There has been a rapid increase of sexually transmitted infections (S.T.I.s) in London, especially syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia. It is possible to be infected and have no symptoms, but if left untreated they can be very damaging. If you are sexually active make sure you have regular (e.g. every 3 months) check-ups at a GUM clinic and get vaccinated for Hepatitis A & B. Check-ups and vaccines are free, confidential and you don't have to give your real name. There is a list of London clinics plus sexual health info at www.gmfa.org.uk/londonservices/clinics/index#londonclinics
The Terrence Higgins Trust have a website offering sexual health information for guys into rougher sex, at www.hardcell.org.uk
We hope you'll enjoy your time in London, but we'd better warn you about some things first ...
London's underground train network (also known as "the tube") closes for six hours every night and several underground stations are closed each weekend for repair work.
The tube trains stop running around midnight, so after that you'll have to take a night bus, black cab or mini cab (mini cab offices usually have a flashing light outside). If someone drives up to you in an ordinary looking car and offers to take you somewhere, be very wary. They are not insured, often get lost and will charge you whatever they think they can get away with. Only black cabs can legally pick people up in the street. If in doubt, ask a few locals how much the fare should be and then go to a minicab office. Two websites that will help you find a local minicab company are www.cabwise.com and www.tfl.gov.uk/findaride/
Road traffic has improved slightly during the weekdays thanks to the Mayor of London's congestion charge scheme, but it's still very busy. The congestion charge is £8 per day to drive in Central London if you pay by midnight on the day of travel or £10 if you pay by midnight the following charging day. However, you can only pay the following day via the call centre or website.
TUBE FARES
London Underground has divided London into 6 concentric zones around the City Centre. The Hoist London, Soho and the West End are in zone 1; Earls Court and Shepherds Bush are in zone 2 etc. Any tube ticket you buy must cover every zone you plan to travel through. For example, a single ticket from zone 2 to zone 1 costs £4.00 cash at any time, £2.00 using an Oyster card during working hours or £1.50 using an Oyster card at evenings and weekends. One day, three day and one week travelcards are also available. The more zones you want to travel through, the more the travelcards will cost. Travel cards are also acceptable on night-buses up to 4.30am.
London Underground recommends regular users of the tube use pre-paid plastic cards called "Oyster cards" instead of paper tickets. Oyster cards cost £3 to buy and can be charged up online. Anyone can buy an Oyster card, so if you're staying for more than a couple of days and plan to use public transport it could well be worth buying one. More info at www.tfl.gov.uk
For help working out the best public transport routes in London use Transport for London's Journey Planner at http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: Many clubs run special events with extended opening hours the night before or on a public holiday. The next public holidays in England are on Monday 26th May, Monday 25th August, 25th and 26th December 2008 and 1st January 2009.
SMOKING is banned in all enclosed public spaces in the UK. You are not allowed to smoke inside restaurants, pubs, clubs, airport terminals, train stations or any other enclosed places where people work.
POPPERS: In 2007 isobutyl nitrite was classified as a class 2 carcinogen making it illegal for shops to sell this variety of poppers. Added to this, a recent European Union directive, as well as a decision made by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, means that any product on sale with a psychoactive effect could be classed as a medicine regardless of how it is marketed, and so controlled under the Medicines Act. You may still find poppers on sale but they will probably be of the 'isopropyl' variety and may be described as "room aromas".
DRUGS: Gay Times reported in their February 2007 issue that at least six gay men have died in London after taking GHB in the last two years. As a result the Vauxhall Gay Business Forum has announced that anyone found in possession of GHB will be permanently barred from all their venues.
Illegal drugs are classes in three categories: A, B and C, with class A drugs attracting the highest penalties. There is a list of which drugs are in which categories on the Channel 4 website: www.channel4.com and the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs/drugs-law/Class-a-b-c/
If you are arrested the Police can ask you to take a drugs test, based on your saliva. If you refuse you will be committing a criminal offence and can be fined up to £2,500, imprisoned up to 3 months, or both.
Now the good news, London has one of the biggest and most diverse gay scenes in the world.
There are several free gay newspapers published each week, but BOYZ and QX have the most information about the London scene. They are distributed around gay businesses every Thursday and have usually gone by Sunday. They are heavily biased towards their advertisers. You can read them online at www.boyz.co.uk and www.qxmagazine.com
GAY TIMES is a monthly magazine with news reports about gay life in the U.K. However, their monthly format means that their listings are perhaps the most out of date. Always phone ahead if Gay Times is your only source of information. (www.gaytimes.co.uk)
None of the above has infallible listings. If in doubt check the official website for the club night in question or phone ahead.
