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london - HMSX.info
LONDON THE OFFICIAL GAY AND LESBIAN GUIDE 2007/08 Sponsored by FREE Contents Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London Produced for Visit London by: +44 (0)20 7242 1919 www.warwickworldwide.com Editor: Stephen Unwin Designer: Christian Tate Printed by: emeness Atlas Wharf, Berkshire Road London E9 5NB Visit London is the official visitor organisation for London. 6th Floor, 2 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2RR visitlondon.com 8 10 20 22 The Snow Queen Supported by: All information correct at the time of going to press and is subject to change. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without prior permission of the editor. Opinions expressed are those of the author and not of Visit London. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Warwick and Visit London cannot accept responsibility for any errors in articles or advertisements, or changes to events after going to press. The Nutcracker London Coliseum www.ballet.org.uk National Tour Sponsor 2007 S COU CIL Sponsored by London Royal Albert Hall Versailles Chateau de Versailles Bristol Hippodrome Southampton Mayflower London Coliseum N 30 Introduction 36 Clubbing 42 Shopping What’s on 50 Sleeping Sightseeing 58 Marrying Viewing 60 Essentials Eating 64s Maps Drinking Bus Swan Lake Liverpool Empire Bristol Hippodrome Oxford New Theatre Southampton Mayflower Manchester Palace London Coliseum Sponsored by: 6 On tour in 2007 Photo: Dirk Rees. Registered charity 214005. London is a truly world city – breathtaking, inspirational, memorable. A city of extraordinary choice, known worldwide for its theatres, museums, historic and contemporary buildings, parks and nightlife, the list goes on. Feeding the richness of London is its people, whose diversity and multicultural backgrounds create a city alive with possibility. It is no wonder that London remains the destination of choice for millions of visitors from around the world: a record 15.2 million people visited in 2006. London is also widely recognised as one of the gay capitals of the world and is home to the largest and most diverse lesbian and gay community in Europe. While the bars, restaurants and clubs of Soho in London’s West End remain the commercial and symbolic heart of gay London, in recent years vibrant gay scenes have also developed in Shoreditch, to the east of the city, and Vauxhall to the south. There are also plenty of non-scene alternatives on offer, including a comprehensive range of services, events and culturally specific projects. London has an active and progressive lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) community, which is reflected in the work that has been done to build positive relationships with the city’s police forces to ensure that lesbian and gay visitors feel safe during their stay. My administration supports London’s LGBT community through high profile cultural events such as Pride, and by tackling discrimination, including our recent anti-homophobic bullying DVD for schools. This progressive approach is underpinned by policies, like our Sexual Orientation Equality Scheme, and regular engagement with LGBT organisations. London is also proud to host the annual Pride Parade and Community Rally, the London Lesbian and Gay Film festival, Soho Pride, LGBT History Month, the Black LGBT Community Awards, International Day Against Homophobia and a host of other vibrant LGBT events. It is this combination of London’s progressive culture, community and sense of freedom that offers LGBT visitors endless opportunities for a unique and pleasurable stay. Enjoy your visit. ART 4 6 Introduction 7 Where else would you see an 11th century fortress next to an amazing 21st century cigar-shaped skyscraper? Or a storeys-high ferris wheel facing down an iconic 19th century clock tower? London has become – almost officially! – the capital of the world with a diversity you really won’t find in any other city.Where else could you be sitting on a bus between a punk and a Sikh, opposite two girls holding hands and an old West Indian lady with a Harrods bag? That’s London.The whole world in one city. It’s all in the mix. And, with recent legislation bringing equality to gay men and lesbians as well as a cultural shift which has seen the population become far more accepting, gay men and lesbians are a much more visible part of that mix than ever before. But the mix is not just people. Where else would you see an 11th century fortress next to an amazing 21st century cigar-shaped skyscraper? Or a storeys-high ferris wheel facing down an iconic 19th century clock tower? And London’s gay nightlife couldn’t be more diverse: from shirts-off action for a pumping LONDON The Hottest City On Earth – Official! There has literally never been a better time to come to London. Especially if you’re gay or lesbian. Sponsored by crowd through bikini-clad pole dancers entertaining a crush of lesbians to indie kids, pop freaks and the most eye-poppingly fashionable (can this really be fashion?) of fashion clubs.That’s not to mention Jerry Hall ‘London’s a beautiful town, and I love the people – they’re tolerant, eccentric, and have a great sense of humour. And there’s so much to do – theatre, exhibitions, the arts. And I just love the parks!’ the pubs, the bars, the parties and the cabarets. London’s famous theatre tradition takes in everything from the most guilty pleasures like Mama Mia or Mary Poppins to the cream of the world’s acting talent (including Hollywood types after a little West End credibility) while the shopping really is second to none with plenty of bargains to be had, especially if you know how to mix it up like native Londoners. And did we mention some of the world’s finest museums and galleries, mostly free to visit? With 16 million visitors every year – many of them lesbian and gay – to a city building up to the Olympic Games in 2012, London is a non-stop party, an on-going cultural event, a fashion show like you’ve never seen before and – almost weirdly – one of the most relaxing cities you’ll ever visit with a massive 30% of the floorspace taken up by parks. Come and experience it all for yourself.We’ll be very happy to see you.We might even buy you a drink! visitlondon.com/gay 8 What’s on Events There’s always somtheing to see and do round these parts, but here’s a quick rundown of some events at might be of interest to you! 2007 22-26 May Chelsea Flower Show visitlondon.com/india Celebrate all things Indian, with various themed events across the city. www.rhs.org.uk A very posh, very renowned, and very lovely flower show! 1 July 24-28 May www.wembleystadium.com It’s been ten years, and Sir Elton John and chums want to sing about it. White Party Weekend www.riedijkproductions.com London edition of the sexy-dancy White Party circuit, centred around the Vauxhall clubs. Diana Tribute Concert, Wembley Stadium Europe’s largest celebration of Latin American culture in Burgess Park. 27 August Summer Bank Holiday We’ve got Monday off, so another big weekend for clubbing! 27-28 August Notting Hill Carnival Fun, floats and international flava during the famous Notting Hill shindig. 16-23 September London Fashion Week www.londonfashionweek.co.uk London’s turn on the fashion circuit, showing what we’ll all be wearing for S/S ’08. 5 November Bonfire Night No school on Monday, so perfect for a clubby weekend! Fun, frolics, fireworks, (bon)fires – all because Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament in 1605! Parks across London will have firework displays and bonfires. 10 June 1-31 October Crusaid Walk for Life Black History Season www.walkforlife.co.uk Raise money for the fight against AIDS. www.london.gov.uk A celebration of black history, and its contribution to modern UK life. 28 May Spring Bank Holiday 30 June 6-8 July 1 December London Gay Pride Tour de France – Le Grand Départ World AIDS Day www.pridelondon.org Fun, fun and more fun! 29 July Soho Pride www.realsoho.co.uk A more intimate but no less fun Pride, in the heart of Soho. 25 June-8 July Wimbledon Championships www.wimbledon.org The most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. July-September India Now Sponsored by www.london.gov.uk The world’s biggest and best cycling comp kicks off from this side of the Channel. 25 July - 2 December www.worldaidsday.org Remember (and celebrate) life, whilst raising a whole bunch of money! 2008 Sailor Chic @ National Maritime Museum, Greenwich March/April www.nmm.ac.uk/sailorchic Explore how naval uniform has influenced fashions and shaped indentities over time. www.llgff.org.uk Films for and by people like us. 5 August Carnaval del Pueblo www.carnavaldelpueblo.co.uk London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 23 April St. George’s Day www.stgeorgesday.com England’s patron saint day. LOVE WIMBLEDON Celebrate Wimbledon at the new world-class Museum. With its unique access to the legendary players the Museum provides a closer view of tennis than ever before through its artefacts, inter-actives and films, its amazing 200° Cinema taking a 3-D look at the Science of Tennis, and its award-winning behind-the-scenes tour. The Museum Building The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Church Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 5AE Open Daily 10.30am until 5.00pm Nearest Underground: Southfields Telephone: 020 8946 6131 www.wimbledon.org/museum Supported by Wimbledon direct to your mobile phone. Visit www.upcomm.net for a free download. 10 Sightseeing 11 Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace Tour There’s soooo much to see and do in London that it’s exhausting just thinking about it. So we’ve gone and made it that bit easier for you by putting together bundles of sightseeing gems – sort of mini package tours, to make the most of whatever timescale you’re working to. The idea is the featured places are all pretty close to one another, and the time you spend on each of ‘em is entirely up to you – it’s all about getting as much out of London’s mind-blowing array of attractions without burning yourselves out (too much!). We hope you enjoy… Sponsored by 2 St Martin’s Place, WC2 Leicester Square/Charing Cross +44 (0)20 7306 0055 www.npg.org.uk Open: 10am-6pm, Mon-Wed, Sat, Sun; 10am-9pm Thurs, Fri. Admission: Free National Gallery Trafalgar Square, WC2 Leicester Square/Charing Cross +44 (0)20 7747 2885 www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open: 10am-6pm, Mon, Tues, Thurs- Sun; 10am-9pm, Wed. Admission: Free Buckingham Palace and Royal Mews The Mall, SW1 Green Park/St. James’s Park +44 (0)20 7766 7300 www.royal.gov.uk www.royalcollection.org.uk Open: State Rooms – early Aug, Sep, 9.30am-5.30pm daily. Queen’s Gallery – 10am-5.30pm daily: Closed early Jan-early Feb. Royal Mews – Oct-July, 11am-4pm daily. Aug, Sep, 10am-5pm daily. Leicester Square START Green Park 3 ring Cross Rd Sightseeing National Portrait Gallery 1 Trafalgar Squaree Green Park 5 Cha Buckingham Palace Get yourself to Leicester Square Tube station and walk down Charing Cross Road. On your right you’ll pass the National Portrait Gallery 1 , not only a fantastic journey through the faces that make up the history of Britain but the location of a fabulous restaurant with a Mary Poppins view over the rooftops. Round the corner in Trafalgar Square – have a look at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields 2 one of London’s most famous churches, as you go – you’ll find the National Gallery 3 , one of the world’s best collections of very famous paintings.You could spend the rest of your life in here. Cross Trafalgar Square and go through Admiralty Arch 4 onto the Mall, the grand run-up to Buckingham Palace 5 . On your left you have St. James’s Park – quaint, leafy, with pelicans and a surprisingly fine restaurant called Inn The Park.You can visit the inside rooms of Buck House (as the Palace is sometimes called) in the summer and look out for a fancy gold and red flag on top, which tells you if the Queen is there. Otherwise, take a right and explore the grassy Green Park. 2 4 The Mall FINISH St James’s Park visitlondon.com/gay 12 Sightseeing 13 the Changing of the Guards each weekday at 11am, and 10am on Sundays. Walk through the arch and you’re into glorious St. James’s Park. May, June, Sept 9.30am-9pm daily. July, Aug 9.30am-10pm daily. Admission £12.50; £6.50-£10 concessions London Aquarium County Hall, Riverside Building, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 Embankment/Waterloo +44 (0)20 7967 8000 www.londonaquarium.co.uk Open: 10am-6pm daily (last entry 5pm). Admission: £8.75; £5.25-£6.50 concessions National Theatre South Bank, SE1 Embankment/Waterloo +44 (0)20 7452 3400 Box Office: +44 (0)20 7452 3000 www.nationaltheatre.org.uk Admission: Variable. See website/specific shows for details. Hu nge FINISH Horse Guards Parade 8 St James’s Park 7 2 Ba n Westminster Bridge 6 k 3 5 See website for more details. Open: (when in session) House of Commons Visitors’ Gallery 2.30-10.30pm Mon, Tues 11.30am-7.30pm Wed; 11.30am6.30pm Thur; 9.30am-3pm Fri. House of Lords Visitors’ Gallery from 2.30pm Mon-Wed; from 11am Thur, occasional Fri. Tours summer recess only; phone for details. Admission: Visitors’ Gallery free. Tours £7. Westminster Abbey START 4 Westminster li Parliament SSquare Sou th ridg e The all eM Th rfor dB RIVER THAMES South Bank, SE1 Ticket Office: Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 Embankment/Waterloo www.ba-londoneye.com Open: Oct-Apr 9.30am-8pm daily. Charing Cross e dg British Airways London Eye Trafalgar Square Bri Belvedere Road, SE1 Embankment/Waterloo +44 (0)20 7921 0813 Box Office: +44 (0)870 169 1000 www.hayward.org.uk Open During exhibitions: 10am6pm Mon, Thur, Sat, Sun; 10am8pm Tue, Wed; 10am-9pm Fri. Admission £9; Mondays are half price for everyone. Embankment The Hayward Gallery Big Ben: Tours of the clock tower can be arranged in advance, and are free – but are currently only available to UK residents, via prior arrangement through their local MP. o rlo Sponsored by reception with your friends). Make sure you have lots of memory on your camera. From here, turn right with your back to the river and pass County Hall 5 , which houses the amazing London Aquarium, with its sharks, and Dali Universe, from where you can cross Westminster Bridge to Big Ben 6 and the Houses of Parliament and one of the world’s biggest medieval cathedrals, Westminster Abbey 7 , all dotted around Parliament Square. To your left, if you’re facing Big Ben, is Whitehall, the seat of the British government. Take a stroll up here, past Downing Street 8 (it’s gated but you can get snaps through the bars) to Horse Guards Parade, where you’ll see liveried