pm although you have to pay a small door charge. Well worth a visit. ADMIRAL DUNCAN 54, Old Compton Street, W1 Tel: 020 7437 5300 After the recent tragic bombing incident this popular gay bar is being rebuilt and will hopefully open in time for Early July. The pub was always very plesant inside with a relaxing atmosphere. Not quite as cruisy as some of the other pubs. Certainly worth popping into. BAR CODE 3-4 Archer Street, London, W1 Tel: 020 7734 3342 Relatively new, stylish design. It’s location in Archer Street just off Ruper Street. Popular with a slightly older crowd similar to Comptons. The upstairs bar is often very busy, with good music but a slighlty more hardcore atmosphere. Worth a visit. BRIEF ENCOUNTER 42, St. Martin's Lane, WC2. Tel: 020 7240 2221 For a long time one of the original "dives". However a recent refit may have improved things. Brief Encounter and Comptons use to be the only choice the West End. Thank God things have improved. I think its the clientele rather than the venue itself, but its one of those places you feel you need a bath after visiting. Give me one of the smarter venues anyday. However it's usually packed so there must be some reason why people go... Perhaps it's the drinks, which are fairly well made, perhaps it's the pop-dance tracks played in the heaving basement disco, or perhaps it's simply because it's the club with the least attitude in town. Some of my friends like it cos its easy to pick up in there! COMPTONS 53, Old Compton Street, 11 p.m. Tel: 020 7437 4445  Britains most profitable pub! Where once was spit and sawdust and "Lady Compton", a refit two years ago heralded a few changes. Now on two floors it is still popular hughly despite the bar prices. Feels like a traditional pub compared to some of the newer designer bars. Predominently gay male crowd, wide age range and perfect for unpretentious drinking. Has been going years with a fiercely loyal following. Compton's also serves traditional pub food in the afternoons. due 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.   THE EDGE 11 Soho Square, Tel: 020 7439 1313 Very popular and trendy bar with a mixed/gay young crowd. Designer beers and spirits and designer prices (you have to spend your money on something!). Located on the corner of Soho Square with a late licence makes it popular after some of the other bars have closed. Handy for G.A.Y which is only two minutes walking distance. Really pleasant in summer when the crowd often spills out onto the street. Split over three floors, with two bars and an food area with great decor throughout, The Edge deserves to be on everyone's "A" list. If you're taking a casual stroll along Oxford Street or around Soho be sure to pop in. Close to Old Compton Street. ESCAPE 8-10 Brewer Street, London, W1 Tel: 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. It's on the smaller side, which makes it a good hang-out if you want to avoid places that are 'chock-a-block' with blokes. (Why would you want to do that?) HALFWAY TO HEAVEN 7 Duncannon St; WC2 Tel: 020 7930 8312  Being halfway between The Brief Encounter and Heaven hence the name. Fine if your fancy a change from the yuppie crowd and inflated prices of Rupert Street. Halfway to Heaven isn't a bad little pub with the clientele similiar to the Admiral Duncan ie slighty older and more relaxed. We popped in just before Easter and although it didn't personally "grab me" it was certainly fine for a quick drink. Being central its a good place to meet friends before going clubbing. Close to Kudos (another point in its favour). THE KING'S ARMS 23 Poland Street, W1. 11 pm. Tel: 020 7734 5907 Halfway to Heaven's northern cousin, King's Arms is yet another great traditional English pub. Located several streets away from the main Soho scene, it attracts a much smaller crowd than other venues. Located in Poland Street it is convenient to the Oxford Street shopping areas eg Marks and Spencers etc. 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. KUDOS 10 Adelaide Street, London, 11pm Tel: 020 7379 4573 Very popular with "city boys" (ie queens who work) Kudos is normally very crowded. Good decor and location help. Often too crowded which means spilt drinks as you try to navigate from one of the bar to the other. Filled with Young and energetic crowd and given its closeness to Heaven as well as the free Kudos shuttle bus to Love Muscle on Saturday nights makes it a natural staging area for the club crowd. Thursday night is Crush bar time which means when a featured artist is played on the video screen drinks are half price or something like that. Cute staff and clientele, daily specials, and a cruisy atmosphere.  RUPERT STREET 50, Rupert Street, London W1. Tel: 020 7734 5614 Trendy bar opened by Bass directly opposite The Yard. Apparently costing over £1 million to build it is certainly smarter than a lot of bars with a clientele to match. Office boys and gym queens mix. Food also available. Always packed and you can expect to queue to get in after 10pm. Recommended. A pint will cost you £pound;2.50. Spirits only come in double measures and are hence a expensive option. THE YARD 57, Rupert Street, 11 pm. Tel: 020 7437 2652 Sister-pub of The Village, The Yard has a lovely secluded courtyard which is fabulous in fine weather. Upstairs there is an overlooking balcony and enclosed bar with comfortable leather sofas are also very enticing. Great lunches and afternoon snacks/salads and a very comfortable upstairs makes the Yard a great place to meet friends and just hang. The upstairs bar occasionally has acts on. Just refurbished again and looking good. Love it!  VILLAGE SOHO 81, Wardour Street, London. Tel: 020 7434 2124 One of the bars responsible for the rebirth of Old Compton Street and surrounding area as London's new gay village. (Thank you). Basically it was new, smart and trendy and, put other gay pubs at that time to shame. Modern decor and a bang up-to-date jukebox make it a favourite for the younger crowd. Good food served during the day combined with friendly bar staff make this a fab venue. 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)

