7 wild, achingly cool images of new London LGBTQ club night, Hotel @ 49A
“The mission is to resurrect Soho while creating a safe space for a queer crowd that extends beyond just nightlife"
Following years of LGBTQ venue closures in central London, a brand new club night is seeking to bring some Studio 54-style magic to the Soho district – not to mention a “safe space for a queer crowd that extends beyond just the nightlife.” Hotel @ 49A had its inaugural outing at members’ bar Martinez on Greek Street last month, with the follow-up set to take place on Saturday 6 May.
Attendees of the launch included Cruella‘s John McCrea and Sex Education‘s Aimée Lou Wood, plus an array of fabulously (and sometimes barely) dressed LGBTQ scenesters, who danced to a disco house-heavy playlist, from Donna Summer to Jessie Ware.
The next club night – which has a philanthropic mission running parallel to the revelry – runs from 8:30pm 2am, with entry from £12.
“Established queer people rubbing shoulders with the next generation” – Hotel @ 49A’s Kabir Khurana
Organiser Kabir Khurana tells Attitude: “The mission behind Hotel @ 49A is to resurrect Soho while creating a safe space for a queer crowd that extends beyond just the nightlife.
“We want to bring back some glamour and edge to its nightlife, but also provide queer people with a home where they can relax, work and collaborate during the week.
“To have established queer people rubbing shoulders with the next generation. Helping foster new relationships and ideas, that otherwise would never have the chance to blossom.”
Khurna continues: “Our disco nights are open to all but we also offer both three-month free and paid memberships. They enable access to our gracious host venue Martinez from Tuesday to Saturday and guarantee entry to Hotel nights.
“This way, Hotel and the queer community plan to create at Martinez [as] accessible to all, regardless of financial background. Our first round of free memberships were given to cast members from Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club and Six. West End performers are the perfect examples of queer creatives vital to the lifeblood of Soho.”
Khurna furthermore added: “Hotel’s launch truly felt like an amazing start with a huge amount of potential. For a night, Soho felt alive again. With a space where so many amazing people were free to express themselves and have fun.
“Our next night, on 6 May, plans to be even bigger and better than our launch. Think fabulous go-go dancers, DJs and a few surprises…”
The Hotel @ 49A team hope to make the night a once-a-fortnight occurrence, open to all who follow a somewhat strict dress code… Described at OutSavvy as “forbidding pedestrian wear – think fur coat and no knickers.”
The event in collaboration with @drinkclii, a queer-run sparkling wine start up.