soldiers on horses, and Westminster Abbey ate Take a Tube to Waterloo 1 and follow signs to the South Bank, where you’ll find The National Theatre, BFI Southbank, The Hayward Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hall 2 , in short, the cream of the UK’s cultural life. Find out what’s on and book up according to taste. Turn left when you hit the river and walk past the recently refurbished 50s masterpiece the Royal Festival Hall 3 , with its handy parade of shops and cafes, and the dramatic Hungerford Bridge, beyond which – and you’ll have spotted it already – is the British Airways London Eye 4 , the huge white wheel that gives you amazing views across the metropolis from dinky glass pods (hire a private one and have a champagne Parliament Square, SW1A Westminster House of Commons: +44 (0)20 7219 4272 House of Lords: +44 (0)20 7219 3107 Tours: +44 (0)870 906 3773 www.parliament.uk l London Eye Tour Houses of Parliament South Bank, SE1 Embankment/Waterloo Box Office: +44 (0)20 7928 3232 www.bfi.org.uk/whatson Tickets: £8.20; £6.25 concessions. Whiteehal The London Eye BFI Southbank 1 Waterloo 20 Dean's Yard, SW1 Westminster +44 (0)20 7654 4900 www.westminster-abbey.org Open: Various. For specific times, call the number above, or email info@westminster-abbey.org. Admission: £8, £6 concessions; under-11s free with paying adult; £18 family. visitlondon.com/gay 14 Sightseeing 15 Southwark Switchboard: +44 (0)20 7887 8888 Recorded information: +44 (0)20 7887 8008 www.tate.org.uk Open: 10am-6pm Mon-Thur, Sun; 10am-10pm Fri, Sat. Admission: Free Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tate Britain from May till October. Retrace your steps to Tate Modern and you’ll see a skinny, spidery bridge (the Millennium Bridge 6 by Norman Foster) that will take you across the Thames to St. Paul’s Cathedral 7 . Climb to the top of that dome (the second biggest in the world after St. Peter’s in the Vatican) or explore the old-meets-ultra new streets around the Fleet Street and Old Bailey areas. Tate Britain Millbank, SW1P Pimlico Switchboard: +44 (0)20 7887 8888 Recorded information: +44 (0)20 7887 8008 Admission: Free www.tate.org.uk The view from Tate Modern Tate Tour Start at Pimlico Tube station and follow the signs to Tate Britain 1 , looking across the river to the controversial MI6 building 2 that you might have seen James Bond scrambling down. Inside Tate Britain – with its lovely café and super smart restaurant – is the finest of British art including the world’s best Turner collection. From Tate Britain you can hop on the Damien Hurst-designed Tate Boat, which will take you down past the London Eye 3 and the South Bank to Tate Modern 4 , the world’s biggest (and most exciting!) museum of modern art. Lose yourself in here (not forgetting a great and very funky restaurant with views across the river on the top floor): there’s usually an exciting exhibition in the massive hangar-like Turbine Hall as well as Sponsored by 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT Mansion House +44 (0)20 7902 1400 www.shakespeares-globe.org Open: Exhibition and tours 19 Oct-5 May 10am-5pm daily. 6 May-9 Oct 9am-noon Mon-Sat; 9-11.30am Sun Admission: £9 St. Paul’s Cathedral Ludgate Hill, EC4M St. Paul’s +44 (0)20 7236 4128 www.stpauls.co.uk Open: 8.30am-4pm Mon-Sat. Galleries, crypt etc. 9.30am-4pm Mon-Sat Admission: Adults, £9.50 (with group rates available) St Paul’s Cathedral FIN ISH Tate Boat The Millennium Bridge the permanent collection of modern masterpieces. If you turn right outside Tate Modern and walk along the river, you come to The Globe Theatre 5 , a faithful reconstruction of the theatre that staged Shakespeare’s greatest hits: and you can still catch a play in the open-air space Travelcard Holder: Single £2.85, River Roamer £4.90 Adults: Single £4.30, River Roamer £7.30. Tickets are available at www.tate.org.uk, from Tate Modern and Tate Britain or by calling +44 (0)20 7887 8888 (9.45am17.50pm, Monday-Friday). Tickets are valid for use all day, and you can make as many trips as you wish. The Tate Boat runs every 40 minutes during gallery opening hours between Tate Britain and Tate Modern and also stops at the British Airways London Eye. 6 Pim 3 lic o 1 4 STA RT Tate Modern Bankside, SE1 St Pau l’s 7 5 2 V visitlondon.com/gay 16 Sightseeing 17 that lady’s memory as, in the dress collection, there are a bunch of her posh frocks. On your way to the Palace, cast your eyes to your left and take in the Albert Memorial 1 , the fabulous gold monument to Prince Albert (Queen Victoria’s husband) and the Royal Albert Hall, both highly impressive examples of Victoriana. The River Tour Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens Hyde Park Corner/Knightsbridge/ Lancaster Gate/Queensway +44 (0)20 7298 2100 www.royalparks.gov.uk The Serpentine Gallery Kensington Gardens (nr. Albert Memorial), W2 Hyde Park Corner/Knightsbridge/ Lancaster Gate/Queensway +44 (0)20 7402 6075 www.serpentinegallery.org Open: 10am-6pm, daily Admission: Free Kensington Palace Kensington Gardens, W8 High Street Kensington/ Queensway +44 (0)870 751 5170 www.hrp.org.uk Open: Mar-Oct, 10am-6pm, daily. Nov-Feb, 10am-5pm, daily. Last entry 1hr before closing. Admission: £11; £7.20-8.30 concessions; group rates available. Hyde Park The Parks Tour Marble Arch Road e Hyde Hyd yde Park k en ingt gton n Kensington Gardens rrde Lan Sponsored by er Bayswat k Par Start at Hyde Park Corner tube (make sure you take the correct exit) and stroll into one of the world’s great urban open spaces, Hyde Park, designed to look like a wedge of English countryside, complete with a sandy trail for horse-riders. It’s here you’ll see the Household Cavalry trotting along in their finest at 10.30am (an hour earlier on Sundays) and in-line skaters year round. Follow signs for the Serpentine 1 and you’ll find an impressive boating lake; follow the signs for the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain 2 (in Kensington Park, which kind of melts into Hyde Park) and you’ll find a controversial, avantgarde stream-cum-fountain. The Serpentine Gallery 3 shows contemporary art while the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is an annual experiment in architecture very much worth catching. Kensington Palace 4 , which you’ll remember for the fields of flowers following Princess Diana’s death, is the place to pay your respects to 3 4 2 START 5 Kensington Road Knightsbridge Get yourself to Embankment tube and down to the Thames (with a pullover!) for a lovely river tour. Once on board, you’ll probably veer right to pick up fellow passengers from The London Eye 1 then it’s off downstream taking in the potted history of London.You’ll pass the Southbank Centre 2 , Tate Modern 3 and Shakespeare’s Globe 4 , HMS Belfast 5 and the Tower of London 6 , before nipping under Tower Bridge 7 and into a stretch of river where Dickens meets the 21st century. Canary Wharf 8 is London’s mini-Manhattan with skyscrapers and shiny new blocks and bridges based around an old dock (well worth a short afternoon’s visit) and look out for The O2 9 the new incarnation of the eye-catching Millennium Dome. Then chug down river, passing everything from old warehouses to modern estates, until you get to Greenwich, a pretty palace- and park-filled outpost housing the Royal Observatory 10 , the National Maritime Museum 11 , and the Queen’s House 12 , built by Inigo Jones for Charles I’s queen, Henrietta Maria. Tower Bridge www.rog.nmm.ac.uk Open: 10am-5pm daily, until 6pm in the summer Admission: Free National Maritime Museum Romney Road, SE10 DLR (Docklands Light Railway from Bank tube station) Greenwich or Cutty Sark. Tel: +44(0)20 8858 4422 www.nmm.ac.uk Open: July-August 10am-6pm daily; 6 2 Hyde Park Corner Greenwich Park, SE10 DLR (Docklands Light Railway from Bank tube station) Greenwich or Cutty Sark. Tel: +44(0)20 8312 6565 rest of year 10am-5pm daily Admission: Free Queen’s House Romney Road, SE10 DLR (Docklands Light Railway from Bank tube station) Greenwich or Cutty Sark. Tel: +44 (0)20 8312 6565 www.nmm.ac.uk Open: 10am-5pm daily (last entry 4.30pm) Admission: Free; occasional charge for temporary exhibitions. 8 9 7 ment Embank START Royal Observatory & Planetarium The Serpentine 1 FINISH Greenwich 34 5 1 o FINISH 11 12 10 visitlondon.com/gay 18 Sightseeing Tel: +44(0)20 7942 5725. www.nhm.ac.uk An awe-inspiring collection of everything natural from life-size dinosaurs (some of them moving) through bugs to plants to, well, everything. Make sure you go up to the Earth Galleries. Science Museum Exhibition Road, SW7 South Kensington Tel: +44(0)20 7942 4000. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk This mind-boggling state-of-the-art museum takes you on a journey from Stephenson’s Rocket (a train!) to hyper-space. Lots to touch and press. Not forgetting the parks… Photo © Matt Stuart If London is famous for one thing, it’s having the most impressive parks in the world, all free to enjoy. And these are just a few of them… Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens A huge chunk of countryside with lakes, restaurants, palaces and a statue of Peter Pan. The V&A Fabulous Freebies How do you get the most out of London without spending a single golden coin? Remarkably easily, as it turns out (though it would be nice to drop a pound or two into the donation boxes). Here’s how to make the most of the city without ever dipping into your pocket. And this is just the start… Victoria and Albert Museum Russell Square/Tottenham Court Road Tel: +44(0)20 7636 1555. www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk Simply, one of the world’s great museums crammed with priceless relics from the world’s civilisations. The recently added Great Court is one of London’s proudest new bits. Do not miss. National Gallery (and the National Portrait Gallery round the corner) See page 11 for details Masterpieces of the world unite in this glorious gallery while next door the faces of Britain’s finest – from Queen Elizabeth I to Kate Moss – stare back at you. Check out the restaurants in both places for some not free but fabulous food. Somerset House Strand, WC2 Charing Cross/Temple Tel: +44(0)20 7845 4600. www.somersethouse.org.uk The courtyard and its dancing fountains are free to visit, but you will have to pay for the winter ice rink and the galleries inside. Cromwell Road SW7 South Kensington Tel: +44(0)20 7942 2000. www.vam.ac.uk The world’s greatest collection of design, taking in everything from furniture to costume, jewellery to statuary and spanning time from Ancient Rome to modern-day New York. And with a lovely garden. Tate Britain and Tate Modern British Museum Natural History Museum Great Russell Street WC1 Cromwell Road SW7 Sponsored by See pages 14 and 15 for details Some of the most exciting places for art in London whether it’s the likes of Turner and Constable (Britain) or masterpieces of avant garde art (Modern). Simply architecturally, both are gorgeous destinations. South Kensington Admission Free St. James’s Park With Buckingham Palace in the background this is more formal with bands, the fantastic Inn the Park, a lake and even pelicans. Green Park Big and green, as the name suggests, this sits between Piccadilly and the Palace. Regent’s Park From formal flower beds to stretches of green (including the famous Primose Hill) not forgetting London Zoo, the Mosque and the Open Air Theatre. A gem. Richmond Park On the south-western outskirts of London proper, this is more countryside than park. It even has its own deer and superb views across London to St. Paul’s. Hampstead Heath A beautiful stretch of countryside in north London between the lovely ‘villages’ of Highgate and Hampstead. Don’t miss the mens’/womens’ ponds (for unofficially gay swimming). Battersea Park Beside an iconic power station and just across the river from Chelsea, great for a morning jog. A trip to London isn’t complete without a visit to Tate Britain and Tate Modern. See outstanding art, spectacular buildings and amazing exhibitions – all in the heart of London. Tate Britain Presents art from the world famous Tate collection of British Art from 1500 to the present day The BP British Art Displays Supported by BP Pimlico Millbank Tate Modern The leading gallery of international modern and contemporary art Opening up art Tate Modern Collection with UBS Southwark/Blackfriars Bankside Soho Square Hardly a park, this bit of ‘green’ (the grass has been worn clean through) is gay/lesbian central come summer. Bring your own beer. To find out more, visit www.tate.org.uk or call 020 7887 8888 Charges apply for special exhibitions visitlondon.com/gay 20 Viewing Viewing London is the world centre of theatre and there’s really no argument about that. From cutting edge work by new writers through mega-musicals to the classics and maybe even a Hollywood star or two gaining a little credibility from treading those West End boards, it’s all here. Main venues for serious theatre Barbican Centre Silk Street, EC2 Barbican +44 (0)20 7638 4141 www.barbican.org.uk The cream of British and international theatre gets showcased at this most amazing of art centres, which is a veritable cultural town with concert spaces, galleries, theatres, bars and restaurants. It’s also an architectural gem, if you go for brutal utopian stuff. Drill Hall 16 Chenies Street, WC1 Goodge Street +44 (0)20 7307 5060 www.drillhall.co.uk A tiny theatre space in Bloomsbury, this is where you’ll see the best of Off-West End productions with a specifically gay theme. common thread being high quality. Plays like The History Boys and The Madness of King George have started here, while the NT can turn its hand equally well to crowd-pleasing musicals. The space is iconic, the location divine. The Old Vic The Cut, SE1 Waterloo/Southwark +44 (0)870 060 6628 www.oldvictheatre.com Hollywood star Kevin Spacey has been calling the shots at this London theatre institution for a couple of years now, but it certainly doesn’t need the superstar touch: The Old Vic has made a centuries old reputation on putting on an eclectic mix of very high quality work. Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Various locations www.ballet.org.uk One of the best ballet troupes in the world, the company can turn its hand (or feet) to classics or more modern pieces. Keep an eye out on locations such as Royal Albert Hall for their latest hit production. Regent’s Park Baker Street/Regent's Park +44 (0)8700 601 811 www.openairtheatre.org A summer institution, the gorgeous little Open Air Theatre mixes Shakespeare with musicals, all in an almost pastoral setting (Midsummer Night’s Dream is an obvious winner). Mind you, you’re hostage to that famous British weather. National Theatre Royal Court See page 12 The range of productions at this jewel in the crown of British theatre is extensive, the only Sloane Square, SW1 Sloane Square +44 (0)20 7565 5000 www.royalcourttheatre.com English National Ballet Sponsored by If you want to be challenged when you take your theatre seat, this is the place to be. For half a century the Royal Court has been showcasing the most intelligent in British drama, often to controversial effect. Royal Shakespeare Company Various locations www.rsc.org.uk If you need to see Shakespeare, you might as well come to the company that does it the best, enlisting the help of A-list movie stars if their skills are up to it. Shakespeare’s Globe See page15 The idea of seeing Shakespeare’s plays in the type of theatre they were written for is exciting indeed. Stand in the round – in the open air – and live the history. (May-Oct.) Currently showing on the West End Stage Avenue Q Noel Coward Theatre 0870 850 9175 www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk Billy Elliot the Musical Victoria Palace Theatre 0870 895 5577 www.victoriapalacetheatre.co.uk Chicago Cambridge Theatre 0870 890 1102 www.cambridgetheatre.co.uk Guys & Dolls Piccadilly Theatre 0870 060 0123 www.piccadillytheatre.co.uk Les Miserables Queen’s Theatre 020 395 5243 www.lesmis.com Mamma Mia! Prince of Wales Theatre 0870 850 0393 www.mamma-mia.com Mary Poppins Prince Edwards Theatre 0870 850 9191 The Sound of Music London Palladium 0870 890 0149 www.stoll-moss.com Spamalot WIN A WEST END WEEKEND WIN A SENSATIONAL WEEKEND FOR TWO IN LONDON WORTH OVER £1,000 • Two nights accommodation at the luxurious Landmark London Hotel • A glass of champagne in the Landmark’s Mirror Bar • Afternoon tea for two in the hotel’s Winter Garden Restaurant • An hour-long ESPA massage each in the Spa and Health Club • Two tickets to a top West End Show* • VIP entrance and a bottle of champagne in the swanky Shadow Lounge Club To enter, go to uk.gay.com/luxuryweekend Palace Theatre 0870 895 5579 www.montypythonsspamalot. com.co.uk Wicked Apollo Victoria 0870 400 0751 www.wickedthemusical.co.uk GAY.COM terms and conditions apply. Competition runs until May 2008, with the weekend being taken when available after May 31st 2008. * Show tbc. Eating 23 There’s no set time as to when Londoners eat – though most restaurants are at their busiest on weekdays from when people leave work (around 6pm) up until 11pm. Weekends are busy from midday onwards. Nocturnal munchers have the choice of 24-hour eateries like Balans in Soho or the Brick Lane Beigel Bakery in Shoreditch, or the vast array of takeaways across the city – everything from Turkish to Chinese to good old fish ‘n’ chips. Bertorelli 11/13 Frith Street, W1 Leicester Square T: +44 (0)20 7494 3491 www.santeonline.co.uk Modern Italian Contemporary Italian menu in chic surroundings, with leather booths for more private moments. Amato Andrew Edmunds Asia de Cuba Eating = Great value = Perfect for breakfasts – = Price guide To put it simply, London is the best place in the world to eat. If you can think of it, London has it, and with new restaurants (from family run cafés to Michelinstarred world-beaters) opening up almost daily, it’s hard to keep up. But this is our (tiny) selection! 46 Lexington Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus T:+44 (0)20 7437 5708 Modern European Intimate dining, in a very rustic and homely setting. The perfect ‘date’ restaurant. Balans 60 Old Compton Street, W1 Leicester Square T: +44 (0)20 7437 5212 www.balans.co.uk Brasserie 24-hour ‘gay’ dining. When we say ‘gay’, this place is like a make-shift club after the local bars have shut. Barrafina Useful Info To be on the safe side, book your table in advance where possible, and especially on Fridays and weekends. Tipping is standard in the UK, with 10% - 15% being the norm (though a lot of Sponsored by restaurants include ‘Service’ as part of the final bill, so check before you pay, otherwise you may tip twice!). And with the nationwide smoking ban taking effect as of 1 July 2007, you won’t be able to smoke indoors, either. 54 Frith Street, W1 Leicester Square T: +44 (0)20 7813 8010 Spanish Very new, very stylish, and very popular tapas bar.You can’t book, so be prepared to queue during busier periods. Imli 167-169 Wardour Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7287 4243 Modern Indian Indian tapas, in a casual but sophisticated environment, with some innovative and bold dishes. Mildred’s Soho 14 Old Compton Street, W1 Leicester Square T: +44 (0)20 7734 5733 www.amato.co.uk Italian Unpretentious, traditional Italian café with simple dishes, great patisserie, and friendly staff. Established in 1927, this stylish Soho favourite has been awarded a Michelin star each year since 1996. Charming and incredibly sophisticated! Biagio Ristorante Biagio 189 Piccadilly, W1 Leicester Square +44 (0)20 7434 1921 www.ristorantebiagio.co.uk Italian Just one of a clutch of their restaurants spread across the West End, Biagio has become a by-word for authentic Italian food served with a smile! Boheme Kitchen and Bar 19 Old Compton Street, W1 Tottenham Court Road/ Leicester Square +44 (0)20 7734 5656 www.bohemekitchen.co.uk Modern British A Soho stalwart, popular with the local media set. Looks sexy, the staff are friendly, and the outdoor seating is perfect for people-watching down Old Compton Street. L’Escargot 48 Greek Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7437 2679 www.lescargotrestaurant.co.uk French Stockpot 18 Old Compton Street, W1 Tottenham Court Road +44 (0)20 7287 1066 British-European Food like you used to get at school, with absolutely no frills. Great for comfort-eating! Noho (‘North of Soho’, the other side of Oxford Street) Eagle Bar Diner 45 Lexington Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7494 1634 www.mildreds.co.uk Vegetarian Very popular vegetarian joint in newly spruced-up surroundings. No bookings, so prepare to wait! 3-5 Rathbone Place, W1 Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 7637 1418 American Good ‘ole American dining in Noho. Pancakes, burgers as big as your head, great cocktails and friendly staff. Their breakfasts are notorious (in a good way!). Randall & Aubin Hakkasan 16 Brewer Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus +44 (0)20 7287 4447 www.randallandaubin.co.uk/soho Fish Counter-top eating, with oodles of character. The lobster is renowned! 8 Hanway Place, W1 Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 7907 1888 Modern Chinese The place for out-of-this-world Dim Sum Natasha Bedingfield ‘I love walking around the Thames and going over Waterloo Bridge, up to Trafalgar Square and wandering round, then over to Covent Garden. And so many restaurants, but I really love Hakkasan.’ Suka Sanderson Hotel, 50 Berners Street, W1 Oxford Circus +44 (0)20 7300 1444 www.sandersonlondon.com Malaysian fusion Modern Malaysian with a British edge in sleek, Philippe Starck surroundings – the Garden Terrace is perfect for stickier nights. Covent Garden Asia de Cuba St. Martin’s Lane Hotel, 45 St. Martins Lane, WC2 Leicester Square/Covent Garden +44 (0)20 7300 5588 www.asiadecuba-restaurant.com International Like the hotel it sits in, jaw-droppingly modern, sexy and über- visitlondon.com/gay M 22 Eating 25 Joe Allen 13 Exeter Street, WC2 Covent Garden/Temple +44 (0)20 7836 0651 www.joeallenrestaurant.com American An old favourite with Londoners, American expats and celebrities – serving great food with great service. Orso 27 Wellington Street, WC2 Covent Garden +44 (0)20 7240 5269 www.orsorestaurant.co.uk Italian Popular and straightforward Italian food, in a classy yet relaxed environment. The tart of the day is usually a good bet. The Portrait Restaurant, National Portrait Gallery Automat stylish – with a clientele to match. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon 13-15 West Street, WC2 Leicester Square/Covent Garden +44 (0)20 7010 8600 French French food with razzmatazz in stunning surroundings, from French super-chef Joël Robuchon. The Ivy 1-5 West Street, WC2 Leicester Square/Covent Garden +44 (0)20 7836 4751 www.the-ivy.co.uk British One of the original celebrity eateries, specialising in nononsense British nosh. Food for Thought 31 Neal Street, WC2 Covent Garden +44 (0)20 7836 0239 Vegetarian An ever-rotating menu of internationally inspired food (especially curries and pies). Gets crowded at lunch, when the local media types queue for something quick, cheap and healthy. Sponsored by St Martin’s Place, off Trafalgar Square, WC2 Leicester Square/Charing Cross +44 (0)20 7312 2490 Modern European Spectacular views over Trafalgar Square are standard in this showstopping restaurant above the National Portrait Gallery. Rules 35 Maiden Lane, WC2 Covent Garden/Leicester Square +44 (0)20 7836 5314 Traditional British Established by Thomas Rule in 1798, this is one of the oldest restaurants in London, serving traditional British grub, with an emphasis on game. Very eccentric, very English, very memorable! World Food Café Bistroteque 1st Floor, 14 Neal’s Yard, WC2 Covent Garden +44 (0)20 7379 0298 Global Vegetarians are especially well catered for in this ethically minded, slightly hippy food joint. Alcohol isn’t served, but you can bring your own. Mayfair & Piccadilly As well known for its celebrity clientele as it is for its sushi. Automat St. Alban 33 Dover Street, W1 Green Park/Piccadilly Circus +44 (0)20 7499 3033 www.automat-london.com American 50’s style New York diner with a London sensibility – and a very fashionable crowd! Rex House, 4-12 Lower Regent Street, SW1 Piccadilly Circus +44 (0)20 7499 8558 www.stalban.net Modern Eclectic Latest outpost from the people who brought us the Wolseley, this is the spot for a sophisticated lunch. Inn The Park St. James Park, SW1 St. James Park +44 (0)20 7451 9999 www.innthepark.com British A striking, wooden ‘Inn’ in a glorious location just off The Mall, between Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade, with a fresh, simple, and very appealing menu. Momo 25 Heddon Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus +44 (0)20 7434 4040 www.momoresto.com African A sometimes boisterous venue that attracts a cosmopolitan crowd, with some truly eclectic dishes. Nobu First Floor, The Metropolitan, 19 Old Park Lane, W1 Hyde Park Corner +44 (0)20 7447 4747 www.noburestaurants.com Japanese 2 Crispin Place, off Brushfield Street, Spitalfields Market, E1 Liverpool Street +44 (0)845 686 1122 www.canteen.co.uk British Winning ‘Best Restaurant’ accolades left, right and all over the place, with good reason. Simply, great British fare, in ambient surroundings. Chutney Mary 535 King’s Road, SW10 Fulham Broadway +44 (0)20 7351 3113 www.realindianfood.com Indian and Pakistani Once London’s most fashionable Indian, the celeb count may have dwindled, but standards haven’t. Fish! Maze 10-13 Grosvenor Square, W1 Bond Street +44 (0)20 7107 0000 www.gordonramsay.com/maze French Haute Cuisine Another Gordon Ramsay triumph, with an innovative approach to French cuisine. A grazing-style menu that offers a range of tasting plates, making a Ramsay meal potentially that bit more affordable! Canteen Hoxton Grille The Wolseley 160 Piccadilly, W1 Green Park/Piccadilly Circus +44 (0)20 7499 6996 www.thewolseley.com British A grand eating experience in even grander surroundings, whether it’s breakfast á deux, afternoon tea with freshly baked scones and clotted cream, or a meaty, very British supper. Best of the Rest Bistrotheque 23-27 Wadeson Street, E2 Bethnal Green +44 (0)20 8983 7900 www.bistrotheque.com French Housed in an industrial shed down an unsuspecting alley that’s a little rough around the edges, this crazysexy-cool eaterie is a startling treat, with a cabaret bar for bouncier moments. Borough Market, SE1 Borough/London Bridge +44 (0)20 7407 3803 www.fishdiner.co.uk Fish Fish, fish and more fish, and only the best fish at that. Right slap bang in the middle of the bustling and trendy Borough Market. Gilgamesh Camden Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 Camden Town, Chalk Farm +44 (0)20 7482 5757 www.gilgameshbar.com Oriental Celebs are flocking here in their droves, as are fashionable types hungry to try out this vast, eccentric and eclectic food emporium that’s taken Camden by storm. Hoxton Grille 81 Great Eastern Street, EC2 Old Street +44 (0)20 7739 9111 www.grillerestaurants.com Brasserie Stylish, in an understated way, with friendly staff, straightforward food, and a hip clientele. M 24 visitlondon.com/gay 26 Eating Ottolenghi 287 Upper Street, Islington, N1 Angel/Highbury and Islington +44 (0)20 7288 1454 International Sleek, sexy, minimalist (except the towering confectioneries in the window!), with communal eating and a great range of treats sweet and savoury. OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie Eighth Floor, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, SE1 Blackfriars/Waterloo www.harveynichols.com +44 (0)20 7803 3888 Modern European A perennial favourite, with awesome food and views! The Providores & Tapa Room 109 Marylebone High Street, W1 Bond Street/Baker Street +44 (0)20 7935 6175 www.theprovidores.co.uk International High-end and out-of-the-ordinary tapas downstairs, with an upmarket crowd, and a choice of even fancier dining upstairs. morechampagne Les Trois Garcons morechampagne Roast 1 Club Row, Brick Lane, E1 Liverpool Street/Old Street +44 (0)20 7613 1924 www.lestroisgarcons.com French Über-stylish former pub, with an emphasis on the theatrical, both in its food and its décor. Expect a very fashion-conscious Shoreditch crowd. 