Here is a selection of accommodation websites that appear in the gay press or from a quick Google search. We do not endorse or recommend any of the following. They are included in this guide for your information only, and you make any bookings at your own risk.
*RECOMMENDED* Our favourite musical in London at the moment is AVENUE Q at the Noël Coward Theatre, St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 5AU. A story of life, love, loss and puppet sex. (www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk)
Another Broadway transfer, WICKED, is running at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG (opposite Victoria Station). (www.wickedthemusical.co.uk)
 Looking south down the Thames towards the Houses of Parliament from the London Eye Click for larger image (72k) |
During 2000 two new tourist attractions opened on the South Bank in London: the "LONDON EYE" (www.londoneye.com), which claims to be the world's largest observation wheel, and the TATE MODERN GALLERY at Waterloo. The London Eye is an excellent way to see London on a sunny day, although you have to queue to get a ticket - which has a "boarding time" on it - and then go back and queue again half an hour or so before your boarding time to actually get on the wheel. You can pre-book tickets but if you go down on the day, the next available boarding time may be several hours away - so ask the attendants BEFORE you queue how long the delay is likely to be. The queue isn't covered so take an umbrella if it looks like rain. While you're there, you might like a trip round the London Aquarium as well (www.londonaquarium.co.uk). |
THE ACADEMY OF SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS opened in 2007 on the Lower Ground Floor of the Trocadero Centre, 13 Coventry Street, London W1D 7DH. Nearest tube Piccadilly. Open Monday to Sunday, 11am until midnight. Entry to over 18s only. Adult tickets £12 between 11am and 5pm, or £15 between 5pm and midnight. We haven't been there but according to press reports it's a gay-inclusive exhibition and they hold gay events every Wednesday. (www.amoralondon.com)
If the weather is good and you like plants we recommend a trip to the ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS at Kew. Nearest tube Kew Gardens. (www.kew.org)
London is full of gyms but here are a few chosen because they are known to be particularly gay friendly, or because readers of this guide have recommended them:
For gym clothing I can recommend www.fitclothing.com and for supplements, books and workout accessories try www.tropicanafitness.com - If, like me, you need supplements which are gluten free then check out the Reflex Nutrition website (www.reflex-nutrition.com) as they list which of their products is gluten free.
If you haven't visited London before, it's worth paying a visit to OLD COMPTON STREET in Soho. This is the gayest street in London and our version of San Francisco's Castro district. It's probably the only street in London where you'll see gay couples walk hand-in-hand 24 hours a day. Nearest tubes are Piccadilly or Leicester Square. It has gay pubs, shops, restaurants, cafes and hairdressers. (Leather bars are away from the city centre in areas like Vauxhall or Mile End.) The two most famous pubs in Old Compton Street are:
There are a number of shops offering gay cards/ videos/ books/ designer clothes and other lifestyle accessories in Central London, including Clone Zone (www.clonezonedirect.co.uk), American Retro and Prowler (www.prowler-stores.co.uk/prowler/ for store info and www.prowlerdirect.co.uk for mail order). They are quite fun to look around, but often the same items are cheaper in non-gay stores.
Looking for good quality cotton ropes? DAVENPORTS MAGIC SHOP is situated in a shopping arcade beneath The Strand. They sell rope in 10 metre bundles: £3 for white and £3.50 for red, yellow, green or blue (price Feb 2004). Be patient, though, the staff take a long time demonstrating and not much time serving. Directions: Go to Charing Cross underground station and then up to street level. If you find you are in Trafalgar Square start walking up the Strand. You should see a huge, old building which is Charing Cross mainline train station. Next to the station is a temping agency called Brook Street. On the opposite side of the road to Brook Street is a set of stairs between two shops. Go down the stairs and carry straight on - Davenports Magic Shop is on the left hand side.
Another place to buy rope is ARTHUR BEALE, a shipping chandlers shop at the northern end of Shaftesbury Avenue, opposite Christopher Wray Lighting and just north of the junction between Shaftesbury Avenue and Neal Street. Nearest tube Tottenham Court Road. Open 9am - 6pm Monday to Friday and 9:30am - 1pm on Saturdays. They sell white ropes of all thickness by the metre.
