london - HMSX.info

Transcription

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
+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
[email protected].
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
Cutty Sark.
Tel: +44(0)20 8312 6565
rest of year 10am-5pm daily
Admission: Free
Queen’s House
Romney Road, SE10
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
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
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
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
T: +44 (0)20 7437 2679
www.lescargotrestaurant.co.uk
French
Stockpot
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
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
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
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
+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
+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
+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
+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
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
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
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
Photographs: [email protected]
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
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
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 | [email protected]
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
Oxford Circus
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
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
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: [email protected]
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
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
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
SW8
Vauxhall
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
SW8
Vauxhall
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.
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Shopping
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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
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
www.bm-soho.com
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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
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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
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)
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/
www.gaystheword.co.uk
T: +44 (0)20 7440 1562
The UK’s largest gay and lesbian book [email protected]
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
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.
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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: [email protected]
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
T: +44 (0)20 7434 1771
F: +44 (0)20 7439 1524
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
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
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.
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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
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
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: [email protected]
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
T: +44 (0)20 3004 6000
F: +44 (0)20 3004 6044
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
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
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
T: +44 (0)20 7387 1515
F: +44 (0)20 7383 2054
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
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
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
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
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
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
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: [email protected]/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
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: [email protected]
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: [email protected]
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
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
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
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Leicester
Square
rt Embankm
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Albe
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Roa
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Stre
Old
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THAMES
t
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Stre
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AF
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ert
Rup
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mil
ind
at W
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CHARIN
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et
Stre
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e
Stre
1
3
2 6
1 11
10
5
7
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Str
3
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12 10
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Br
3
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Gree
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Stre
Frith
eet
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Dea
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2
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1. Shadow Lounge
2. Soho Revue Bar
3. G-A-Y
4. Ghetto
ick
Clubbing
t
Stree
wick
w
Ber
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.
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

london - HMSX.info

Transcription

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