5a More London Place, SE1 Southwark, London Bridge +44 (0)20 7403 0658 Brasserie A glass-walled Champagne bar serving anything from basic sandwiches to fish, chips ‘n’ mushy peas! The Floral Hall, Borough Market, Stoney Street, SE1 Borough/London Bridge +44 (0)20 7940 1300 www.roast-restaurant.com British Fine dining, with a truly British feel, in a characterful setting. Be prepared for some eccentric offerings! Smiths of Smithfield 1 Whitby Street, E2 Liverpool Street/Bethnal Green +44 (0)20 7012 1234 www.lestroisgarcons.com International Looking like something between a mad curiosity shop and surreal art gallery, this place attracts the super A-list, as much for the food as for the speciality cocktails. Sponsored by Smiths Of Smithfield 67-77 Charterhouse Street, Smithfield Market, EC1 Farringdon +44 (0)20 7251 7950 www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk British Ever-busy joint jam-packed with young, fun-chasers after simple British nosh in buzzy surroundings. Popular with the post-clubbing, breakfasting crowd. M Loungelover 28 Eating Gastropubs You’ll see these everywhere The phenomenon of the gastropub seems unstoppable. By definition, the food is usually British and the cost reasonably low – a good bet for a hearty, delicious meal in traditional Brit surroundings. Here’s our pick. If in doubt, this little lot of trusted food chains can be relied upon to give you a good, tasty, usually pretty quick and reasonably-priced feed. The Albion Eat 10 Thornhill Road, Barnsbury, N1 Angel, Highbury and Islington +44 (0)20 7607 7450 www.the-albion.co.uk Pretty location, with a mouthwatering menu. If you’re feeling adventurous, try sharing the whole roast suckling pig with friends! www.eat.co.uk Good selection of sandwiches, soup and pies. Anchor and Hope 36 The Cut, SE1 Waterloo +44 (0)20 7928 9898 A relaxed, unpretentious pub – just with excellent food! Easton 22 Easton Street, WC1 Farringdon +44 (0)20 7278 7608 Intimate gastro experience, with retro wallpaper, art on the walls, and portions big enough to share. The Engineer 65 Gloucester Avenue, NW1 Chalk Farm +44 (0)20 7722 0950 www.the-engineer.com Pulling in the local glitterati of Primrose Hill, this is good food in a stylish but relaxed setting. The Fox 28 Paul Street, EC2 Old Street +44 (0)20 7729 5708 From the busy ground-floor bar, make your way upstairs to the hub of dark wood, mirrors, chandeliers and candles, or on warmer evenings the leafy outdoor terrace. Pig’s Ear 35 Old Church Street, SW3 Sloane Square Sponsored by +44 (0)20 7352 2908 www.thepigsear.co.uk British with a continental twist, be prepared to grapple for a table with wealthy locals eager to taste a slice of ‘authentic’ Brit grub. The Gun 27 Coldharbour, Isle of Dogs, E14 Canary Wharf/South Quay DLR +44 (0)20 7515 5222 www.thegundocklands.com An 18th century pub with a great choice of beers, and a free rickshaw service transporting Citytypes to and from Canary Wharf. The Well 180 St. John Street, EC1 Farringdon/Angel +44 (0)20 7251 9363 www.downthewell.com A sultry, atmospheric pub with an emphasis on meaty dishes. Downstairs you’ll find chocolate leather banquettes, for a comfier experience. Beyoncé ‘London is like home to me. There’s this Indian restaurant that I go to and it’s sooo good!’ Café Rouge www.caferouge.co.uk French style café, with nice dishes and a great French Onion Soup! Carluccio’s www.carluccios.com Great chain of café/restaurants selling authentic regional Italian food, in bustling and modern urban environments. Le Pain Quotidien www.lepainquotidien.com Bread, bread and more bread, in an open-plan, stylish setting. Great for breakfasts. Patisserie Valerie www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk Shabby-chic French patisseries, serving everything you’d expect, with a normally up-market crowd. Pizza Express www.pizzaexpress.co.uk The original posh pizza chain, in elegant surroundings. Prêt-a-Manger www.pret.com Great coffee and sandwiches, all with fresh ingredients and seasonal variations on the classics. Strada www.strada.co.uk Modern-retro pizza chain, with a more authentic Italian cocina than other pizza outlets. Drinking 31 Euston/Euston Square Rough around the edges and hidden in the depths of Euston, this is a hot favourite with older women. Women only. HALFWAY TO HEAVEN 7 Duncannon Street, WC2 Charing Cross Tel: +44 (0)20 7930 8312 Traditional looking pub with cabaret and karaoke and a mixed/older crowd. Mainly men. ADMIRAL DUNCAN 54 Old Compton Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7437 5300 Traditional and basic and right in the middle of the gayest bit of town. Good for a starting drink. Mainly men. BARCODE Drinking 3-4 Archer Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 3342 www.bar-code.co.uk Attracting a harder-looking crowd of slightly older guys, it’s drinking upstairs, dancing down. Comedy Camp (a gay comedy club) takes over on Tuesdays. Mainly men. = For boys = For girls There is certainly no shortage of places in London to get with the very English tradition of drinking lots in a gay environment. Here are the main contenders but be sure to check the weekly gay listings for new-comers or special events. Cheers. Central CENTRAL STATION 37 Wharfdale Road, N1 Kings Cross Tel: +44 (0)20 7278 3294 www.centralstation.co.uk Sponsored by Tel: +44 (0)20 7494 2756 www.g-a-y.co.uk The most fun you can have with your clothes on, this triple-decker bar – very big! – has wall-to-wall pop videos and tasty drinks offers. Mixed. COMPTON’S OF SOHO THE KINGS ARMS 52-55 Old Compton Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7479 7961 www.comptons-of-soho.co.uk Packed no matter the day or the hour, this traditional looking place is home to manly men of all shapes and sizes. Mainly men. 23 Poland Street, W1 Oxford Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 5907 www.kingsarms-london.com Party central for bears and their admirers, this traditional-looking pub actually has quite a cutting edge. Mainly men. ESCAPE 10a Brewer Street, W1 Leicester Square Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 2626 Fun and young, this small but perfectly formed disco bar rocks. Mainly men. FRIENDLY SOCIETY Basement, 79 Wardour St, W1 Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7434 3805 This kitschy and cool little basement bar is jumping with young stylish drinkers wiggling to DJs. Mixed. G-A-Y BAR 30 Old Compton Street, W1 Tottenham Court Road THE QUEBEC 12 Old Quebec Street, W1 Marble Arch Tel: +44 (0)20 7629 6159 Older men come to this clean but traditional-style bar to cruise with each other and younger men. Mainly men. CANDY BAR 4 Carlisle St Soho London Tottenham Court Road Tel: +44 (0)20 7494 4041 www.candybarsoho.com London’s hottest spot for upfor-it girls. It can get pretty crazy, especially when they get the strippers in. Mainly women. DUKE OF WELLINGTON A proper English gay pub with all sorts of events going on upstairs, downstairs and on-stage on the main bar. Mainly men. 77 Wardour Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7439 1274 Traditional and straightforward and slap bang in the heart of Soho. Mainly men. THE GLASS BAR THE EDGE West Lodge, Euston Square Gardens, 190 Euston Road, NW1 11 Soho Square, W1 Tottenham Court Road Photographs: info@eoinwhelanphotography.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7439 1313 www.edgesoho.co.uk Stylish and extending over four floors with lots of outside drinking on nice days, this is a favourite with pretty much everyone. Mixed. M 30 visitlondon.com/gay Drinking 33 79 CXR 79 Charing Cross Road Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 0769 www.79cxr.co.uk No frills drinking in this busy two-floor American-style bar. Mainly men. THE BOX 32-34 Monmouth Street, WC2 Covent Garden Tel: +44 (0)20 7240 5828 www.boxbar.com Café by day, muscle meeting joint by night, this is light and modern with huge windows and outside drinking space. Mixed. FIRST OUT 52 St Giles High Street, WC2 Tottenham Court Road Tel: +44 (0)20 7240 8042 www.firstoutcafebar.com A café/bar with a modern feel but old-fashioned values. Big with lesbians and lovers of veggie fare. Mixed (Friday mainly women) The Green this has a studenty/indie vibe and a soundtrack to match. Mixed. 74 Upper Street, N1 Angel Tel: +44 (0)20 7226 8895 www.the-green.co.uk Stylish eating and drinking in Islington’s classiest gay bar. Mixed. Profile Bar 56 Frith Street, W1 Tottenham Court Road Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 8300 www.vespalounge.com Three floors of up-for-it fun from the guys behind Gaydar – with free internet access, and interactive text screens, to add that extra frisson! Mixed, mostly men. THE STAG 15 Bressendon Place, SW1 Victoria Tel: +44 (0)20 7928 7287 Old-school boozing in a traditional pub. Mixed, mainly men. North BLACK CAP 171 Camden High Street, NW1 East THE GEORGE & DRAGON Camden Town Tel: +44 (0)20 7428 2721 www.theblackcap.com Legendary drag-spot with dancefloor, bar and patio. Mixed. 2 Hackney Road, E2 Old Street/Liverpool Street Tel: +44 (0)20 7012 1100 It’s eccentric fun at this Shoreditch hang-out, which can be bursting at the seams with the weird and the wonderful. Mixed. KING WILLIAM IV THE JOINERS ARMS 75 Hampstead High Street, NW3 Hampstead Tel: +44 (0)20 7435 5747 Local pub atmosphere complete with beer garden. Mixed. 116-118 Hackney Road, E2 Old Street/Liverpool Street Tel: +44 (0)20 7739 9854 Local boozer with a surprisingly edgy crowd. Lots of fun. Mixed. M 32 KU BAR Tori Amos RUPERT STREET 50 Rupert Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7292 7141 Bursting at the seams with an after-work crowd that presses up against those windows with their drinks till home time. Mainly men. VILLAGE SOHO 81 Wardour Street, W1 Leicester Square Tel: +44 (0)20 7434 2124 www.village-soho.co.uk Totally refurbed, this twofloor bar, with go-gos in the window and a young, fun crowd is Soho royalty. Mixed. THE YARD 57 Rupert Street, W1 Piccadilly Tube Tel: +44 (0)20 7437 2652 www.yardbar.co.uk In summer it’s the place to Sponsored by ‘I love to walk around London. I like being in Soho, just wandering around and grabbing a coffee, aimlessly. I love not making any plans and just seeing where a night in London takes me.’ be as a mixed bag of drinkers crowd the courtyard and balcony. In winter it’s all inside action in the upstairs and downstairs bars with their wooden floors and leather sofas. Mixed. 30 Lisle Street, Leicester Square Leicester Square Tel: +44 (0)20 7437 4303 www.ku-bar.co.uk Relocated and upgraded, this two-storey bar has it all: glamour, cute boys, video screens and a full programme of cabaret, film clubs and special nights in the downstairs club. Mixed. KUDOS 10 Adelaide Sreet, WC2 Charing Cross Tel: +44 (0)20 7379 4573 www.kudosgroup.com Busy with an air of sophistication, this attracts a mixed bunch including businessmen and young Asian guys. Mixed. RETRO BAR 2 George Court, (off the Strand) London, WC2 Charing Cross Tel: +44 (0)20 7321 2811 Part of the Popstarz empire, two unique bar spaces in the heart of soho THE soho’s only gay bar with an outdoor courtyard plus djs at the weekend LOFT escape the city in our chilled upstairs bar with cocktails & champagne 1pm - late every day | 57 rupert street soho london w1 | +44 (0)20 7437 2652 | info@redskyventures.co.uk visitlondon.com/gay 34 Drinking 35 www.thehoist.co.uk Great looking late-night cruise bar with strict dress code and a clientele of up-for-it guys. Men only. ROYAL VAUXHALL TAVERN The Lobby Bar @ One Aldwych TWO BREWERS Long Bar @ The Sanderson West BROMPTONS 294 Old Brompton Road, SW5 Earl’s Court Tel: +44 (0)20 7370 1344 Earls Court’s legendary clubby pub (or pubby club) with strippers, cabaret and a slightly older crowd. Mixed, mainly men. 556 Commercial Road, E14 Limehouse Tel: +44 (0)20 7780 9870 www. Bjswhiteswan.com Big, busy and boisterous with drag, cabaret and strippers. Mixed, except for amateur strip Wednesdays, which is men only. COCOLATTE SW5 South KAZBAR 50 Clapham High Street, SW4 Clapham Common Tel: +44 (0)20 7662 0070 Fun, buzzy, noisy and spilling out onto the street. Mixed. SOUTH CENTRAL 349 Kennington Lane, SE11 Vauxhall Tel: +44 (0)20 7793 0903 Sponsored by This traditional looking bar with its beer garden plays host to a surprisingly edgy mixed-bag of events. Mixed, mainly men. THE HOIST Railway Arches 47b & 47c South Lambeth Road, SW8 Vauxhall Tel: +44 (0)20 7735 9972 They’re glamorous, attract a savvy, international crowd, and are amongst the coolest places to kick-start an evening on the razzle-dazzle. These are a few of the best: 372 Kennington Lane, SE11 Vauxhall Tel: +44 (0)20 7840 0596 www.theroyalvauxhalltavern.co.uk A legend in its own lifetime, this seems like a regular English pub but that doesn’t account for the edgy and boisterous art-scene nights it hosts. Hilarious. Mixed. 114 Clapham High Street, SW4 Clapham Common/ Clapham North Tel: +44 (0)20 7498 4971 www.the2brewers.com Much bigger than a bar but not quite a club, the atmosphere is fun with drag shows and general carryings on. Mixed. BJ’S WHITE SWAN Hotel Bars 180-184 Earls Court Road, SW5 Earl’s Court Tel: +44 (0)20 7244 0022 www.cocolattesw5.com It’s Earls Court: The New Generation in this glamorous and slinky bar cum lounge cum night club. Mixed. COLEHERNE 261 Brompton Road, SW5 Earl’s Court Tel: +44 (0)20 7244 5951 It’s leathery and bikey and attracts all ages. Men. 1 Aldwych, WC2 Charing Cross/Covent Garden/Temple www.onealdwych.com An elegant bar with oversized art installations, serving lovingly-made cocktails to a stylish crowd – perfect for pre- or post-theatre drinks. 50 Berners Street, W1 Tottenham Court Road/ Oxford Circus www.sandersonlondon.com Long (80 feet!), made of glowing onyx, and fit to bursting with a stylish crowd that knows it. For more intimacy, try the literallynamed Purple Bar. mybar @ myhotel Bloomsbury 11-13 Bayley Street, Bedford Square, WC1 Tottenham Court Road/ Goodge Street www.myhotels.com Ever-popular with style-savvy locals, and within crawling distance of Soho, mybar serves memorable cocktails in a friendly, enticing atmosphere – with dinner, lunch or even breakfast available should you get the munchies! And if you’re in west London, myhotel Chelsea’s (see p.52) mybar sports a similar vibe, and a well-heeled crowd! REFUEL Bar @ The Soho Hotel 4 Richmond Mews, W1 Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus www.firmdale.com Bumper-to-bumper media folk, sexy Soho regulars and passingthrough celebs, in this busy, expensive but oh-so-cool cocktail haunt in the heart of Soho. Rockwell @ The Trafalgar Hotel 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, SW1 Charing Cross/Leicester Square www.thetrafalgar.com With an enviable position facing Trafalgar Square, the Rockwell is all black leather and white lacquer and effortlessly sexy – oh, and there’s a tiny roof garden open in the summer, but don’t tell anyone. X CENTRAL STATION KINGS X 37 Wharfdale Road (2mins from King’s Cross Station) 020 7278 3294 www.centralstation.co.uk visitlondon.com/gay Clubbing 37 A:M Fire, 39-41 Parry Street, SW8 Vauxhall www.fireclub.co.uk Open: 11pm Fri-11am Sat £12 Three rooms of all-night-type guys getting down to hardish sounds. Mixed but mainly men. Bootylicious Clubbing = For boys = For girls It’s not the location, it’s the party that counts and London seems to have become the world’s gay partytown with a non-stop schedule of hot nights that really is second to none. Here is just some of what goes on, but check the weekly gay freebies to keep up to the minute (and gingerbeer.co.uk for the latest lesbian listings). Photographs: info@eoinwhelanphotography.com Sponsored by Ritu's eclectic soundtrack, Bollywood visuals, wafts of incense, and a host of flamboyant Chutney Queens! Mixed. Crash 66 Albert Embankment, SE1 Vauxhall Tel: +44 (0)20 7793 9262 www.crashlondon.co.uk Open: 10.30pm-5am Fri; 10pm-6am Sat; 10pm-5am Sun £5 Fri/Sun; £15 Sat Already legendary, this