If you need bandage scissors to go with your ropes or any other medical supplies you could buy them at JOHN BELL & CROYDON, a large medical store at 52-54 Wigmore Street, London, W1. Nearest tube Oxford Circus.
THE BRITISH BOOT COMPANY (formerly known as "Holts") is based at 5 Kentish Town Road, Camden Town, London, NW1 and is one minute's walk from Camden Town tube station. It's a small shop stacked to the ceiling with shoe boxes and a number of lace-up boots on display. Stock includes Dr Martins, Grinders, Gladiators, Solovair and Tredair. Probably the best store for lace-up boots in London, but they don't sell motorbike or patrol boots. (www.britboot.co.uk)
SHERRY'S sells Fred Perry and Ben Sherman clothing, as well as MA1 and MA2 flight jackets and naval coats. Based at 24 Ganton Street, off Carnaby Street, London, W1F 7QF. (Nearest tube Oxford Circus). (www.sherrys.co.uk)
WOW RETRO is a vintage clothing shop with two premises at 10-14 Mercer Street and 179 Drury Lane. (Nearest tube to both is Covent Garden.) They stock second hand leather clothing, biker gear and boots and claim to have a turnover of 500 kg of leather a month. Open Monday to Friday from 11:30am to 6:30pm, Saturday from 11am to 7pm and Sunday from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. (www.wowretro.co.uk)
Specialist fetish retail outlets in London include:
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Fetish retailers selling online/ by appointment only include:
Tattoo Parlours and Body Piercing Studios:
I'm often asked to recommend tattoo parlours and piercing studios in London. Not being inked or pierced myself I don't feel qualified to do so. However, in June 2005 Boyz magazine covered the subject and included the following websites in their article: COLD STEEL ... DIAMOND JACKS ... HAPPY SAILOR ... INTO YOU ... and PRIMITIVE ORIGINS.
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*RECOMMENDED* THE HOIST has been running for 12 years and is housed under two brick railway arches on South Lambeth Road, although only one arch is open as a bar. The club is 3 minutes walk from exit 1 of Vauxhall tube station. Once you've left the station turn right and walk under the railway bridge, turn right again and walk along the main road and the Hoist is about 100 metres along on the right hand side. If you walk a bit further there's also a mini-cab office on the corner, but this is quite expensive. (A black cab to Shepherds Bush from the Hoist is £21 and the minicab service is £27.)
The Hoist dresscode is billed as "leather, rubber, industrial and uniform" but in practice it seems to be "butch clothes and boots". You can gain entry in fetish wear, skinhead gear, army surplus, even plain jeans and boots - but not if you're wearing trainers/ sneakers, fashion jeans or Hawaiian print shirts. There's an excellent leather store run by FETISH FREAK upstairs in the arch next door. THE HOIST is closed Monday to Wednesday. Open on the 3rd Thursday of the month for SM Gays from 8pm to midnight. Open every Friday from 10pm to 3am; Saturday from 10pm to 4am; and Sunday from 10pm to 2am. Entry prices vary from £5 to £12 depending on the night in question and whether you're a member. Annual membership costs £30. (www.thehoist.co.uk) |
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THE BACKSTEET (www.thebackstreet.com) has been running for over 22 years at Wentworth Mews, off Burdett Road. Nearest tube Mile End. Open Thursdays 10pm - 2:30am (members free, guests £3); Fridays and Saturdays 10pm - 3am (members free before 10:45pm, £3 after; guests £6); Sundays 11pm - 1am (members £2, guests £4). Annual membership costs £15. Free entry on Friday nights for those wearing tall boots and on Saturday nights for those wearing only rubber. Backstreet is smaller than the Hoist but has a strict dresscode of full leather or rubber. Popular with guys who own Langlitz jackets, breeches or are members of BLUF. (For details of BLUF events at Backstreet go to www.roughsex.org/bluf/)
One of our friends says: "Backstreet runs a STRICT DRESS CODE of Leather or Rubber only so there are no fluffies or trainers to be seen. The atmosphere is laid back and the decor's horny. Note though that boots hanging from the ceiling make an obstacle course for anyone over 6'2". There are two distinct areas. The first is around the bar for talking and chilling out. The other is down 'the back' where oil drums and half walls segregate off a darkened cruising area. Unlike the bars in Amsterdam there are also changing facilities available." You can order a taxi home from the club before you leave, and staff will wait until your taxi has arrived.
