London has long been at the heart of the UK’s gay scene and there is a range of LGBTQ attractions that will interest every traveller. In every borough and especially in its historic centre, London has numerous gay neighbourhoods where you’ll find a concentration of gay bars and a more visible LGBTQ population. You’ll have no shortage of options for drag shows and cabarets. Plus, many gay places in London have a rich history. Most of them were safe queer spaces where locals could be free in times when it was illegal to be gay in London, and others were landmarks of watershed moments in the fight for gay rights in the UK. To give you the best advice on what to do in London, check out our London guide.
Gay in London: is London gay friendly?
Needless to say, London is a very gay-friendly city. In 2015, Londoners were twice as likely to identify as gay or lesbian compared to those living in other UK regions. It’s home to one of the largest queer populations in Europe and offers a diverse, welcoming community for international travellers.
However, it’s important to note that London does have its share of LGBTQ hate crimes. In 2017, a Stonewall report showed that 25% of LGBTQ people had experienced anti-queer harassment or assault in the last 12 months. Gay travellers should definitely feel comfortable visiting London as an LGBTQ person, but it is important to be aware of the possible risks. If you experience any kind of harassment or assault while in the city, you can reach out to organisations like Galop for assistance.
Is there a gay area in London?
You’ll find LGBTQ hotspots all over London, but a few neighbourhoods are known for their busy hubs of LGBTQ residents and nightlife.
Gay London: Soho
Soho’s reputation as one of London’s top gay areas dates back as far as the 17th century. By the 1930s, it was known (at the time rather infamously) for its numerous underground gay clubs. Today, Soho has a higher concentration of gay bars than anywhere else in London, so if you’re looking for a great night out, it won’t take you long to find it here. Along with bars and cocktail lounges, you’ll also find some of London’s most boundary-pushing restaurants, shops, and performance venues.
Gay London: East London
Property developments in recent years have led to a number of East London’s LGBTQ establishments closing down, but Shoreditch and Hackney remain central to London’s gay scene. The nightlife is concentrated around Kingsland High Street in Dalston, Hackney, where you’ll find gay clubs, karaoke bars, and performance venues.
Gay London: Vauxhall
The Vauxhall district in southwest London is a popular spot for gay nightlife, with an assortment of bars, clubs, and community spaces. Many are concentrated on Kennington Lane, in the shadow of the Vauxhall Arches that line the Thames.
Gay Bars
London is one of the best party holiday destinations in the world, and you can always find a party in its gay neighbourhoods. You’ll find a variety of gay parties in London at clubs and bars throughout the city but particularly in Soho, East London, and Vauxhall. We’ve selected a few to highlight.
Admiral Duncan Pub
Admiral Duncan, in Soho, is one of the oldest gay bars in London, operating since at least 1832. This laid-back pub is popular with locals and frequently hosts drag shows and other performances throughout the week. It was also the site of a nail bomb attack in 1999, and every year, on April 30th, the pub holds a memorial service remembering the victims. You can also visit the memorial plaque at a bench in St Anne’s Churchyard, just south of the pub.
SHE Soho
Welcoming “queer women, non-binary folk and their guests,” SHE Soho is one of the few lesbian bars in London. It has some of the best Drag King performances you’ll find in London, and events are organised throughout the week. There are plenty of chill spaces where you can gather and sit down around a table, as well as a wide dancefloor at the centre of the bar.
Heaven
Ask any Londoner and they’ll tell you that Heaven is an icon of London’s gay scene. Opened in 1979 in Charing Cross, this superclub crosses several levels and dance floors. Since 2008, it’s been home to the G-A-Y nightclub, another iconic institution of London’s gay scene that has been running since 1976. Heaven frequently hosts live performances by renowned performers. Previous acts include Adam Levine, Janet Jackson, and Lady Gaga. This is one of the top spots for a gay party in London.
Dalston Superstore
Dalston Superstore on Kingsland High Street, in East London, is just as much fun during the day as it is at night. Its drag brunches have become a popular weekend spot for those looking to cure their hangovers with drag performances, vegan Brazilian cuisine, games, quizzes, and much more. The brunches are hosted on Saturdays and Sundays, with food served between 12 pm and 7 pm. At night, you can enjoy cocktails and cabaret performances and dance the night away on the dancefloor.
Balans Soho
Balans Soho Restaurant & Bar is one of the most popular gay restaurants in London. Balans is a beloved institution which has long been a part of Soho’s LGBTQ community. It serves all-day brunch and is open from 10 am until past midnight throughout the week.
Queer performance spaces
You’ll usually find shows at many of London’s gay bars and clubs, but these are the venues with a focus on performances and a bit more of a laid-back vibe overall. You might not find dancefloors here (outside of the stages); instead, you’ll get a night to remember with some of London’s best queer performers putting on a show.
The Glory
The Glory is a pub and performance venue in London’s East End that hosts a range of shows throughout the week (and a basement disco on the weekend). It organises one of London’s best drag competitions, LIPSYNC1000, each year. The competition was created by the fabulous rag queen Jonny Woo, one of the owners of The Glory. Plus, they’re dog friendly! (However, they advise that the crowds and noise from Friday to Sunday might be a little overwhelming for pets.)
Royal Vauxhall Tavern
As the oldest surviving gay venue in South London, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern is central to Vauxhall’s gay scene. The theatre has been hosting drag shows since the 1940s and survived development in the area, both in the 70s and 80s, as well as in the more recent years. In 2015, it was made a Grade II listed building, the first building in the UK to be listed for its cultural importance to the LGBTQ community. Today, it offers a varied lineup of events, including drag shows, pantomime, cabaret, and stand-up comedy.