is downand-dirty action for an up-for-it crowd of mainly manly men. Area, 67-68 Albert Embankment, SW8 Vauxhall Tel: +44 (0)20 7091 0081 Open: 11pm-5am Sat (not every week, check listings) £12 Soul, r’n’b, hip-hop, you Discotec name it: only the funkiest moves allowed in this loveliest of Vauxhall The End, 18 West Central Street, Covent Garden, WC1 venues. Mixed. Holborn/Tottenham Court Road Circus Tel: +44 (0)20 7419 9199 Soho Revue Bar, 11-12 Walkers www.discotecclub.com Court off Brewer Street W1 Open: 10pm – 4am Thur £8 Piccadilly Circus/Leicester A lovely clean and modern Square club features a lovely not-quiteTel: +44 (0)20 7734 0377 so-clean and modern evening, Open: 10pm-4am £10 where fashion and sexiness rules. An ex-strip joint becomes DTPM the location for the dressing up Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, party of the week. Scene freaks Clerkenwell, EC1 and celebrities take it to the max Barbican/Faringdon on the dancefloor and in the Tel: +44 (0)20 7749 1199 upstairs sing-a-longa bar. Open: 11pm-late Sun £15 Club Caribana Sunday afternoons mean Factory, 65 Goding Street, SE11 dancing off the night before across Vauxhall multiple dancefloors, to multiple Tel: +44 (0)20 845 456 7686 types of music at this megaclub. www.caribanaclub.com Open 10.30pm-6am Sun £6 Duckie Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 371 The black gay community puts on a hip hop party. Everyone’s Kennington Lane,Vauxhall, SE11 Vauxhall invited. Mixed. Tel: +44 (0)20 7737 4043 Club Kali www.duckie.co.uk The Dome, 1 Dartmouth Park Hill, Open: 9pm-2am Sat £5 N19 Mad as a hatter night out for Tufnell Park trendy indie types featuring www.clubkali.com cabaret and retro sounds that Open: 10pm-3am, 3rd Friday of the sometimes move well into crazy month £8 territory. A blast! Mixed. Kali sees its 12th birthday Exilio Latino this year and remains undisputed as the nation's leading and original LSE, 3 Houghton Street, Covent Garden, WC2 Asian music night. Kali's colourful Holborn monthly party is driven by DJ Tel: 07931 374391 www.exilio.co.uk Open: 10pm-3am Sat £8 Strange place for a club (it’s at the London School of Economics) but that doesn’t stop those salsa feet moving. Mixed. G-A-Y Astoria, 157 Charing Cross Rd, Soho, WC2 Tottenham Court Road Tel: +44 (0)20 7434 9592 www.g.a.y.co.uk Open: 11pm-4am Mon, Thur, Fri; 10.30pm-4.30am Sat £3-£10 A legend in its own lifetime, the massive G-A-Y has played host to Madonna, Christina, Mariah (live!) and the cream of pop royalty, while the crowd goes mad to easy pop dance on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Ghetto 5-6 Falconberg Court (behind the Astoria), Soho, W1 Tottenham Court Road Tel: +44 (0)20 7287 3726 www.ghettolondon.co.uk Open: 10:30pm-3am Mon-Wed 10:30pm-4am Thur, Fri; 10.30pm-5am Sat; 10:30pm-3am Sun Free - £7 Cutting-edge hi-jinks nightly including lesbian night Miss-Shapes on Thursday, Cock on Fridays and jumping-around-topop-trash Wig Out on Saturday. Heaven The Arches,Villiers St, WC2 Embankment/Charing Cross Tel: +44 (0)20 7930 2020 www.heaven-london.com Open: 10:30pm-late Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat £1-£15 Moving with the times, the huge Heaven has a number of nights still drawing all the right crowds and gets decidedly saucy late night on Saturday. Horse Meat Disco South Central, 249 Kennington Lane,Vauxhall, SE1 Vauxhall Tel: +44 (0)20 7793 0903 M 36 visitlondon.com/gay 38 Clubbing www.horsemeatdisco.co.uk Open: 6pm-2am Sun £5 It looks like just any old pub, but come Sunday afternoon it’s packed with up-for-it guys, many of them bears, throwing it around to great music. Mixed but mainly men. Piccadilly/Leicester Square Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 0377 www.sohoclubsandbars.co.uk Open: 5pm-4am Tue-Sat £10 This old stripper bar has become one of Soho’s hottest hang-outs with its dancefloor and upstairs lounge. Don’t miss Trannyshack on Wednesdays, Shampoo on Saturdays and cabaret on Sundays. Later Fire, 39-41 Parry Street,Vauxhall, SW8 Vauxhall www.allthingsorange.com Open: From noon Sun £12 Dance yourself dizzy of a Sunday afternoon, whether you’ve been out since last night or not. Already a Sunday institution. Mixed but mainly men. Orange Fire, 39-41 Parry Street,Vauxhall, SW8 Vauxhall www.allthingsorange.com Open: 11pm Sun-11am Mon £10 Party like it’s Saturday night even though most people are on their way to work. A shirts-off crowd of hard-partiers. Mainly men. Ultra Slick and fun. Very mixed. Rude Boyz Fire, 39-41 Parry Street,Vauxhall, SW8 Vauxhall www.allthingsorange.com Open: 10.30pm-4am Thu £7 Naughty goings-on in a club that fetishises all things working class from tracksuits to trainers and back with amateur strip and an upstairs play area. Men only. Salvation Renaissance Rooms, off Miles Street,Vauxhall, SW8 Oval/Vauxhall Open: 11pm-6am 1st and 3rd Sat of month £15 Cruising meets dirty dancing on a huge dancefloor with outsize terrace and a maze (for some reason). Muscleboys love it. Mainly men. Shadow Lounge Popstarz Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, King’s Cross, N1 King’s Cross Tel: +44 (0)20 7833 2022 www.popstarz.org Open: 10pm-4am Fri £8 A mega-club shrine to the indie sensibility, choose your dance space and go for indie, pop or r’n’b or a quiet drink in the bar. Sponsored by 5 Brewer Street, W1F Piccadilly/Leicester Square Tel: +44 (0)20 7287 7988 www.sohoclubsandbars.co.uk Open: 10pm-3am Mon-Wed; 9pm-3am Thu-Sat Up to £10 on a Friday or Saturday A funny, fabulous old place that attracts celebs, fashiony boys and anyone up for a good old time, with waiter service and a pole for showing off on. Salon on Tuesdays is particularly hot and dressy. Soho Revue Bar 11-12 Walkers Court off Brewer Street, W1 Area, 67-68 Albert Embankment, SW8 Vauxhall Open: 5.30-11.30am (Sunday morning!) £10 Gorgeous new Vauxhall club Area puts on a party featuring everything from hard house to funky tunes with a cool chill-out area. The Wayout Club Charlie’s, 9 Crosswall (off Minories), EC3 Tower Hill/Aldgate www.thewayoutclub.com Open: 9pm – 4am Sat. £10 (9-11pm), £12 (after 11pm). £7 for TGs and those in drag. Entertainment and a celebration of cross-dressing diversity, every week. For boys, girls and inbetweenies! Club Wotever Masters Club, 12 Denman Street, W1 Piccadilly Circus www.clubwotever.tk £4 before 11, £6 after. Transgender, 'wotever'! For gender-benders far and wide, identity’s the last thing on anyone’s mind. One of London’s leading trans clubs. XXL The Arches, 51-53 Southwark Street, SE1 Southwark Open: 10pm-6am Sat £12 A huge venue for huge guys and their admirers, although the clientele is becoming remarkably mixed. Great sounds and sweeties. Men. 42 Shopping 43 Areas With a city as huge as London, it’s pretty impossible to cover everything. It’s pretty impossible just to cover a small fraction, but to make things that little bit easier, here’s a brief guide to London’s most renowned shopping areas. West End Alexander McQueen Shopping = Great value = For boys = For girls – = Price guide London is, simply, the best place in the world to shop. From mind-blowing department stores to glamorous boutiques; high-street favourites to specialist markets; cute, eccentric little shops to high-fashion emporiums, everything – and we mean everything! – is covered. Sponsored by A trip to London isn’t complete without exploring the three great shopping streets of London’s West End: Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, which between them boast more shops than anywhere else in the world. This renowned district offers everything in classic, cool or contemporary fashion. Eighty new shops have opened in the West End in the past three years alone and more are opening all the time. Oxford Street is also home to probably the world's best department store (Selfridges), and TopShop’s flagship store which is a cutting-edge fashion on a high-street budget (be prepared to jostle for those bargains with a few AAA-list celebs!). North of Oxford Street is Marylebone, a quaint, pretty and very well-heeled part of town that still retains its village feel, stacked full of gorgeous little shops selling gorgeous things. Marylebone High Street is the main bit, with highlights including the Edwardian timewarp that is Daunt Books, the tiny weekend markets at the top end of the High Street in the shadow of St Mary’s Church, and the Conran Store opposite, which is design-led luxury for your home. More refined than Oxford Street are Bond Street, Regent Street and Savile Row. This batch of regal streets covers the upper end of the market, on the east side of Mayfair. Bond Street is bumperto-bumper high-fashion (Chanel, Prada,Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Burberry, Cartier, Tiffany and Co. etc.); Savile Row is, well what Savile Row’s famous for (the best tailoring in the world!), plus Abercrombie & Fitch has recently opened its first UK shop there; while Regent Street is a grand old avenue with traditional British brands (like Hackett and Mulberry), the interiors emporium that’s practically a gay cliché in itself (Habitat), as well as arguably the most beautiful department store in the world – Liberty. Discover more at www.newwestend.com where the one-off boutiques are, and wandering further east towards the gay ‘village’ of Soho you’ll find anything from sex shops to independent record sellers to gorgeous delis. As for Covent Garden, this place covers it all. There’s the trainers mecca that is Neal Street, Floral Street with its designer boutiques like Paul Smith and ‘street’ favourites like Ted Baker, the bohemian Piazza selling mostly paraphernalia, and the very cute Seven Dials area, with its designer/ urban/vintage mix. Charing Cross Road and its adjoining streets are famous for their book stores. Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Brompton Cross Spitalfields Market Eastside Anyone with their finger on the pulse will tell you it’s all about the East End – or Eastside, as it’s becoming known. Fast emerging as the alternative to the West End for those looking for an edgier, artier and quirkier shopping/ eating ‘n’ drinking experience, there’s a clutch of hot, happening and oh-sotrendy markets (including Spitalfields), shops and eating dens, as well as some of the best hotels in town. Not to mention Brick Lane for authentic Indian and Bangladeshi food. Carnaby Street, Soho and Covent Garden Straddling the east side of Regent Street is Carnaby Street which, whilst having lost the fiercely independent streak that made it famous in the ‘60s, still retains a fair bit of charm. The cobbled alleys off Carnaby Street are Catering for the super-rich of West London, these three areas have a huge emphasis on luxury and anything very expensive. Knightsbridge is home to the infamous Harvey Nichols (or ‘Harvey Nics’) and Harrods; Brompton Cross is more off-thebeaten-track with high-end fashion and design shops; whilst the King’s Road is basically the West End for Chelsea residents. Kensington High Street, Notting Hill, Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove Think Chelsea, Knightsbridge et al, but edgier. It’s designer boutiques most of the way (as well as your recognisable high-street outlets), but also lots of vintage clothing shops that help this part of London maintain its more avant-garde reputation. The deliriously eccentric and photogenic Portobello Road in Notting Hill is, most days, a frantic mix of wealthy locals, thrifty students and enthralled tourists, whilst Westbourne and Ladbroke Groves do the trendy thing in a more twee way, with cute cafés peppered between the fancy boutiques. visitlondon.com/gay Shopping Useful info Most shops across London are open every day from 10am till 6pm – though some still have restricted Sunday hours, usually 12pm till 6pm. In the West End, late night shopping is Thursday (till 8pm), though increasingly the bigger shops are open till at least 7pm on most nights, with some even staying open till 9pm. Late night shopping in Chelsea and Knightsbridge, however, is Wednesday. If in doubt, check with the specific shops! Fashion Abercrombie & Fitch 7 Burlington Gardens, Savile Row, W1 Oxford Circus/Piccadilly Circus/Bond Street T: 44 (0)20 7297 9400 www.uk.abercrombie.com | Preppy basics, with that oh-sodesirable logo (and scantily-clad 'assistants' by the door) – in stores that could double as nightclubs. Alexander McQueen 4-5 Old Bond Street, W1 Bond Street/Piccadilly Circus T: +44 (0)20 7355 0080 www.alexandermcqueen.com | The flagship London store of one of the world’s great designers. B Store 24a Savile Row, W1 Oxford Circus T: + 44 (0)20 7734 6846 www.bstorelondon.com | A boutique showcasing new design talent, as well as a bunch of well-knowns. Their own-brand range is also making waves! Burberry 21-23 New Bond Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7968 0000 www.burberry.com Sponsored by | True Brit refinement, that’s had a pretty big resurgence of late. Show-stopping boutique for girls with (lots of) pennies to spend. Concrete 35a Marshall Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7434 4546 www.concretelondon.com | Tiny boutique off Carnaby Street, home to gorgeous and unique fashions, curios and the celeb-fave Unconditional label. 10 Carnaby Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7439 7750 www.merc-clothing.com | The place where mod fashion still rules, and one of the few hangers-on from original ‘60s Carnaby Street. Great for skinny suits, without the Dior price-tags. Fred Perry New Look 14 The Piazza, WC2 Covent Garden T: +44 (0)20 7836 3327 www.fredperry.com | Authentic British street style, synonymous with Paul Weller (and tennis!). 500-502 Oxford Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7290 7860 www.newlook.co.uk | Surprisingly on-trend fashions at rock-bottom prices, with a knack for picking up on current catwalk trends, especially the women’s stuff. Hackett 143-147 Regent Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7494 1855 www.hackett.com | British preppy chic with an emphasis on quality. Koh Samui 65-67 Monmouth Street, WC2 Covent Garden T: +44 (0)20 7240 4280 | Hilary Duff ‘Whenever I’m in London I love going to Vivienne Westwood’s shop on Conduit Street I always end up spending a lot of time there!’ Merc Primark 499-517 Oxford Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7495 0420 www.primark.co.uk | | A shopping phenomenon, and the ultimate bargain basement for stylish types, on a budget, looking for just-out-of-season designer finds and catwalk copies. Pringle 112 New Bond Street, W1 Bond Street T: +44 (0)20 7297 4580 www.pringlescotland.com | The name in classic fashionconscious knitwear, with a heavy nod to its Scottish roots. Rokit 42 Shelton Street, WC2 Covent Garden T: +44 (0)20 7836 6547 www.rokit.co.uk | The second-hand store of choice for budget-conscious fashionistas on the lookout for a bargain. M 44 Shopping 47 Department stores Harrods 87 - 135 Brompton Road, SW1 Knightsbridge T: +44 (0)20 7730 1234 www.harrods.com The world’s most famous department store, complete with shrine to Princess Diana and Dodi (the owner’s son). Harvey Nichols 109 - 125 Knightsbridge, SW1 Knightsbridge T: +44 (0)20 7235 5000 www.harveynichols.com Immortalised by Absolutely Fabulous and frequented by celebs, this is high-end stuff, with a food hall and restaurant to die for. John Lewis Selfridges Sefton 196 Upper Street, N1 and 271 Upper Street, N1 Highbury and Islington T: +44 (0)207 226 7076 and 020 7226 9822 | Chic north London boutiques selling a great selection of designer names, including McQueen, Comme des Garçons and Marc Jacobs. Vivienne Westwood 44 Conduit St, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7439 1109 www.viviennewestwood.com | With a design ethic that is arguably the most recognisable in the world, Aunty Viv continues to inspire an army of club kids, fashion glitterati and anyone with a daring streak! TopShop/TopMan 216 Oxford Street, London , W1 Oxford Circus Sponsored by T: +44 (0)20 7636 7700 www.topshop.com | Inspired by the catwalk without the catwalk prices. Reputed to be the biggest fashion store in the world. Warning – the crowds can get crazy!! Paul Smith 40/44 Floral Street, WC2 Covent Garden T: +44 (0)20 7379 7133 www.paulsmith.co.uk | Traditional English luxury, with an eccentric and ultra-recognisable twist. Jungle 7 Earlham St, London, WC2 Covent Garden T: +44 (0)20 7379 5379 www.jungleclothing.com | Club gear, army surplus and vintage gems. Great for cheap combats, vests and boots. Oxford Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7629 7711 www.johnlewis.com Renowned for its outstanding customer service, this functional store covers everything from deepfat fryers to digital cameras. Daunt Books www.habitat.net Reasonably priced design-ware for your home, and a renowned draw for design-savvy gay Sunday shoppers. 83-84 Marylebone High Street,W1 Baker Street T: +44 (0)20 7224 2295 www.dauntbooks.co.uk Three levels of Edwardian loveliness, with oak galleries and books arranged by country. Great for travel literature. Skandium 86 Marylebone High St, W1 Bond St T: +44 (0)20 7935 2077 www.skandium.com Lovely modern pieces with a Scandinavian feel, great for standout bits and bobs for you home, office or garden. The Conran Shop 55 Marylebone High St, W1 Baker St T: +44 (0)20 7723 2223 www.conranshop.co.uk The posher version of Habitat (which is also Conran-owned). Less ‘commercialised’ and more exclusive design-ware, with the resulting bigger price-tags. Waterstone’s Harrods Books Borders 120 Charing Cross Road, WC2 Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 7379 8877 www.bordersstores.com Great for picking up foreign mags, not as comprehensive as others, but handy for Soho and therefore usually a good smattering of gays. 203-206 Piccadilly, W1 Piccadilly Circus www.waterstones.co.uk Britain’s book-selling giant! The views from the top floor restaurant of this branch (the biggest book store in Europe) are incredible! Music Black Market Records 25 D’Arblay Street, W1 Tottenham Court Road www.bm-soho.com M 46 Liberty Regent St, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44(0)20 7734 1234 www.liberty.co.uk Heart-stoppingly gorgeous, this Tudor-style store is sheer class. Selfridges 400 Oxford St, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)8708 377 377 www.selfridges.com For the fashion-conscious on a tight schedule, this is the only department store you’ll ever need. Design Habitat 121 – 123 Regent St, W1 Piccadilly Circus T: +44 (0)8444 991 134 visitlondon.com/gay 48 Shopping 49 Dance specialists in the heart of Soho. whole bunch of modern, edgy and sometimes outrageous fashions and objets d’art, from the likes of Junya Watanabe, Azzedine Alaïa and Haider Ackermann. HMV 150 Oxford Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7631 3423 www.hmv.co.uk Huge music store, selling everything you’d think it would sell! Columbia Road Flower Market Fopp 1 Earlham Street, WC2 Covent Garden or Tottenham Court Road T: +44(0)20 7379 0883 www.fopp.co.uk A fledgling chain specialising in low-priced cult and popular CDs, vinyl, DVDs and books. Continually rotates its selection of ridiculously low priced stuff (£3 for a DVD!). Vinyl Junkies 94 Berwick Street, W1 Oxford Circus T: +44(0)20 7439 2923 www.vinyl-junkies.com Destination shop for DJs, artists and amateurs alike, covering house, disco, funk, techno, new jazz beat, soul, you name it! Markets Borough Market 8 Southwark Street, SE1 Noon-6pm Fri; 9am-4pm Sat Southwark www.boroughmarket.org.uk The market for foodies, selling anything from tapas to venison, from exotic teas to chocolate brownies, from fish to real ale (and fictional home of Bridget Jones!) Camden Camden Market Camden High Street, NW1. 9.30am-5.30pm daily Camden Lock Camden Lock Place, off Chalk Farm Road, NW1. 10am-6pm daily Camden Town/Chalk Farm A flea-market sensibility and Sponsored by the spiritual home of the vintage craze, with everything from army surplus to ‘40s evening wear, via rubber pants, joss-sticks and hard-to-find vinyl. Beware the crowds! Dover Street Market 17-18 Dover Street, W1 www.doverstreetmarket.com 11am-6pm Mon-Sat (11am-7pm Thurs) Green Park/Piccadilly Circus Opened by Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo in 2004, this is market shopping in the most avant-garde way imaginable (think four floors inside a concrete shell!) – a venue for not only Comme des Garçons lines, but a Bjork ‘I’ve always had that relationship with London that it was this place where everyone was playing music, where all the DJs were, and there were amazing record shops. I remember the first time I came, when I was 16 – it was heaven!’ Columbia Road, E2 8am-2pm Sun Liverpool Street/Bethnal Green/ Old Street (but be prepared to walk!) www.columbiz-flower-market. freewebspace.com Masses of plant and flower stalls, but also an eclectic range of cafés, shops and colourful locals. Riverside Walk Market Under Waterloo Bridge, Southbank 10am-5pm Sat, Sun Waterloo Books, books and more books. Great for really cheap paperbacks. Especially gay SH! 64 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1 Piccadilly Circus www.clonezone.co.uk The original gay store, filled with naughty goodies and sexy outfits perfect for saucy nights in or out. 39 Coronet Street, Hoxton, N1 Old Street T: +44 (0)20 7613 5458 www.sh-womenstore.com Run by women for women, sip a cup of tea whilst your other half fingers through the selection of sex toys and other erotic fancies. Coffee, Cake and Kink Silver Moon @ Foyles Clone Zone 61 Endell Street, WC2 T: +44 (0)20 7419 2996 www.coffeecakeandkink.com Covent Garden Hailed as ‘the best thing since strap-ons and sliced bread’, a unique hybrid of café, shop and erotic art gallery – winner of the Erotic Awards ‘Innovation of the Year’ prize. Gay’s The Word 66, Marchmont Street, WC1 Russell Square T: +44 (0)20 7278 7654 113-119 Charing Cross Road, WC2 Leicester Square/ Tottenham Court Road www.gaystheword.co.uk T: +44 (0)20 7440 1562 The UK’s largest gay and lesbian book silvermoon@foyles.co.uk store and much-loved institution! Europe’s largest women’s interest book shop – official! Coffee, Cake and Kink Prowler Soho 3-7 Brewer Street, Soho, W1 Piccadilly Circus T: +44 (0)20 7734 4031 www.prowlerstore.co.uk Fantastic gay emporium selling everything you’ll ever need: adult mags, books, DVDs and clothes. Rob London 24/25 Wells Street, Fitzrovia, W1 Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 3073 1010 www.rob.nl Rubber and leather specialists, served with discretion. Portobello Road Market Portobello Road, W10, W11 General: 8am-6pm Mon-Fri; 9am1pm Thurs; 7am-7pm Fri, Sat. Antiques: 4am-6pm Sat. Ladbroke Grove/Notting Hill Gate/Westbourne Grove Working its way from the Notting Hill end with its antique shops to Ladbroke Grove with its designer and vintage stores, Portobello Road is jam-packed with charm and people! Spitalfields Market Commercial Street, E1 Antiques: 10.30am-4pm Thurs. General: 10.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, Sun. Food 10.30am-4pm. Fashion 10.30am-4pm Fri. Liverpool Street A favourite haunt of the East London fashion pack, Spitalfields has the huge covered market – selling anything from junk jewellery to movie posters – at its core, with über-cool shops, bars, cafés and restaurants peppered all around. visitlondon.com/gay Sleeping 51 www.claridges.co.uk Jaw-dropping and ever-so-English opulence slap bang in the middle of swanky Mayfair and its showy boutiques, restaurants and olde world townhouses. Famed for ‘Tea at Claridge’s’ and Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant. Fancy barely covers it. Covent Garden Hotel 10 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9HB Covent Garden T: +44 (0)20 7806 1000 F: +44 (0)20 7806 1100 E: covent@firmdale.com www.firmdale.com No-nonsense gorgeousness on a super-cute street, strolling distance from Covent Garden’s best shopping/eating/drinking bits. Swathes and swathes of chocolate brown antique loveliness, with a contemporary attention to detail that pulls in the movers ‘n’ shakers, and the odd AAA-list movie-star. glitzy splashes, 50 individually designed rooms, the Shooting Gallery with its original architectural features… and that’s before we get to the spectacular pool. Hazlitt’s 6 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 3JA Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 7434 1771 F: +44 (0)20 7439 1524 E: reservations@hazlitts.co.uk www.rookeryhotel.com This is like walking into someone’s house – if that someone happened to be Lord Something-or-other with his immaculate taste, priceless period furnishings, and a penchant for the finest things in life. A townhouse amidst the 24-hour bustle of Soho, with old school luxury you just want to eat up. P.S. It’s not very big, so don’t tell anyone! Paddington/Bayswater, W2 3EA Bayswater T: +44 (0)20 7298 9000 F: +44 (0)20 7402 4666 E: reservations@the-hempel.co.uk www.the-hempel.co.uk Anouska Hempel’s mouth-wateringly minimalistic boutique space, a hop and a skip from Kensington Gardens in West London. It’s all clean lines, über-sexiness and Zen-like simplicity, with a garden to die for. 18 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TJ T: +44 (0)20 7958 8000 F: +44 (0)20 7769 2400 E: rppres@pphe.com www.riverbankparkplaza.com Relax in unprecedented comfort in your guest room – each of their 394 rooms offers a haven for escape and ample space to work – in an impressive location on the South Bank, opposite Tate Britain. Plaza on the River The Hempel 31-35 Craven Hill Gardens, Riverbank Park Plaza Plaza on the River 18 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TJ Vauxhall T: +44 (0)20 7769 2525 F: +44 (0)20 7769 2524 E: guestrelations@ plazaontheriver.co.uk www.plazaontheriver.co.uk London’s finest luxury all suite hotel, comprising 66 suites – in the heart of Vauxhall’s gay ‘village’, and a short hop to Tate Britain and Westminster. M 50 The Dorchester The Sanderson Sleeping Whether it’s show-stopping old school glamour, fancy-pants modern or just a bed and a basin for your basic needs, London has the accommodation thing covered. Here’s our pick of what it has to offer… Luxury Swishy, swanky, fancy, anything else ending in ‘y’. This lot don’t come cheap, but they’re worth it for showing off purposes alone. Sponsored by Claridge’s Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 4HR Bond Street T: +44 (0)20 7629 8860 F: +44 (0)20 7499 2210 E: info@maybourne.com Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 1QA Hyde Park Corner T: +44 (0)20 7629 8888 F: +44 (0)20 7629 8080 www.thedorchester.com Bordering on the unbelievable luxury, a home from home for many a Hollywood starlet, perched on the edge of Hyde Park. Can’t move for Louis Vuitton cases in the lobby. Enjoy more! Haymarket Hotel 1 Suffolk Place, nr. St James, SW1Y 4BP Piccadilly Circus T: +44 (0)20 7470 4000 F: +44 (0)20 7470 4004 E: haymarket@firmdale.com www.haymarkethotel.com Brand-spanking new with all the top-notch detailing to prove it, The Haymarket is classic-cumcontemporary loveliness housed in a John Nash landmark building, perfectly placed for just about everything. Muted colours with Superior room accommodation, bottle of wine on arrival and continental breakfast, all from only £104.00* per room, per night. Chose to relax in the hotel’s onsite day spa, Serenity, or explore the city and all of London’s top attractions. Sherlock Holmes Hotel, 108 Baker Street, London W1U 6LJ T: +44 (0) 20 7486 6161 E: ppshres@pphe.com www.parkplaza.com *Excluding VAT and subject to availability. visitlondon.com 52 Sleeping myhotel Bloomsbury Somewhere in between These places are lovely, just not as demanding on the old purse strings/wallet strings/parents. crawling distance of Soho’s most popular gay joints, with spacious, individually designed rooms and a way-above-average head-count of celebs and media-types in the hotel bar (where Espresso Martinis are a must!). 11-13 Bayley Street, Bedford Square, WC1B 3HD Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 3004 6000 F: +44 (0)20 3004 6044 E: bloomsbury@myhotels.com www.myhotels.com Terence Conran was on hand to create this East-meets-West boutique on the edge of literary Bloomsbury, where a delicious pick ‘n’ mix of urban design elements have been thrown into a feng shui-ed space perfectly located for the hustle ‘n’ bustle of the West End. St Martins Lane myhotel Chelsea 45 St. Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, WC2N 4HX Covent Garden/Leicester Square T: +44 (0)20 7300 5500 F: +44 (0)20 7300 5501 www.stmartinslane.com Everything about this place is unbridled sexiness, from the dazzling light displays to the modern design-classic furnishings to the renowned Asia de Cuba restaurant to the impossiblenot-to-impress rooms with their very own light installations that you can play around with and everything! It’s dreamy urban hotel to a T, and then some. 35 Ixworth Place, Chelsea, SW3 3QX South Kensington T: +44 (0)20 7225 7500 E: +44 (0)20 7225 7555 E: chelsea@myhotels.com www.myhotels.com They don’t get much more charming than this… quiet luxury with contemporary leanings, the emphasis is on comfort, with a distinct English sensibility. City living, in a country house kind of way. Try the red rooms for the decadent thing, or the Thai Suite for your own steam room and Jacuzzi. Claridge’s Sanderson 50 Berners Street, W1T 3NG Oxford Circus T: +44 (0)20 7300 1400 F: +44 (0)20 7300 1401 www.sandersonlondon.com Crazy-sexy-cool madness inside an inconspicuous 50’s block just off the retail madness of Oxford Street, it’s a no-holds-barred Ian Schrager/Philippe Starck combo – Cocteau-esque surreal, all bright and shiny, scarily hip, and the restaurant’s Alain Ducasse perfection. Summer nights in the courtyard and it’s bumper-tobumper models ‘n’ fat wallets. The Soho Hotel 4 Richmond Mews, Soho,W1D 3DH Tottenham Court Road T: +44 (0)20 7387 1515 F: +44 (0)20 7383 2054 E: soho@firmdale.com www.firmdale.com Eclectic and eccentric chic within Sponsored by M myhotel Bloomsbury 54 Sleeping Malmaison Charterhouse Square, Clerkenwell, EC1M 6AH Barbican T: +44 (0)20 7012 3700 F: +44 (0)20 7012 3702 E: london@malmaison.com www.malmaison-london.com Easily the best ‘chain’ hotel group on a contempo-luxury hip, London’s only Malmaison outpost is hushed elegance meets cutting-edge design flourishes, deep in super-trendy Clerkenwell. Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes Hotel St Martins Lane 2 Warrington Crescent, Little Venice, W9 1ER Warwick Avenue T: +44 (0)20 7286 1052 E: rescolonnade @theetoncollection.com www.theetoncollection.com On a cute-as-a-button street in super-swanky Little Venice, The Colonnade is everything you want in a boutique hotel, plus some more (Frette Egyptian sheets, Molton Brown bathroom products, tapas and cocktails in the e-bar…) that make this a pull for the discerning visitor as well as the local glitterati. The Cumberland Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, W1A 4RF Marble Arch T: +44 (0)870 333 9280 F: +44 (0)870 333 9281 E: enquiries@thecumberland.co.uk www.thecumberland.co.uk From its art deco exterior to the mad installations in the beyond-vast lobby to its location (perched on the Hyde Park end of Oxford Street with views across Marble Arch), the recently Sponsored by re-swished up Cumberland is super-stylish accommodation, with the clientele to match. Grim’s Dyke Hotel Old Redding, Harrow Wield, Middlesex HA3 6SH T: +44 (0) 20 8385 3100 F: +44 (0) 20 8954 4560 E: reservations@grimsdyke.com www.grimsdyke.com This Grade II listed country house hotel on the outskirts of London was once the home of Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame, which would explain the many G&Srelated events.The restaurant is grand and gorgeous, the lush grounds a delight. The Portobello 22 Stanley Gardens, Notting Hill, W11 2NG Notting Hill Gate/Holland Park T: +44 (0)20 7727 2777 F: +44 (0)20 7792 9641 E: info@portobello-hotel.co.uk www.portobello-hotel.co.uk Housed in a gorgeous converted neo-classical mansion in the thick of chi-chi Notting Hill, this is the type of hotel that makes charmseekers (and celebrities) moist. Lush furnishings, lavish period detail, four-poster beds in rooms you’ll want to ship home – and the deliciously eclectic Portobello Market on your doorstep. The Zetter Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes St. John’s Square, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, Clerkenwell, M The Colonnade 108 Baker Street, London W1U 6LJ Baker Street T: +44 (0)207 486 6161 www.parkplaza.com/londonuk _sherlockholmes A design-led hotel that flawlessly combines tradition with a contemporary style offering 119 air-conditioned luxurious guestrooms and suites and beautifully decorated private meeting rooms that provide the ideal venue for corporate meetings and stylish private events; then there’s Serenity, the recently refurbished Health Club. 56 Sleeping 57 easyHotel EC1M 5RJ Barbican/Farringdon T: +44 (0)20 7324 4444 E: info@thezetter.com www.thezetter.com Hotter than hot, the Zetter became the hangout du jour for cocktail sippers and trendsetters in one fell swoop of its retro-heavy cool-ness (floor-to-ceiling windows in the rooftop studios, and hot water bottles for chillier London nights). South Kensington/Earls Court/Victoria South Kensington/ Earl’s Court/Victoria Online booking only www.easyhotel.com The hotel arm of budget airline ‘easyJet’ offers exactly what it says on the bright orange packaging – an affordable ‘sleep and shower’ in unpretentious surroundings. And when we say affordable, one night is the price of a vodka-tonic in some joints. Admiral Lincoln Hotel On a budget Sometimes you just want to save those extra pennies for shopping benders…! Admiral Lincoln House Hotel 33 Gloucester Place, W1 Baker Street/Marble Arch T: +44 (0)20 7486 7630 F: +44 (0)20 7486 0166 www.lincoln-house-hotel.co.uk A delightfully hospitable gay-friendly B&B hotel providing English and vegetarian breakfasts, in the heart of the West End, offering Georgian charm with modern comforts, and en-suite rooms with fast, free wireless internet connection. Close to Oxford Street’s shopping, theatreland, London’s diverse lesbian and gay scene and on airports’ Air bus routes. For special offers and discounts visit the website. The Hoxton 81 Great Eastern Street, Hoxton, EC2A 3HU Old Street T: +44 (0)20 7550 1000 F: +44 (0)20 7550 1090 E: info@hoxtonhotels.com www.hoxtonhotels.com With its roaring fires, flat screen tellies, duck-down duvets, free ‘lite’ MONDAY 2pm - 3.30pm in person London Friend, 86 Caled onian Road, N1 TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 2pm- 7pm on th 020 7359 5767 e phone on 2pm - 5pm the phone 67 020 7359 57 ST SPECIALI INCLUDE: SERVICES ETHNIC BLACK & PEOPLE MINORITY OPLE YOUNG PE DOMESTIC ABUSE E HATE CRIM 5.30pm - 7pm in Dean Street Host person W1 (entrance on el, 91 Dean Street, Diadem Court) THURSDAY Sponsored by 12 Sherwood Street, Piccadilly, W1F 7BR Piccadilly Circus T: +44 (0)20 7434 9009 www.piccadillybackpackers.com Amongst the most central back-packing accommodation in London, this is your basic needs Philbeach covered, from £12 per night. And 30 Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court, with 700 beds, it’s the perfect SW5 9EB place for meeting like-minded Earl’s Court money-savers/friends/lovers. breakfasts and fancy-pants restaurant (The Hoxton Grille), this ‘urban lodge’ in cutting-edge Shoreditch just seeps class at every turn. The prices – considering the levels of service and high-end design ethic – are staggeringly good. Various central London locations T: +44 (0)20 7911 5181 F: +44 (0)20 7911 5037 E: uniletvacations@wmin.ac.uk/unilet www.wmin.ac.uk Yep, student accommodation. Obviously restricted to university vacation periods, but for not much money you get good sized rooms, basic amenities, all in a central London location. YHA Various central London locations www.yha.org.uk The internationally recognised home of hostelling,YHA has six London outposts, each offering exactly what you’d expect – a whole bunch of up-for-it holidaymakers on a thrifty budget. The country air, to wander amongst tranquil gardens and on a whim venture into the woods, stop to feed our rescued ducks swimming about on the moat and then maybe return to your garden suite or balcony garden room. Freshen up for a gourmet experience in Gilbert's award winning restaurant or camp it up in a unique Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Dinner on a Sunday evening, or even a Murder Mystery Dinner. Spoof Wacky Weddings are new and just as hilarious. All this and only 30 minutes from Marylebone or a little longer on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines!!! Its London’s retreat by tube!!! THERE'S NOTHING GRIM ABOUT GRIM'S DYKE IT’S ALL VERY ENTERTAINING in person, rch 2pm - 3.30pm , 64-68 Camberwell Chu St Giles Centre Street, SE5 every 2nd in person ice 5pm - 7pm the month specialist advple Thursday of minority ethnic LGBT peo SE15 d, Roa for black and 10 Melon se, Pul m kha Pec FRIDAY Piccadilly Backpackers Unilet, University of Westminster The grounds are stunning, the house charming, the bedrooms comfortable discreet and quiet. Perfect for that get away from London but not too far, no risk of steaming on the M4 in a traffic jam. Civil Partnership Ceremonies and receptions are very welcome also. n the phone 10am - 1pm o 7 020 7359 576 ry 1st and the phone - eve list 10am - 1pm on of the month specia se 3rd Thursdayhousing and domestic abu adv ice about nbow on 08452 60 44 60 @ Broken Rai 10am - 1pm on 020 7359 5767 the phone The Hoxton Come with mates and take over a sleeps-six room. THERE'S NOTHING GRIM ABOUT GRIM'S DYKE ALL HOUSING ADVICE FOR LE SB IA NS , GAY MEN, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE 1 0a m - 1p m o n t he ph o ne 020 7359 5767 T: +44 (0)20 7373 1244 F: +44 (0)20 7244 0149 E: reservations@philbeachhotel.co.uk www.philbeachhotel.co.uk Gay-owned, gay-run, in oldschool-gay Earls Court, Philbeach is a bit of an institution. With its theme nights in Jimmy’s bar and al fresco dining come the summer months, the emphasis is very much fun, friendly and, well, gay! GRIM’S DYKE HOTEL AA Restaurant Rosette Old Redding, Harrow Weald, Middlesex, HA3 6SH ALL SERVICES ARE FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL MINICOM: 020 7359 8188 www.stonewallhousing.org Tel: +44 (0) 20 8385 3100 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8954 4560 Email: reservations@grimsdyke.com Web: www.grimsdyke.com visitlondon.com 58 Marrying 135m in the air, gazing out across London (when you’re not staring into your other half’s eyes!), on one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world? Your guests will be pretty impressed! RSA RSA Marrying 8 John Adam Street, WC2 Charing Cross +44 (0)20 7930 5115 www.thersa.org/weddings/cp For a memorable setting steeped in history, there’s the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), just off the Strand. RSA House – built by Robert Adam in the 1770s – offers the knock-out grandeur of the Great Room or for candlelit intimacy, the Vaults. In-house chefs can create a bespoke menu for your day, with Wedding Co-ordinators taking care of every last detail. Now that same-sex couples can get hitched like everyone else in the UK (hooray!), venues across London are jumping on board and offering their services for the big day. These are just a few. Bertorelli Civil Partnerships – to give them their official name – give gay and lesbian couples the same rights (and responsibilities!) as straight couples when they marry. Before you get ‘married’, though, you need to have resided in your chosen area for seven days – then, you’ll have to wait another 15 days before the ceremony can take place. Also, you can’t just choose anywhere that takes your fancy – your venue needs to have a license to carry out the ceremony. For more information, go to www.stonewall.org.uk Sponsored by 11/13 Frith Street, W1 Leicester Square +44 (0)20 7494 3491 www.santeonline.co.uk Celebrate in the elegance of the newly licensed private room, or enjoy a contemporary Italian menu in chic surroundings, with leather booths for private moments – right slap-bang in the heart of Soho! British Airways London Eye South Bank, SE1. Ticket Office: Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 Waterloo www.ba-londoneye.com How about doing it in a stylish pod, Vinopolis Vinopolis 1 Bank End, SE1 London Bridge +44 (0)870 241 4040 www.vinopolis.co.uk Located under dramatic arches on Bankside, between Tate Modern and Tower Bridge,Vinopolis is a wine (and other alcoholic beverages!) lover’s dream, and a stylish place to tie the knot. Choose from a variety of unusual spaces from the dramatic vaulted arches of the Great Halls to the contemporary Mezzanine.There’s also an excellent culinary service and event management team to make your day extra special. Essentials 61 at most places, and ATM machines are dotted throughout London. Tipping Tipping is standard (10-15%) in most restaurants, though many include Service in the final bill, so look out! Tipping is usually only standard in more exclusive bars, but is always at your own discretion. Tipping is becoming less standard in black cabs and private taxis, as fares are increasingly high – but again, it’s at your discretion. Hotel staff normally expect small tips. Electricity Voltage in the UK is 230v. A three pronged adapter plug is required – you can get these at airports. HIV/AIDS Government policy does not discriminate against visitors who are HIV+ or have the AIDS virus, therefore entry will not be refused. Ensure all prescription medicines are carried in their original containers and clearly marked, together with a letter from your doctor stating that these are your prescribed drugs. National HIV/AIDS Helpline: Freephone 0800 567 123 (24hrs) Some bits ‘n’ bobs you may find useful if you’re planning on coming to visit Before you arrive Do as much research as possible! We’ve listed loads of websites in this section that will help, and if you’re calling here from outside the UK, remember the Country Code – 44 – and then drop the first ‘0’ from the full UK telephone number. Passport You’ll need a valid passport (or EU Sponsored by identity card) to enter the UK! Check with your nearest British Consulate if you’re unsure as to whether you’ll need a visa. No inoculations are required, but medical insurance is recommended. Money It’s still pound sterling in the UK, and you can bring in as much as you like. Credit cards are accepted Driving in London If you can help it, don’t! Roads are busy, parking is expensive, traffic wardens are ruthless, and there’s the Congestion Charge (www.cclondon.com). Most Londoners stick to public transport. Public Transport Yep, it can be overcrowded, and can be expensive if you’re paying by cash – so get an Oyster Card! It’s the new-ish and very efficient way most Londoners pay to get around and they can be used on the Underground (Tube) and on London buses, and it works out a good 50% cheaper than if you were to pay by cash.You can get an Oyster Card at all Tube stations, and many newsagents. NB.You can’t use an Oyster Card in black cabs (yet!). In an Emergency Tube – runs daily from around 5.30am (later on Sundays) at most stations, closing around 11.30 pm, but later (around 12.30pm – midnight) at central London stations. See map P64. For police, the fire service or an ambulance, dial 999. Buses – every journey (long or Age of Consent Essentials Public Holidays Spring Bank Holiday – 28 May 07 Summer Bank Holiday – 27 Aug 07 Christmas Day – 25 Dec 07/08 Boxing Day – 26 Dec 07/08 New Year’s Day – 1 Jan 07/08 Good Friday – 21 Mar 08 Easter Monday – 24 Mar 08 May Day – 5 May 08 16. The same for everyone! Weather Be prepared for four seasons in one day, but generally seasonal with cold winters – with some snow - and warm, increasingly hot summers. short!) is £2 (but only £1 if you get a pre-paid Oyster Card!). Many buses now insist you pay before you get on, so if you don’t have an Oyster Card, and there’s a ticket machine at your stop, you’ll have to pay using that then show the ticket to your driver. See map P65. Taxis – The famous black cabs are