 

Top I Introduction I Menu I Map I Pubs & Bars I Soho Clubs I Accommodation West End / Soho Gay Clubs DTPM DTPM at Fabric, Farringdon, 77a Charterhouse St, London EC1M 3HN Every Sunday 8pm till late. "Kicking" party for the crowd that never stop dancing. Excellent new venue. Packed to the roof with muscle marys and good looking boys. The crowd moves usually moves onto Melt and parties on until early Monday morning.   G-A-Y. 157 Charing Cross Road, London. Tel: 020 7734 6963 One of the two major gay clubs in Soho, G.A.Y. (which stands for "Good As You") is held at the London Astoria theatres. Saturday night in the (a former cinema) LA 1, and, on Monday and Thursday nights in the basement, called L.A.2. Note both have different although adjacent entrances. Both venues are also used for rock concerts although I'm sure you can spot the difference for between the great unwashed and the disco dolly queens queuing up. venue).   Monday and Thursday nights are "Pink Pounder" nights, which means you can get in for only one pound (with a flyer) which is a bargin.   Saturday the cover is a bit dearer, but coupons and flyers can also be had which reduce the price somewhat to around £6/£7 - and Saturday features a PR from one of the following categories - 1) Camp as tits - Bjorn Again/ Sonia 2) Yesterday's stars/past Eurovision winners - Brotherhood of Man, Bucks Fizz, Boney M, 3) an artist after some gay street credibility" - that bloke with the six pack / no talent. Expect to see Robbie Williams soon. 4) former Eastenders cast members who thinks they can sing - Sean (waste of space) Mcguire, Michelle Gayle (not bad), 5) The odd exception - Boyzone (good), etc have all recently graced the stage.   The music is unabashedly pop, and is the most mainstream of the gay nightclubs.   Website www.g-a-y.co.uk HEAVEN The Arches, Villiers Street; London Tel: 020 7930 2020 Hidden away inside the Arches shopping centre underneath Charing Cross Rail Station is London's most famous gay nightclub. Touristy to some extent but now back in favour with the London crowd after The Fridge lost it. With the Muscle Marys back, its a cracking club. Check out the star bar (Joanna you will be missed). (£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).   Heaven has over three levels of bars and dance floors. The music tends to be harder than that at G.A.Y, tending towards the garage side of the techno/house style.   Different themed nights througout the week with Tuesdays called "Bang" and a very popular Wednesday night called "The Powder Room" with a drag bar. Friday night's club is "Garage", while Saturday's is the more mainstream and crowded of the two nights. Arrive early. If you've come far then you must go to Heaven.   SOUND ON SUNDAY Sound, Swiss Centre, Leicester Square. Tel: 020 7287 1010 Dusty O plays a selection of the best pop from the last three decades with Dusty's Boudoir and male grooming salon. 6pm-2am £6, £2 b4 8 / £3 after. Website: www.sound-on-sunday.com    SUB STATION SOHO 2 Dean Street, London, W1 Tel: 020 7287 9608 Butch (until you get them home) disco. Says it all. New venue. I will go in the near future or ask around.   TRADE Turnmills, 63, Clerkenwell Road. EC1 Tel: 020 7250 3409 For eight years the weekend highlight has been the Trade party. It rages every Sunday morning from 4 am until around 1pm Sunday. Muscle Mary's, were made for this club and will be found congregating in "Muscle Alley" by the bar or on the dance floor. This place redefines Hedonism. Dance your tits off and enjoy. Brilliant! The club has recently moved from turnmnills and is currently residing in LA2 (top of charing Cross Road). It is still looking for a permanent home.  RENEGADES Turnmills, 63, Clerkenwell Road. EC1 Tel: 020 7250 3409 Sunday equivalent of Trade at the same venue, except slightly more mixed crowd. The music is just as good. Try to remember to go to work the following day .

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