Gay Bar in Dulwich? (Lounged)

[mattindulwich18]

My second posting in two days. I just wanted to know what people would think if a gay bar opened in Lordship Lane, is there room for one? with the promixity to Vauxhall many guys go there, many guys go to the centre or many just drink in local watering holes. The question is would a gay bar work in Dulwich or not? I would like to see one personally.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Far too edgy for LL - why not Camberwell?

[mattindulwich18]

Yeah thats a good one!!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Matt

This has been raised before and generally became more of an issue than it needed to be. I'd post a link but the search function is being uncooperative at the mo

Basically - a lot of straight people said most of the bars are gayfriendly, why be all exclusive? And then lots of gay people said straight people wouldn't understand

But I reckon the reality is shown up by the Rainbow Drinks threads that pop up from time to time. Basically, someone tries to arrange a booze up for gay people in the area... and then it never happens because about 2 people respond. Which doesn't bode well for anyone thinking of opening a gay bar I would say

[Brendan]

Although the rainbow drinks thing is exclusively ED forum people. As ED is now a destination in the evening for people from other areas of SE London a gay bar may draw people from surrounding areas. I?m assuming that if you go south from ED there isn?t much in the way of gay bars until you hit Brighton.

So perhaps, if you build it they will come.

[PeckhamRose]

I like inclusivity. Including trying to read the sign language of the deaf people I see in pubs in Lordship Lane sometimes.

If all pubs and bars are gay friendly (and I think in ED they seem to be) what's the problem? Bars and pubs are having a seriously bad time at the moment and they need to be attractive to everyone. I like the idea of going into a pub and seeing all sorts of people in there, except, of course, screaming kids.... (FHT the other night)! If a gay bar means screaming kids are absent I'll go in there too/instead ;)

[Strawbs]

I would definitely like to see a gay bar but not a gay bar primarily focused at gay men (which a lot of them are) it would need to be for all of us.. There are quite a few rainbow flag wavers in ED and surrounding and I think it would be good custom.

Most lezzas I know in need of a drink around ED go to the Rye as its owned by gay people and is uber gay friendly..

[MitchK]

Why do gays need their own pubs nowadays? Just go to a normal pub like everyone else.

[Brendan]

Yeah! We?ve given these gays enough quarter haven?t we? While we?re at it: There are bars in London where they play loud music and are full of people with long hair. Why are they being exclusive, can?t they just go down the Mason?s Arms like everyone else. Also there are pubs that are exclusively dedicated to football. Hasn?t society reached a point where football fans can go to normal pubs with everyone else?

Have their own bars indeed. What?s next, antenatal classes exclusively for women? Synagogues exclusively for Jews?

[*Bob*]

I think this 'one' has already been done to death on a number of occasions.

Essentially, The Rye is already 'it', or it is 'it' as much as it needs to be, which isn't much.

I don't think there's a market on Lordship Lane for a Jocks and Boots night with a darkroom and a free packet of Boys Own. not just yet anyway.

[mattindulwich18]

I have to say I agree in part with some of the postings but Lordship Lane on a weekend or Thurs night can be very straight and I see this in general with the EDT, Black Cherry and the other bar which I cannot remember on the corner. The Rye is probarly the most gay friendly of the bars in the area though.

[NunheadGirl]

GO FOR IT. I'd love somewhere to go locally where I could slap on some glitter and dance to Abba all night...seriously! OK, I suspect that isn't the kind of bar you are thinking of, and I have to put my hand up and admit I've not been out in ED for some time due to being in the 'starting a family zone', but the last time I did manage to totter out in high heels I was seriously up for a boogie at the end of the night and as far as I could tell in my slightly tipsy state there wasn't anywhere local to do that.....

Amanda

[Jimbob]

the old casablanca later known as cafe baa and the village vine which was on ed grove just before mini-holland was at one time a gay establishment, i frequented it as the only non-gay in the village mainly because i lived more or less opposite it and in less enlightened times one could drink there until the wee hours, but it never did much business whether that was due to location of a lack of suitable cliental i dont know.

[caro ed]

Nunhead girl, I'm with you on there not being anywhere for a proper dance in ED... any mileage in one opening or would all the residents be up in arms about late night noise/lager louts etc etc??

[candj]

I think it's a great idea and look forward to seeing this happen. I promise not to bring the kiddies! ;-)

[ratty]

There's a use for the Vale!

[Louisa]

It's all very well straight people suggesting that the gay community should just come into a straight dominated environment and enjoy what is already on offer, but I have a young nephew who still feels uncomfortable in a 'non' gay environment because he cannot be himself and finds that people will laugh at him or treat him as a novelty. Maybe all the gay bars should become straight friendly, let's see the straight workmen and estate agents go flocking in on a friday night to soak up the lively atmosphere and feel isolated and ridiculed - oh no hang on, i forgot, most gay people are more than welcoming to everyone so it wouldnt make any difference in a gay bar would it?

Louisa.

[Cassius]

Not sure how welcoming the Vauxhall Tavern would be if my partner and I popped in there for a quick drink!

[*Bob*]

Louisa,

Have you been to many gay clubs then Louisa?

Obviously not. Some of them don't even allow women in.

[Brendan]

Cassius Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Not sure how welcoming the Vauxhall Tavern would

> be if my partner and I popped in there for a quick

> drink!

Why would you want to?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Well I've never had a problem as a straight bloke with any female I've ever gone with

"Why would you want to?" - Well, you could imagine with questions like that why some gay people might not feel welcome in a straight bar - not that I think you meant any offence Brendan

[Louisa]

The supposedly gay venues you talk of may well have been the norm when you were a young man Bob (let's hazard a rough guess at thirty plus years ago), but the gay scene is not so shrouded in mystery these days, and I have been on nights out with gay friends and my nephew on Compton Street, Canal Street, in Birmingham and other smaller venues where EVERYONE is allowed through the door and made to feel very welcome with no trouble, fisty cuffs or judgmental people. If you have been to G-A-Y Astoria before you will be well aware that anyone and everyone goes there and people get along perfectly well. I canot say the same of some of the straight venues I have been to where young gay men in particular are often made to feel unwelcome and ridiculed. Is it any wonder so many men only gay venues popped up in the early days if that was the normal attitude of most straight people at the time?

Louisa.

[Brendan]

What I meant Sean was that if a place chooses to have an exclusively gay policy. Because they don?t want hordes of straight people flocking there as it?s the ?cool? thing to do and ruining the scene. Why would you not just accept and respect that.

[*Bob*]

Louisa,

Sorry to disappoint you but;

a) I'm 35

b) half my friends are gay

c) (as a result of (a) and (b) I go to gay clubs and bars quite a lot.

Your idea of 'the Gay scene' as being embodied by G-A-Y at the Astoria is most quaint.

[Ted Max]

Fisty cuffs? Sounds fun.