July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 22c/72f 22c/72f 19c/66f 14c/57f 10c/50f 7c/44f Airports Heathrow +44 (0)870 000 0123 www.heathrowairport.com Lost property: +44 (0)20 8745 7727 To and from London: By train: Heathrow Express, to and from Paddington station. Runs every 15 minutes, between 5am and midnight, and takes about 20 minutes. +44 (0)845 600 1515 www.heathrowexpress.co.uk By Tube: Piccadilly line, direct to central London. Takes about an hour. By taxi: Can be expensive. Up to £50. Takes at least an hour. Gatwick Average daytime temps: Jan 6c/43f Feb 7c/44f Mar 10c/50f Apr 13c/55f May 17c/63f June 20c/68f can be expensive, but if there are five of you, it often works out cheaper than getting the Tube, especially on short journeys. Minicabs cannot be hailed and must be booked by phone or by person in the relevant cab office. BEWARE unlicensed cabs – blokes offering to take you home for not that much money – of which there are many hanging around, especially at night, and especially around Soho and other popular night spots. These can be dangerous, especially for women travelling alone. Go to www.tfl.gov.uk or call +44 (0)20 7222 1234 for more information. London’s licensed taxis, and are usually hailed from the street (the glowing yellow ‘For Hire’ sign means it’s available!). They’re roomy – fitting five people – and often have TVs these days! They +44 (0)870 000 2468 www.gatwickairport.com Lost property: +44 (0)870 000 2468 To and from London By train: The Gatwick Express, to and from Victoria station, takes about 30 minutes into London. Single fare, £14. +44 (0)845 850 1530 www.gatwickexpress.co.uk By taxi: Can be expensive. Up to and over £60. Takes at least an hour and a half. Lost property: +44 (0)1279 663 293 To and from London: By train: The Stansted Express, direct to Liverpool Street station, takes about 40 minutes, and costs £15 single-way. By taxi: Can be expensive! Over £65, taking at least an hour and a half. Luton +44 (0)1582 405 100 www.london-luton.co.uk Lost property: +44 (0)1582 395 219 To and from London: By train: Shuttle service to Luton’s Parkway Station, then a 30-40 minute service to King’s Cross station. Single fare is around £10. By taxi: Anything from £60 and takes up to an hour and a half. London City +44 (0)20 7646 0088 www.londoncityairport.com Lost property: +44 (0)20 7646 0088 To and from London: By train: Take the Docklands Light Railway, which is part of the Tube network, straight into town. By taxi: About £20 into the centre of town, taking about half an hour. Magazines For up-to-date info on the gay scene, Boyz and QX are the weekly mags to look out for, and are free in gay venues. Diva is the only UK lesbian monthly, whilst Attitude and GT (Gay Times) remain the monthly glossies for discerning gay gentlemen. For a general overview of what’s going on in London, Time Out is always reliable. WWW. gay.com The comprehensive gay website, with news and reviews. gaydar.co.uk gaydargirls.com Shopping for a good time! Stansted lounge.uk.net +44 (0)870 000 0303 www.stanstedairport.com Sophisticated socialising for the professional lesbian. M 60 visitlondon.com/gay 62 Essentials me-me-me.tv Entertainment, gossip, and the London party scene – with an irreverent gay twist! Sightseeing Tours Private Guided Tours +44 (0)20 7993 6901 e: reservations@uk-guided-tours.com www.uk-guided-tours.com The luxury and convenience of a personalized tour. Go where and when you want driven by a Blue Badge Tourist Guide in a comfortable car. Gay Tours London +44 (0)20 7737 1800 e: rainbow@gaytourslondon.com www.gaytourslondon.com Qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guides to look after you in London and the UK. Themed walks, museum and historic site visits, private driving tours and, of course, local knowledge of shopping, shows, restaurants, clubs and much more. Tours undertaken in a variety of languages. Urban Gentry 44 (0)20 8149 6253 e: london@urbangentry.com www.urbangentry.com Tailor-made tours for the styleaware, with inside knowledge on London's art, design, fashion and other creative scenes - making you feel like a stylish local. Gay Groups and Services 63 Confidential hate crime helpline. In an emergency, always dial 999. Disability Visit London accessibility guide www.visitlondon.com/city_guide /accessible_london Orange Clinic +44 (0)845 811 6699 West London Sexual Health centre REGARD National Organisation for Disabled LGBT people www.regard.org.uk Mortimer Clinic Mortimer Market, Capper St., off Tottenham Court Road, WC1 +44 (0)20 7530 5050 Free sexual health clinic Antidote LGBT Services www.thehungerford.org/ antidote.asp Drugs, alcohol and mental health. NHS Direct +44 (0)845 4647 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk General health information from qualified nurses. Human Rights Embassies American +44 (0)20 7499 9000 Australian High Commission +44 (0)20 7379 4334 Canadian +44 (0)20 7258 6600 French +44 (0)20 7073 1250 German +44 (0)20 7824 1300 South African High Commission +44 (0)20 7451 7299 Spanish +44 (0)20 7235 5555 Mayor of London’s LGBT Resource Guide www.london.gaydata.co.uk Faith Groups London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard +44 (0)20 7837 7324 www.llgs.org.uk Info, from HIV to travel to a sympathetic ear. IMAAN www.imaan.org.uk Support group for LGBT Muslims Crime Galop +44 (0)20 7704 2040 www.galop.org.uk Sponsored by www.tht.org.uk Info and advice concerning HIV/AIDS. LGCM-L&G Christian Movement www.lgcm.org.uk Kairos in Soho +44 (0)20 7437 6063 LGBT social action centre in Soho. Health Terrence Higgins Trust +44 (0)8451 221 200 Stonewall www.stonewall.org.uk Charity working for lesbian and gay equality. Excellent resource! Immigration UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group www.uklgig.org.uk Support and advice on immigration issues for same sex couples and lesbian and gay asylum seekers. Professional Jake www.jaketm.org Networking for gay professionals. Gay Business Association www.gba.org.uk City Pink www.citypink.co.uk For professional lesbians Village Drinks www.villagedrinks.co.uk Social networking. Tha Sistahood www.thasistahood.org For professionally-minded black lesbians Race and Ethnicity Black Gay Men’s Advisory Group www.bgmag.org.uk Black Lesbians UK www.bluk.org.uk UK Blackout www.ukblackout.com Naz Project www.naz.org.uk www.planetkiss.org.uk Including DOST group for men and KISS group for women. Long Yang Club www.lyclondon.com Gay Oriental guys and their friends. Working for better services for older LGBT people. Youth Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism www.naar.org.uk/lagcar Freestyle London www.freestylelondon.org.uk Challenging homophobic prejudice faced by young LGBT people. Sports Transgender Out For Sport www.outforsport.org Lesbian and gay sports groups in London. TV/TS Community News www.tv-ts.co.uk Older People Polari www.polari.org Press for Change www.pfc.org.uk FTM London www.ftmlondon.org.uk visitlondon.com/gay Sponsored by 11 to Fulham Broadway Chelsea 73 24 Coach Station Victoria 8 South Kensington Harrods Wellington Arch Sloane Square 14 to Putney Heath Museum 74 to Putney Natural History Victoria & Albert Museum Science Museum 9 10 to Hammersmith Royal Albert Hall Albert Memorial Hyde Park Lancaster Gate 274 Marble Arch Bond Street Piccadilly Circus 12 Regent’s Park Westminster Cathedral Westminster Abbey New Scotland Yard Victoria Street St. James’s Park Ri r ve T es 9 159 to Streatham Imperial War Museum Westminster Pier London Eye Royal Festival Hall Festival Pier Savoy Pier Cleopatra’s Needle for Charing Cross Trafalgar Square 13 Covent Garden RV1 Station Holborn British Museum Holborn Viaduct Globe Theatre 12 to Dulwich Cuming Museum and Library Walworth Road Elephant & Castle Theatre Bankside Pier to 453 Deptford Tate Waterloo Modern Royal National 139 Upper Ground Tower of London Tower Bridge Road HMS Belfast Route 73 Route 74 Route 139 Route 153 Route 159 Route 188 Route 274 Route 390 Route 453 Route RV1 188 to North Greenwich Tower Bridge * Heritage Routemaster available on parts of these routes Route 8 Route 9* Route 10 Route 11 Route 12 Route 13 Route 14 Route 15* Route 23 Route 24 Duke Street Hill London Bridge London Bridge City Pier 15 to Blackwall RV1 Tower Gateway Shoreditch to Bow 8 London River Services interchange Eurostar interchange Docklands Light Rail interchange Tower Hill Tower Pier Monument Mansion House Cannon Street St. Paul’s Cathedral for City Thameslink Blackfriars Pier Aldwych Ludgate Circus St. Paul’s Cathedral Station Liverpool Street 11 23 153 Temple of Mithras Moorgate Barbican Station St. John Street National Rail interchange Underground interchange 73 to Seven Sisters Essex Road Station Islington Angel Bank for City Thameslink Fleet Street Royal Courts of Justice Kingsway Chancery Lane Barbican Centre Sadler’s Wells Theatre 274 153 to Finsbury Park Caledonian Road 188 Russell Square King’s Cross St. Pancras 10 Agar Grove York Way 390 to Archway Gower Street Station Euston Camden Road Leicester Square 14 Kennington Road Houses of Parliament Westminster Horse Guards Admiralty Arch Nelson’s Column m ha Cambridge Circus Shaftesbury Avenue National Gallery Regent Street Eros Goodge Street Warren Street Tottenham Court Road Station Wardour Street Oxford Street Oxford Circus Gt. Portland Street Telecom Tower Mornington Crescent Camden Town 24 to Hampstead Heath Madame Tussaud’s and London Planetarium St. James’s Palace Westminster Cathedral Pimlico Grosvenor Road Belgrave Road Victoria Station Royal Mews Buckingham Palace Green Park Hyde Park Corner Station Royal Academy Berkeley Square Green Park London Zoo The Zoo Regent’s Park 74 Baker Street Lord’s Cricket Ground 13 to Golders Green Park Lane 159 Marble Arch Gloucester Place Station 453 Marylebone Lisson Grove Knightsbridge Queensway Kensington Gardens Notting Hill Gate 390 Edgware Road Station Paddington 15 Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury’s Ladbroke Grove 139 to West Hampstead 23 Westbourne Park Station Key bus routes and tourist attractions in central London 64 Tube & Bus Maps 65 visitlondon.com/gay Viewing 67 Soho St Goslet 14 5 7 4 11 Vauxhall s St t Stree Clubbing 4 e n Lan Details, pages 36-38 1. Area 2. Fire 3. Renaissance Rooms 4. Royal Vauxhall Tavern So uth Lambe th 3 2 13 Vauxhall Map Kenningto ad Ro h Parry St Mile Lisle E E NU Leicester Square rt Embankm ent Albe dg e Y AV BUR Roa d Bri 1 t 8 Stree n pto6 m et Co Stre Old illy m Ro S ROAD RIVER THAMES t all e Stre xh St Piccadilly Circus 1 Va u T ES AF H S Manette G CROS ert Rup h Arc 2 l St mil ind at W t er S Yard CHARIN eet k Str et Stre t e Stre 1 3 2 6 1 11 10 5 7 eet Str 3 er 12 10 w e Br 3 n Row Gree et Stre Frith eet r Str n Dea dou War 2 Gre Details, pages 36-38 1. Shadow Lounge 2. Soho Revue Bar 3. G-A-Y 4. Ghetto ick Clubbing t Stree wick w Ber Details, pages 30-33 1. Admiral Duncan 2. Barcode 3. Duke of Wellington 4. The Edge 5. Compton’s of Soho 6. Escape 7. Friendly Society 8. G-A-Y Bar 9. The Kings Arms 10. Rupert Street 11. Village Soho 12. The Yard 13. 79 CXR 14. Profile Bar et le Stre t berg C Sutto Soho Square Carlis 8 Broad 9 Drinking t Stree blay D’Ar et Borough, by London Bridge, will seem very familiar as the lair of Renee Zellwegger’s Bridget Jones 9 4 Falcon e Str Sponsored by Madonna’ Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. A great area for a wander for its organic market, its Dickensian feel and for the dazzling new Mayor’s office ten minutes away in More London. Even the delicious Clive Owen was upstaged in Oscar-nominated Closer by the London Aquarium 4 ton It may have looked like the heart of the English countryside, but the Regency house Julia Roberts’ character, Anna Scott, was filming at in the 1999 movie Notting Hill was in fact Kenwood, on north London’s too-perfect-to-be-true mega-park, Hampstead Heath. The house has a great little café on the side and a minute’s walk away is a stupendous view over the heath and then the whole of London. Borough, by London Bridge, will seem very familiar as the lair of Renee Zellwegger’s Bridget Jones from both those movies and may also ring a bell from Guy ‘Mr. OXFORD STREET Oxford Circus ing Whether it’s a declaration of undying love on the South Bank, zombies wandering across Westminster Bridge or Julia Roberts fingering the merchandise in Portobello Road market, London has provided a super star background for any number of movies. Here are some locations to keep a look out for. Details, pages 22-23 1. Amato 2. Andrew Edmunds 3. Balans 4. Barrafina 5. Bertorelli 6. Boheme Kitchen and Bar 7. L’Escargot 8. Imli 9. Mildred’s 10. Randall & Aubin 11. Stockpot Lex the movie star Tottenham Court Road Eating eet d Str London: Soho Map n Pola Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath (it has sharks and everything) when he turns up – so he thinks – to meet a hot girl he’s been chatting to on the internet (it was really Jude Law – just think! – but he did get to meet Julia Roberts). The perfect spot for romance: it’s a short walk up the River from where Andie McDowell received Hugh Grant’s declaration in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Considering it is now a very chi-chi area, Shad Thames, down by Tower Bridge often gets cast to recreate the murkier, more dangerous side of Dickensian London (it’s certainly got the architecture if not the atmosphere now it’s home to some great waterside restaurants and the brilliant Design Museum). See it take its close-up in The Elephant Man and The French Lieutenant’s Woman. One of the most overlooked parts of central London, Lincoln’s Inn Fields by Holborn Tube is rarely without a film crew: it looks like Oxford or Cambridge and can pass for anytime in the last couple of hundred years, not that Sliding Doors needed to go that far back. Have lunch at The Terrace in the middle of the park and visit the divinely quirky John Soames Museum on the north side of the square. The maddest train station ever built (it looks more like a gothic cathedral), St. Pancras, up on Euston Road next to the new British Library is a very hardworking building: the St. Pancras Chambers, apart from appearing in the Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’ video, are a veteran of films like Batman, Chaplin and Howard’s End. Soon to be converted into one of the grandest hotels in London. Hampstead Heath may have appeared in The Omen and Monty Python’s Holy Grail, but Greenwich Park has starred in Oscar-winning Sense and Sensibility and the classic The Go-Between, both set in the 19th century, so you get the picture. For movie maps of London see www.visitlondon.com/whatson/ cinema/movie_maps.html Wan ds wo rt 66 visitlondon.com/gay
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