London is one of the greatest, most historic and cosmopolitan cities on Earth - enough to daunt any newcomer! Local lad Adrian Gillan helps you get your bearings.
The first Roman settlers called this kink in the River Thames, Londinium - and the name’s kind of stuck. Regardless of that small matter of the Normans invading in 1066, London’s been its own master pretty much ever since.
Centre of the once potent British Empire, one can scarce imagine, let alone list, the number of historic events and people connected with this mighty metropolis. With the generally peaceful collapse of the Empire, a mass-influx of immigration - not least from former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, plus pretty much everywhere else – has made London arguably the most cosmopolitan city on Earth.
Moreover, its palaces, museums, river, parks, shops, restaurants, monuments and other tourist attractions additionally draw over 30 million tourists, spending upwards of £10billion pounds, each and every year.
As you wonder around, you’ll see all London’s world famous icons and traditions (red doubled-decker buses, black cabs, the Underground, policemen in their helmets, red post boxes etc) - next to the latest fashions, every skin and creed plus lots of other tourists! Avoid rush-hours, above or below ground!
If you come to London and just do gay things, you’re not just gay, you’re dumb and gay, darling. So take a look around.
Centre
It’s a beautiful walk up the south bank of the River Thames, from spy HQ, the MI6 Building - looking across the water at the Tate Britain, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey – to the London Eye, London Aquarium, South Bank Centre and National Theatre arts complex.
Carry on and you’ll soon end up at the reconstructed Shakespeare Globe theatre, arty Tate Modern, Millennium Foot Bridge, HMS Belfast, London Assembly building, creepy London Dungeon, Tower of London and iconic Tower Bridge. Alternatively, cross Waterloo Bridge – with stunning views eastwards to the City (skyline - NatWest Tower, Lloyds Building, Gherkin etc), Fire Monument and St. Paul’s Cathedral) – to the Strand, just north of which you’ll find Covent Garden (Royal Opera House, London Transport Museum, Theatre Museum) and Bloomsbury (British Museum).
A short walk west, cross Trafalgar Square (Nelson’s Column, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery) to either head down Whitehall (Changing of the Guard, Cenotaph, Downing Street) to the Houses of Parliament (including Big Ben), or along The Mall or through St. James’ Park, to Buckingham Palace. North of Trafalgar Square lies Leicester Square (cinemas), Piccadilly Circus (Eros statue, giant neon hoardings) and Shaftsbury Avenue (theatres) - China Town to one side, Soho (very gay, see below) to the other. Shop and shopper teeming Oxford Street is near Soho, as is adjoining Regent Street, still-a-tad-alternative Carnaby Street and the Liberty store.
West
Head a little out west of centre to Hyde Park (Kensington Palace & Gardens, Serpentine, Diana Memorial), the Royal Albert Hall and Albert Memorial and South Kensington museums (Natural History, Science, Victoria & Albert). Enjoy nearby High Street Kensington or Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols) for shops, and Notting Hill, with its world-famous annual Carnival every August. Just south lies Chelsea, with its lovely stucco residencies, famous annual Flower Show and the King’s Road for yet more shops, plus Battersea Park just across the river. It’s also worth venturing out still further west, to old Fulham Palace, Hampton Court (maze), Wimbledon (with its nice village, park and common up the hill, plus world-famous tennis club), Kew (Royal Botanic Gardens), and Richmond (bars, restaurants and boating by and on the there-narrow River Thames).
North
North of centre you find the iconic BT Tower, Regent’s Park (London Zoo, Regent’s Park Mosque), Lord’s Cricket Ground, bustling Camden Market and Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes Museum) - plus Madame Tussaud’s to pose with waxy celebs. Yet further north, explore Hampstead Heath (gay-frequented in parts), the new Wembley Stadium and Neasden’s Hindu Temple.
East
Beyond the sky-scrapered City, lies the East End (Barbican Centre, Spitalfield’s Market, Pakistani Brick Lane, leafy Victoria Park), and, to the South East, Canary Wharf, London City Airport, the ghostly shell of the infamous Millennium Dome and Greenwich (Royal Observatory, Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum, sadly-burnt-out Cutty Sark clipper).
