The owner of one of London’s most famous LGBTQ venues has said Soho has “lost its vibrancy” and put one of his bars on the market.
G-A-Y Bar owner Jeremy Joseph announced on Friday he was selling the venue weeks after he had to fight to reopen Heaven nightclub, where a security guard allegedly raped a drunk 18-year-old who had been in the queue for the club for over two hours.
Announcing the decision to sell G-A-Y Bar on Instagram Mr Joseph wrote: “This isn’t an easy decision. To me this is more than just a bar.
“It’s also my home. I’ve lived above it for over 15 years but it’s now time to make some changes.”
Mr Joseph continued: “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.
“I firmly believe that Soho has lost its vibrancy.”
Jeremy Joseph with singer Adele backstage at a G-A-Y event at Heaven in 2022PA
The bar’s owner added that he had considered applying for a late licence for G-A-Y after having to close its sister venue G-A-Y Late but asked “what’s the point?” when groups such as The Soho Society and Met Police would object.
Soho nightclub G-A-Y Late closed in December 2023 amid safety fears with Mr Joseph previously explaining the reasons for the closure included a rise in attacks on customers and staff, as well as an increase in building and development works in the area.
The venue, which has been going under its current name since the early Nineties, is one of the relatively few in London to hold a licence until 4am.
Mr Joseph described how it is a “constant uphill battle” to try and extend G-A-Y Bar’s license and “another fight in the face of a cost of living crisis which has negatively impacted nearly all of the hospitality sector”.
He added: “It 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.”