Sadiq Khan calls for the Royal Vauxhall Tavern to be protected from developers
The Mayor of London is urging Lambeth council to grant the Royal Vauxhall Tavern special planning designation to prevent a chance of use, the Evening Standard reports.
Sadiq Khan said, “I urge Lambeth council to do everything it can to help the Tavern to continue to thrive as an LGBT destination.”
“Protecting London’s LGBT venues is an integral part of my plans to grow London’s cultural sector – one of my core priorities as Mayor. For more than half a century, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern has been an icon of LGBT performance, helping members of an often vulnerable community to take pride in their identity, and enriching London as a whole.”
He continued, “The recent tragedy in Orlando is a terrible reminder that the struggle for acceptance amongst the LGBT community is ongoing. And London’s response to the tragedy, where communities congregated in and around LGBT venues to show their solidarity demonstrates how crucial venues like the Royal Vauxhall Tavern are to the city’s social and cultural infrastructure.”
Amy Lamé, the chairwoman of the RVT Future pressure group, said, “We’re thrilled to have Sadiq’s support and we urge any other friends of the RVT to submit evidence to the council.”
Lambeth council leader, Lib Peck, said, “The RVT is too important to be considered simply as real estate asset. We stand ready to do whatever is within our powers to ensure its survival as a key LGBT venue.”
The RVT was built in 1863 and last year it was granted Grade II listed status.
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