Gay venues move out of the West end due to high rents
Two of Soho’s most popular gay venues are moving out Soho due to “soaring rents.”
Trash Palace and Ghetto will both be moving this month and reopening in Old Street in December 2008.
Club spokespeople have expressed the view that three distinct gay scenes are developing in the capital.
Trash Palace will be reopened above the new Ghetto venue, and so the two will be linked for club nights.
Trash Palace’s Tommy Moss spoke of changes to the London gay clubbing scene and the economic pressures on today’s gay venues. He said:
“We’re sorry to be leaving Soho, but soaring rents and dwindling venues are really killing the heart of London.
“Luckily London has a new exciting heart out East, where let’s face it, all the best stuff happens these days.
“In fact Ghetto and Trash Palace’s move marks the defining moment in London’s gay history.
“From December 2008 the city will have 3 clearly defined gay villages, which is no bad thing.
“[There will be] Soho for the Tourists and mainstream, Vauxhall for the late night sweaty dance clubs and The East End for the arty, studenty, wacky, weird and cutting edge stuff.
“So you know where Ghetto and Trash Palace fit into the picture; east east, east.”
There have been other changes to the Soho gay scene in the past few months.
In August, G-A-Y franchise owner Jeremy Joseph announced that the company had bought HEAVEN nightclub, Charing Cross, where G-A-Y would be moving.
G-A-Y had been held at The Astoria for 15 years, but had to move as the venue is about to be demolished to make way for the Crossrail project and a redevelopment of Tottenham Court Road station.
Mr Joseph retains ownership of the G-A-Y brand.He told clubbing blog dicscodamaged:
“I’m proud and excited that I can now confirm that G-A-Y is the new owners of HEAVEN Nightclub.
“Together it is 44 years of gay history.
“After years of being competition to each other, the world’s best known gay club becomes
the home to the world’s most famous gay club night.
“Despite much speculation about the future of Heaven, it is my priority to make sure not only will Heaven be the new home for G-A-Y, but also to continue the success of other nights, allowing Heaven to be a diverse venue, making it’s Britain’s best gay club.”
