Another London gay pub is facing the threat of closure
The capital's LGBTQ scene could be set to suffer yet another blow.
By Will Stroude
Yet another of the capital’s gay venues is facing closure – this time, in east London.
The Victoria pub in Walthamstow (on Hoe Street, no less) has come under immediate threat after Waltham Forest Council announced plans to redevelop the site.
The move comes depsite the popular bar being listed as a celebrated Waltham Forest cultural hotspot under Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s ‘Borough of Culture’ initiative.
The survival of The Victoria, which regularly hosts cabaret, karaoke and quiz nights led by some of London’s best drag talent, now depends on the support of the community as the council prepares to hear their views this Friday (10 January, 3:30pm-7:30pm) and Saturday (11 January 10:30am-2:30pm) at the adjoining Welcome to the Forest Bar.
They are trying to close our LGBTQI Bar down ! .
If you would like to see The Victoria stay as a pub come & share your views with the council, who are trying to close us down, at Welcome to the Forest Bar on
Friday 10th Jan 3:30-7:30pm & Saturday 11th Jan 10:30am-2:30pm https://t.co/cfYiov8N2Z— Gay Walthamstow (@gaywalthamstow) December 30, 2019
Should their efforts fail, The Victoria could become the latest LGBTQ casualty to gentrification in London – something which recently claimed popular (if controversial) men-only club XXL, which closed last September after the site was sold to developers.
London LGBTQ venues that have closed since 2014 alone include The Black Cap and Her Upstairs in Camden, The Joiner’s Arms in Hackney, Barcode in Vauxhall, The George and Dragon in Shoredtich, and Soho hotspots Molly Moggs, Shadow Lounge, Manbar, Madame Jojo’s and The Green Carnation.
Attitude has approached the Mayor of London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé for comment.