Gay section of london
For hundreds of years, Soho has been a haven for gay Londoners, entire of packed pubs and late night drinking dens even before the decriminalisation of homosexuality. In these enlightened times, LGBTQ+ city dwellers have got a plethora of options all across the city. But queer old Soho still holds a special place in London's LGBTQ scene and remains most visitors' first port of call, whether for drag nights or mingling. It's centred around Old Compton Street, where you can spend a raucous night at the enduringly popular G-A-Y bar or down unpretentious drinks at pubs like The Admiral Duncan. Here's our pick of the best gay bars and clubs in Soho.
RECOMMENDED: Project further afield with London's best gay bars and gay clubs.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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The best gay bars and clubs in Soho
Occupying a prominent spot on Soho’s Chinatown
Holland Park - gay area of London?
Mark,<BR><BR>I live about a mile away in Chelsea. Don't know of any hotels first hand, but can tell you the park itself is lovely and gives a real instinct of a typical English garden without the weighty tourist element. <BR><BR>Also, on Kensington High Street (the other side of Holland Park), there is a restaurant called Balans which is very gay-friendly and has good food. They have a few restaurants under the same call in the city, two of the other ones are in 'gay friendly' areas as well: Earl's Court (area in between Kensington High Street and Chelsea) and Soho (Old Compton Street has several gay bars). I hold heard many gay tourist enjoy the Earl's Court area due to the 'friendly' attitude and there are many restaurants around, it's also on the Picadilly line which is quite central. I heartily recommend a night out in Soho. It encompasses Dean St., Old Compton St., Wardour St. and Frith St. and is packed with great restaurants of all ethnicities and price ranges as good as fun bars.<BR><BR>Good luck!
The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide to London
- LGBTQ+ language in London
- The optimal gay bars in Soho
- The best gay bars in Vauxhall
- The best gay bars in the East End
- LGBTQ+ events and festivals
- LGBTQ+ museums and culture
- Where to linger in London
- LGBTQ+ day trips
You’ve probably heard of slang words like butch, camp, and queen. But, tiny known to most, these terms come from the queer underground world of pre-1970s London.
Back when the UK was a far less tolerant place, Homosexual people used a private language called Polari to communicate with one another. The language was a mixture of words from London cockney rhyming slang, Romani, and Italian.
Since lesbian acts were illegal, Polari enabled folx to discuss safely in mixed corporation and identify as gay. The language was campy and playful: Bona to vada your dolly vintage eek, a common Polari greeting, meant “Nice to see your pretty face.” Dish meant “ass,” and bona dish meant “nice ass.”
Polari was widely spoken in the LGTBQ+ society until 1967 when homosexuality was decriminalized in the UK. Today elements of the language are ordinary in drag cultur
London Gay Travel Guide 2025
Upcoming Events in London
About London and its gay life
With a population of 8 million, London is the second largest metropolis in Europe. London extends over 44 kilometers along the Thames river and has a moderate climate with its summers not too hot and the winters not too cool.
Throughout its history London has always been a center of attraction for different cultures and religions whether it be Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs or Buddhists. At the beginning of the 20th century, mainly Irish, Poles, Italians and Eastern European Jews came to London, while starting around 1950 the majority of immigrants comes from former British colonies such as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Today, the cultural, ethnic, religious and economic background of London's population is one of the most diverse worldwide.
London has a flourishing artistic, theater and harmony scene. Just think of the West End with its numerous musical theaters or the many world-famous London-based bands and musicians, such as the Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen with Freddie Mercury, The Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Culture Club with Lad George, the Pet Shop Boys,
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