Gay saunas in London
London has a range of gay saunas located throughout the city. Note that you will likely be searched before you enter and drinks of any kind (including water) cannot be brought in from outside. Sailor’s Sauna is a popular spot for gay cruising in London, which features a rooftop garden along with its large steam room and dry-heat sauna. Pleasuredrome, in Waterloo East, is the only gay venue in the UK that stays open 24/7. Covent Garden Health Spa is a newer addition to the scene, with a range of wellness facilities as well as a bar offering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
London gay tours
There are a number of gay tours you can take around London. Some will help you discover the city’s nightlife, while others will teach you about the city’s LGBTQ history. The London with a Local LGBTQ Tour, for example, takes visitors on a journey from the drag queens of the 1700s to the development of Soho as a queer neighbourhood in the 20th century.
Other LGBTQ landmarks in London
Beyond the bars and clubs, there are several landmarks in London that LGBTQ visitors might want to add to their itinerary.
Gay’s the Word Bookshop
There are plenty of reasons to put Gay’s the Word Bookshop on your itinerary when visiting London. Founded in 1979, it’s the oldest LGBTQ bookshop in the UK. It was a meeting spot for the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners group, one of the most important activist groups in the UK LGBTQ history. Nestled in the Bloomsbury district of the West End on Marchmont Street, the shop offers a range of LGBTQ titles, from novels and poetry to biographies and magazines, as well as a variety of events happening throughout the week.
Oscar Wilde Statue
Oscar Wilde is one of history’s most notable LGBTQ figures, and he spent around 17 years of his life in London. “A Conversation with Oscar Wilde” was sculpted by Maggi Hambling and unveiled in 1998 in Central London. It takes the appearance of a bench with a bust of the writer rising from one end. You can find it between Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross Station.
Highbury Fields
Highbury Fields, in Islington, holds an important place in British queer history. Back in 1970, the first gay rights demonstration in Britain took place at the park. On the 27th of November, 150 members of the Gay Liberation Front gathered to protest police harassment with a torchlit rally. It helped lead the way to hundreds of other protests around the country and is considered a watershed moment in the fight for gay rights in Britain.
Annual gay London events
There are a number of events held each year that highlight and celebrate London’s LGBTQ communities, history, and talent.
London Pride
Pride in London is one of the longest-running Pride events in the country and has been held every year since 1972. If you visit London during Pride, you’ll be a part of around 1.5 million visitors who attend each year. You’ll find events throughout London, including free events at Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street when the Pride Parade rolls through.
UK Black Pride
UK Black Pride is the largest annual celebration in Europe of LGBTQ people with African, Middle Eastern, Asian, Latin American, and Caribbean heritage. This popular alternative to London Pride is held one day a year during summer (usually in July or early August). It began in 2005 as a meet-up for the Black Lesbians in the UK online social group and has been held every year since. In previous years, it’s been hosted at sites such as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.
Trans Pride
London Trans+ Pride was founded in 2019 and went from 1,500 in attendance in 2019 to over 20,000 in 2022. The event aims to celebrate, remember, and encourage trans, intersex, and non-binary people of the past, present, and future. The march has been held at different times throughout the year, usually in mid to late summer or early autumn.
Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Festival
The Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Festival is held each year in September and sees a range of pop-up events throughout East London. You’ll find everything from cinema and art installations to panels and workshops with industry experts. It has strong roots in London’s queer scene, but you’ll also find works and artists from all over the world. Many of the events are free, and the organisers work hard to make sure they are as affordable as possible.
RuPaul’s DragCon UK
Many of London’s top annual events take place in summer, but if you’re visiting London in winter, then this January event is perfect. Based on similar conventions in LA and New York, RuPaul’s DragCon gives drag fans the chance to meet their favourite queens. There are panels, Drag Queen Story Hour events, and performances.
Gay accommodation in London
As mentioned, London is a very gay-friendly city, so LGBTQ travellers and couples won’t likely experience any problems when booking accommodation. This also means that there aren’t any gay-specific accommodation options, as there’s less need for them. That being said, there are a few locations that are perfect for gay travellers. These accommodation options are popular with gay clientele, close to gay neighbourhoods, and always welcoming.
Accommodation in Soho
W London in Leicester Square is a fantastic luxury option close to London’s gay bars in Soho. Its brunch is a particular favourite among guests, and its spa facilities are the perfect way to refresh after a night out on London’s gay scene. For more budget-conscious travellers, SoHostel is a great hostel close to Oxford Street and Soho. You’re likely to meet fellow gay travellers if you book a room here.
Accommodation in Vauxhall
Travelodge London Vauxhall is a great option for travellers hoping to stay in this neighbourhood. It’s close to some of Vauxhall’s best clubs and the train station. It’s also within walking distance from some of London’s top tourist attractions located near the River Thames, such as the London Eye and Big Ben. The Griffin Belle Hotel Vauxhall is another option located just a short walk from Vauxhall Station, while Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London is near the Pleasuredrome sauna.
Accommodation in East London
Wombat’s City Hostel London is a lovely budget-friendly option in East London, while The Z Hotel Shoreditch is walking distancefrom the popular East Bloc dance club. Alternatively, The Zetter Hotel is a popular, trendy option with vintage-style rooms. It’s housed in the building that was once home to the gay club TRADE.
Accommodation in Central London: Central Station
The Central Station guest house is set above the gay bar of the same name, located close to the King’s Cross and St Pancras train stations. It’s one of the main accommodation options in London notable for being gay-friendly, and its location makes it ideal for travelling around the city and doing the usual London sightseeing. It’s also one of the cheapest options you’ll find in Central London, and gorging on its delicious continental breakfast is a great way to start your day.
