Remember at the end of last year when Heaven Nightclub had to temporarily shut down, following a member of staff being charged with rape? The financial pressure of that short closure has now led to the loss of another beloved LGBTQ+ venue. In a big blow to London’s dwindling nightlife, world-famous bar G-A-Y has gone up for sale.
Jeremy Joseph is the owner of both Heaven nightclub and G-A-Y Bar. He announced in an Instagram post last week that he had made the ‘difficult decision’ to be put G-A-Y on the market.
Joseph blames Heaven’s temporary closure for putting the future of G-A-Y Bar at risk. He wrote: ‘I was clear to Westminster City Council’s Licensing Committee that if they closed Heaven for even a short time it would potentially put G-A-Y Bar at risk financially.
‘I was clear and transparent with everyone as to the financial and mental damage which the fight to reopen Heaven had on me. Even now after Heaven reopening the damage financially and mentally has been irreparable.’
The bar’s sister venue, G-A-Y Late, was forced to shut back in 2023 due to a number of external pressures and concerns over the safety of customers and staff.
Joseph added: ‘It doesn’t feel like anyone is power cares about hospitality and it definitely doesn’t feel like they care about LGBT venues, Old Compton Street has lost its queer identity.
‘When I started G-A-Y it was always about having a venue on Old Compton Street and Canal Street [in Manchester], being on the gayest streets in the gayest capitals.
‘But it’s not like that anymore and the reason I write this is because my goal would be for G-A-Y Bar to remain an LGBT venue and will consider franchise options, but my gut is that in the current climate, it won’t be because Old Compton Street is not the same anymore.
‘It has a new identity and when you look down the street you see restaurants, cafes, takeaways but the street that was the LGBT capital is no more.’
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