FETISH NIGHTS AT NON-LEATHER VENUES:
There are two gay pubs both called CENTRAL STATION in London: one at 37 Wharfdale Road, Kings Cross, N1 and the other in Walthamstow. The one at Kings Cross hosts different fetish nights throughout the week in its basement bar, including:
Alan Roberts runs a variety of fetish clubs, including the MA1 CLUB (www.ma1club.com) and CLUB CP (www.clubcp.com) - check websites for details. He's also the manager of the MA1 BAR on the top floor of Central Station, Kings Cross, which has a variety of themed nights and a CP club called DETENTION on Saturday afternoons. (Info on the MA1 BAR at www.ma1club.com)
GUMMI (www.gummi.org.uk) is a social club for people who like wearing rubber and has been running for 15 years. Gummi dresscode is one major item of rubber and no trainers. They meet on the 2nd Sunday of the month from 6:30pm to Midnight at Central Station, Kings Cross. Entry fee £6 or £5 for members, (membership costs £10).
D.C.D. ("Dress Code Discount") is held on Monday nights from 8pm until 2am downstairs at Central Station, Kings Cross. Nearest tube Kings Cross. If you turn up in leather, rubber, army or skin-gear dress code admission is £3, otherwise it's £5 entry. (www.dcd3582.com)
BOOT CAMP is held every Tuesday at EAGLE LONDON, 349 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall. (Nearest tube Vauxhall). Bootshine and cropshop available. Open 9pm to 2am. Free entry before 10pm, £2 entry after for Eagle members, £3 for guests. Fetish dresscode encouraged but not required. (www.eaglelondon.com)
CHARIOTS STREATHAM SAUNA runs a "Tattoos and Bikers" day every Thursday from noon to 2am. The sauna is at the rear of 292 Streatham High Road, London, SW16. Entry is £11, or £9 for any bike club or leather club member. Chariots runs six saunas (from largest to smallest) in Shoreditch, Vauxhall, Waterloo, Limehouse, Streatham and Farringdon. For more information on all Chariots saunas go to www.gaysauna.co.uk (click on "Chariots. Streatham" for info on the tattoos and bikers day.)
XTREME runs every Friday from 9pm to 3am at the London Bridge Arches, 53 Southwark Street, SE1, (next to a chocolate restaurant). Nearest tube and overground train station is London Bridge. Free entry. Dress code of leather, rubber, skin, uniform or industrial. No plain jeans or trainers. (http://xxl-xtreme.com)
MSC LONDON is a social club for gay men into leather, motorbikes and other fetish clothing, including rubber, uniforms, boots, skinhead gear and sports kit. The club meets on the 3rd Friday of each month from 9pm at The Morpeth Arms (upstairs) 58 Millbank, London, SW1P 4RW before moving on to the Hoist at 11pm. (www.msclondon.co.uk)
EAGLE LONDON is the new name for SOUTH CENTRAL pub in Vauxhall (which also used to be called DUKES). It's a men only cruise bar which hosts BOOTCAMP on Tuesday nights and TONKER on Fridays. Location: 349 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, SE11. Nearest tube Vauxhall. (www.eaglelondon.com)
TORTURE GARDEN (mixed sex) is a mixed gay/ bi/ straight, male/ female fetish club night. Their aim is "to create an environment which accepts and encourages individualism, diversity and free self expression." To this end they utilise different London venues, including The Ministry of Sound, The Complex, Mass, The Scala and The Imperial gardens. (www.torturegarden.com)
SKIN TWO (mixed sex) is a monthly fetish magazine that's been running for 20 years. They also organise an annual Rubber Ball Weekend in London. (www.skintworubberball.com)
There are other non-leather venues which publicise cruise nights, (such as THE FORT, TED'S PLACE, THE MAN BAR, PLAY PIT etc.), so check the gay press for details while you are here. A few of our friends have visited THE FORT said it was sleazy (in a bad way) and best avoided. However, two readers of this page have said that although the Fort is run down "that's all part of its natural charm." The FALLEN ANGEL in Walthamstow is quite "leather-friendly" though as far as we know they don't put on specialist leather dress code nights.
