London Nightlife
If you’ve ever wondered why the English drink so much tea, then wonder no longer – it’s for the caffeine of course. In a city as energetic as London, you’re going to need it!
A global centre of music and madness, London is the city that brought you the rise of 90s Britpop, Kylie Minogue (OK, she comes from Australia but we've adopted her) and those original gay songsters – Bronski Beat. And while we’re at it, we’ve also adopted material girl Madonna and she’s a girl who knows a good thing when she sees it.
Old Compton Street and Around
The Eros statue in Piccadilly Circus got it all wrong. The little god of love missed pointing his arrow by a couple of streets when he decided to shoot straight down the middle of Shaftesbury Avenue – just a couple of inches to the left and he would have hit Old Compton Street, the modern home to all things bright and beautiful.
Home to more cafes and cruisers than you could ever shake a stick at, Old Compton is the spiritual home of the queer community. Muscle marys, media darlings and the S&M crowd (that’s stand and model in London-speak) all congregate in this three-block side street running parallel to Shaftesbury complete with its very own West End theatre – the perfect place to begin your queer quest through the streets of London.
Drinking and dancing
A Deeper Love (www.adeeperlove.co.uk)
THE dance party for women. Soundshaft, Hungerford Lane, Charing Cross
Admiral Duncan
Popular, attitude-free Soho pub. 54 Old Compton Street, W1. Tel: 020 7437 5300.
Candy Bar
London’s best-known lesbian bar and club. 4 Carlisle Street, W1. Tel: 020 7494 4041.
Barcode
Soho bar for a buff, masculine crowd. Tuesday Comedy Camp is a scream. 3-4 Archer Street, W1. Tel: 020 7734 3342.
DTPM (www.blue-cube.net)
Sunday dance party in a spectacular modern venue. Fabric, 77a Charterhouse Street, EC1. Tel: 020 7749 1199;
G.A.Y.
Huge pop club with regular Pas. Donna Summer, Christina Aguilera and Kylie Minogue have performed here. Astoria, 157 Charing Cross Road, WC2.
Glass Bar
Very friendly lesbian bar. West Lodge, Euston Gardens, 190 Euston Road, NW1. Tel: 020 7387 4153.
Heaven
London’s most famous (and central) gay dance club. The Arches, off Villiers Street, WC2. Tel: 020 7930 2020.
The Hoist (www.thehoist.co.uk)
Big, air conditioned leather bar. 47c South Lambeth Road, Vauxhall, SW8.
Horse Meat Disco (www.horsemeatdisco.co.uk)
A new wave of rave with more of a party vibe than a club and well worth a taste. Every Sunday, South Central bar, 349 Kennington Lane, SE11. Tel: 07966 848 029.
Popstarz
Very hip alternative pop & rock dance party on Friday evenings. La Scala, Pentonville Road, N1.
Royal Vauxhall Tavern
Legendary cabaret bar. Sunday’s DE Experience is to die for. 372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, SE11. Tel: 020 7840 0596.
Shadow Lounge
Soho haunt of the ‘A’ gays. 5 Brewer Street, W1. Tel: 020 7287 7988.
Shaun & Joe's (www.meanfiddler.com/displayPage.asp?PageID=383&URLID=58)
The stylish interior and glamorous crowd have made this one of the sexiest gay bars to be seen in and the cocktails are to die for. 5 Goslett Yard, off Charing Cross Road, WC2. Tel: 020 7734 9858.
XXL
(www.xxl-london.com)Dance party for bears & admirers. The Arches, 53 Southwark Street, SE1. Tel: 08712 100 069.
The Yard (www.yardbar.co.uk)
Attractive courtyard bar in Soho. 57 Rupert Street, W1. Tel: 020 7437 2652.
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