Famed London Nightclub G-A-Y Shuttering as SoHo's 'Queer Identity' Fades

Longtime London LGBTQ+ spot G-A-Y is closing up shop amid alleged "strict licensing conditions and NIMBYs" adding to Old Compton Street, a West End of London stretch dotted with gay bars, "losing its queer identity," according to the Daily Mail.

The venue was "listed on the market by its owner Jeremy Joseph" on Jan. 24, UK newspaper the Mail reported.

The newspaper quoted Joseph as "express[ing] his 'sadness' and disappointment at Soho 'losing its vibrancy,'" and noted that "The move to list the club for sale comes just two months after G-A-Y's sister venue, Heaven, was temporarily closed due to an alleged rape of a female by a male bouncer."

Joseph took to social media to announce the closure and share his feelings around it, posting that he preferred to make an announcement himself "before someone screen shots an estate agent's webpage or sees something online & begins to speculate."

Joseph explained on Instagram that Heaven's temporary closure caused financial distress that impacted G-A-Y, and referenced the "financial & mental damage which the fight to reopen Heaven had" on him.

Changes to the character of the district as a whole and neighborhood opposition also weighed on the decision to close the iconic bar, Joseph said, writing, "I did consider extending G-A-Y Bar's license to 3 am after we lost G-A-Y Late but what's the point when I know Soho Society will object, Police licensing will object... It's a constant uphill battle& another fight in the face of a cost of living crisis..."

"It doesn't feel like anyone with power cares about hospitality & it definitely doesn't feel like they care about LGBTQ venues," Joseph added. "Old Compton Street has lost its queer identity."

"A council spokesperson said they were proud supporters of LGBT+ businesses and the wider community in Soho and Westminster, while the Met said it understood the 'complexities' that night-time venues face," the BBC reported.

Among those complexities are claims of a higher crime rate in neighborhoods with nightspots. During a review of Heaven after its temporary closure, the BBC noted, "a Met spokesperson called the venue the 'highest crime generator in the borough.'"

A police spokesperson offered a less damning perspective, telling the BBC, "We work in partnership and as a community with local venues, residents and partners to understand the impact and issues at night."

Added the spokesperson: "We will continue to work together with all venues that form part of the night time economy in Westminster, including whoever takes over G-A-Y, to improve night-time safety for those who live, work and visit the borough."

Joseph's post lamented that "when you look down the street, you see restaurants, cafes, take aways, but the street that was the LGBT capital, is no more."

The Mail's account detailed some of the specifics about the space as well as some of the financial arrangements, noting that G-A-Y "spans 4,600 sq ft over its vast three floors," and noting that the space "is available now for a price of £410,000 per year which has been backdated from October 2024 to October 2044" – an arrangement that "means whoever purchases the lease will pay more than £8 million to own the property in roughly two decades time."

Joseph told his followers on Instagram that he is "sad, but also relieved because I'm making the changes i need to find peace of mind."

In the caption to the post he offered another ray of hope.

"The goal will for @heavenlgbtclub to open 7 Days," he said.