If you like to meet leathermen outdoors you might want to go to HAMPSTEAD HEATH. A reader of this page emailed in June 2003 to say: "The Heath is a couple of miles from the centre of London and is alive all through the night, right up until dawn, 365 days a year. You get quite a few leather bikers riding through the area, more at night. They tend to be in the Lower Heath area rather than up by Jack Straws Castle. There are some risks: the occasional pickpocket, an odd gang of bored bashers, perhaps even a police patrol from time to time. Most people get to the Heath (and home) by foot, by taxi (lots of cabbies call in during their shifts; a trip from central London should cost no more than £10), by tube (Hampstead on the Northern Line is closest, then follow the traffic up the hill; last tube leaves Hampstead around 12:30am), by bus (the all-night bus stops right by Jack Straws Castle), or by car. Don't worry too much about wearing your leathers in public: most locals are well used to seeing leathermen wandering in the area. I always prefer go to the Heath by motorcycle, and lots of other leathermen do the same. The Heath is large, so be sure you check where to go on a map before you head out."
Another leatherman emailed in May 2006 to add "If you come by car you can either park in Templewood Avenue or Reddington Rd at the junction with West Heath Rd. You can also park along the kerb in West Heath Road and step straight onto the Heath. JACK STRAWS is not the car park or entry point anymore. If you come by train note that Hampstead Heath Station is not near the Heath. Don't worry if you get stuck on the Heath without transport, because there is a NIGHT BUS stop at Whitestone Pond, which has been transporting guys through the night from Hampstead Heath for many a year, and is well accustomed to taking on guys in full kit." Someone else said that there are good maps of the area at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/living_environment/open_spaces/hampstead_heath.htm
THE COLEHERNE PUB in Earl's Court used to be London's largest and oldest leather/ denim bar. For decades it was many people's first experience of the leather scene. Then it was refurbished in the 90's and again in 2001 with the aim of "making a break from the past" and renamed "the new Coleherne Music Bar". I don't know any leathermen who go there now.
FIRST TIME ON THE LEATHER SCENE?
Click here for some advice.
London is rapidly becoming the bear capital of Europe with new bear pubs and clubs opening every month. The main reason for this is the enormous success of XXL. Because of the speed at which club nights are changing it may be best to check the official website rather than relying on my guide to keep up. None of the following has a dress-code policy, although most of them are "men-only":
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Over the next May bank holiday weekend XXL will be running BEAR PRIDE, from 23rd to 25th May 2008. (www.bearpride.co.uk)
The Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill received Royal Assent on 8th May 2008. Sections 62 to 65 of the Bill make it an offence for someone in the UK to be in possession of "extreme pornography" - making no distinction between real or staged acts, or between those which are consensual versus non-consensual. BACKLASH is a coalition of organisations and individuals who are lobbying against this law. For more information please visit www.backlash-uk.org.uk
It is also illegal in the U.K. to engage in any activities for sexual pleasure which result in injuries more than "transient or trifling". Even a lovebite (hickey) is technically illegal. THE SPANNER TRUST is campaigning hard to change the law but they need money to do so. Please click here to make a donation (in UK Pounds, US Dollars or Euros) or click here to visit their website.
The following clubs are MEN ONLY:
BOYZ AND SIRS is a CP club which meets every Saturday from 2pm to 7pm at the Hoist in Vauxhall. Nearest tube Vauxhall. Membership £7.50. Entry £6. (www.naughtylee.co.uk/boyzandsirs.htm)
CLUB CP meets every Thursday, and on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Saturdays of each month from 7pm to 11pm at Central Station, Kings Cross. Nearest tube Kings Cross. Entry £6. No dresscode or membership fees. (www.clubcp.com)
FEET ON FRIDAY meets on the 3rd Friday of the month and FEET MEET on the 1st Saturday of the month from 7pm to 11pm at Central Station, Kings Cross. Nearest tube Kings Cross. Entry £5. No dresscode. (www.feetonfriday.com and www.feetmeet.co.uk)
SM GAYS is a non-for-profit social and educational group for gay men interested in consensual, sexual SM. The group has been meeting since 1981, is unfunded and run by volunteers. They hold "Discovery Nights" at the Hoist on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 8pm - midnight, which attract up to 300 guys. There is a £5 door charge for Hoist nights to cover administration costs, (£3 concessions), and no dress code. (www.smgays.org)
S.O.P. (Streams of Pleasure) is a club for yellow enthusiasts. They meet at Central Station, Kings Cross every Tuesday from 7pm to 2am, on the 1st and 2nd Sunday of each month from 1pm to 6:30pm, and all other Sundays from 1pm to midnight. Entry is £5. There is no dress code. Some people wear jeans and t-shirts, some wear footy kit, jogging bottoms and trainers, underwear or speedos, or leather or rubber. (www.clubsop.co.uk)
(Page last updated 10th May 2008)
Other pages: John's Guide to Gran Canaria ... John's IML website
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