South
South of the river, beyond Waterloo with its IMAX screen, lies the Imperial War Museum, Oval Cricket Ground and Brixton, plus Clapham, with its vast common (gay-frequented in parts).
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Central Scene: Overview and Gentle Intro |
Most of the capital’s queer epicentre focuses on Soho for bars and, increasingly, Vauxhall for clubs, but there are other satellite villages in areas like Earl’s Court, Clapham, Brixton and King’s Cross.
Start your tour at the cluster of bars just off The Strand near Trafalgar Square. Nestle into traditional Retro Bar (2 George Court, off Strand, WC2, 0207 321 2811) down a tiny stepped alleyway to find your gay bearings and chart a queer course. When ready, flit along the road to many a tourist’s first port of call, Kudos (10 Adelaide Street, WC2, 0207 379 4573).
Next, cross Trafalgar Square and head up Charing Cross Road towards Soho. Stop off en route at the Ku Bar (30 Lisle Street, W1, 0207 437 4303), with its youngish boy-babe crowd. Then cut down Shaftsbury Avenue, past all the theatres, to approach the capital’s homo-heart. The Yard’s (57 Rupert Street, W1, 0207 437 2652) outdoor space is brimming with talent all summer - its cosy wooden loft packing them in, above, all winter. Over the way, pose at Rupert Street (50 Rupert Street, W1, 0207 292 7141), at Soho’s largest street window. Preen and be seen!
The Escape (8 Brewer Street, W1, 0207 734 2626) nearby readily draws you in - a good pre-club venue, where even the doormen are dancing. Back past Rupert Street, next to a row of sex shops, is the basement lair that is Friendly Society (basement 79 Wardour Street, W1, enter Tisbury Court) with its strange cushioned alcoves and cute bar boys.
Immediately over the way lies Village (81 Wardour Street, W1, 0207 434 2124), with a more cruisy bar around one side and a more relaxed nest around the other. Then: Old Compton Street - one of the world’s great gay highways. First up, try the cavernous traditional gay pub on two large levels that is Compton’s (53-55 Old Compton Street, W1, 0 207 479 7961).
Pop over the road to Balans (60 & 34 Old Compton Street, W1, 0207 439 2183) - a bustling bistro with interesting modern cuisine, cute waiters and an even cuter crowd. A few doors down is the Admiral Duncan (54 Old Compton Street, W1, 0207 437 5300) where the Soho Bomb went off in 1999. For a change of scene, flit along further to the G-A-Y Bar (30 Old Compton Street, W1, 0207 494 2756), packed with young disco bunny exhibitionist sorts. Round the corner onto Frith Street and check out Profile (84-86 Wardour Street, W1) - perhaps the most stylish gay bar in town sharing the same chic owners as GaydarNation! Plus, don't forget to check out its sister club, Lo-Profile (84-86 Wardour Street) downstarirs!
Next, cut across Soho Square to The Edge (11 Soho Square, W1, 0207 439 1313), undoubtedly London’s tallest gay bar - spread over four floors, although it feels like a lot more!
Ready to hit some clubs now? You might try Popstarz for a dose of drunken student Brit Pop mixed with retro cheese, or world-famous tourist-thronged Heaven under the Embankment railway arches, or cross the Thames to fun XXL if you’re more into older, hairy bears. Also south of the river, you’ll find a resurging clubbing scene under the arches around Vauxhall - joints like Area, Fire and Colosseum … to name a few!
Looking for a bit of queer inspiration for a great night out? Then find your scene with our London Bar and Club Listings. Plus, don't forget to check out our Scene Highlights.
Note: In quaint little England, clubs start far earlier than in many parts of the world. Despite extended bar opening hours, many Brit lads still seem to compulsively down gallons of booze around 11pm, before staggering on to a club, many of which are filling up even by midnight. You can beat lengthy queues if you get to a club before 11.30pm.
Find out all the latest gay travel information by ordering the brand new 2008 Spartacus International Gay Guide. Get it online and save some money to put towards the other Bruno Gmunder guides - Hotel and Restaurant Guide and Sauna Guide.