If you’re young and new to the gay scene it can all be a bit daunting, although some venues are better than others as starting points. Matt Newbury takes a stroll down memory lane and takes a peek at a few venues aimed squarely at the youthful gay market. So grab a friend if you can and prepare to hit London's fresh and funky gay scene. In no time at all the gay world will be your oyster and we’ll be calling you Pearl! You go girl.
THE KU BAR
The Ku Bar has been an extremely popular hangout for young gay men for almost a decade, and it’s a great place to start your first forays onto the gay scene. The interior is funky with framed posters on the walls reflecting the type of pop acts who make up the background music . There's a long bar staffed by young beautiful lads, while there's also plenty of comfortable seating and a large screen showing music videos or programmes with gay appeal. We especially like the fact that you can send text messages to a scrolling screen at the front of the bar - great to tell that person you fancy what you think of them!
Upstairs you'll find yet more seating on the mezzanine level, which is perfect for ogling the talent below. In the summer months, seating also spills out onto the pavement outside and is certainly a great spot to enjoy a drink and watch the world go by.
If you’re counting the pennies, the venue does a great range of 10 different drinks for just £1.50 from Sunday to Thursday. Look out for posters on the back of the bar for other cheap drinks including jugs of cocktails, like Sex On The Beach, which are often on special offer – and don’t forget the house specialities - Blow Jobs. You and your dirty mind! They are actually creamy alcoholic shots, but you never know, they might set you up for the real thing later.
The Ku Bar is a real community, so make sure you visit their website where you can leave messages for anyone you fancy, and even make new friends before you go down to the bar for the night.
75 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0NE www.ku-bar.co.uk
THE G-A-Y BAR
"Gonna take you to a G-A-Y Bar, G-A-Y Bar, G-A-Y Bar." Certainly the new kid on the block, The G-A-Y Bar has only been running for just over a year, but has already made a huge impact on the gay scene. The first thing you’ll notice is that it is very purple, and then you’ll notice video screens and projectors everywhere. The venue is famed for its video jukebox which is linked to all the screens, so expect to enjoy an aural and visual feast of the history of pop from the last 30 years. Next you’ll notice the handsome bar staff, and then that the place is full of young and cute guys and girls all up for a fantastic night out.
The G-A-Y Bar bucked the trend for venues over charging gay customers and taking advantage of the pink pound, and there are constant special offers running. The Naughty Nines offer runs from Sunday to Thursday with an amazing range of, yes you’ve guessed it, nine drinks for just £1.60. They also have regular promotions associated with the main acts over at the G-A-Y Club on a Saturday night, so whenever that artist appears on the screens you will be able to buy cheaper drinks.
Upstairs you’ll find yet more space for cruising and schmoozing, and yet more screens often showing TV programmes of gay interest. The girls might want to check out the basement area which is called ‘Girls Go Down’ and is a special space for lesbians and their friends.
Grab a handful of flyers on your way out of the venue, they will get you discounted entry at the nearby G-A-Y Club, open on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
30 Old Compton Street, London, W1 www.g-a-y.co.uk
THE VILLAGE
It’s hard to believe now, but just over ten years ago Soho was a very different place aimed at a strictly heterosexual adult market with no gay scene at all! The Village led the way in introducing a new bread of gay bars, based on venues in Ibiza. No longer were gay people hiding away in dark alleyways and down dingy staircases but they were being open with large windows where passers-by could look in and see – gasp - gay people who were proud of their sexuality.
Thousands of people have had their first taste of the gay scene inside this venue, including this writer, while the classy interior and friendly vibe make it an ideal starting point for you too. Geographically it’s also ideally located, having entrances on both Wardour and Brewer streets – ideal if you want to lose someone by slipping out the back door!
Loads of celebs have been spotted in their too over the years, including Graham Norton, Take That, Michelle Collins, Boy George and most recently Martine McCutcheon and Jason Donovan dueting to rapturous applause in their now famous Basement Bar karaoke night (every Thursday night).
This area has a Moroccan/Moorish interior and candle-lit booths for those intimate moments, while you’ll also be able to make full-us of the uplifting soundtrack by shaking what you’ve got on the small dance floor. You’ll soon relax, especially if you take advantage of the great drink deals between 4pm and 8pm daily. It’s also worth popping in on Fridays and Saturdays when you might be lucky to get a shot of tequila and a massage from the very cute boys that wander around.
81 Wardour Street, London, W1 www.village-soho.co.uk
THE KUDOS GROUP
The three Kudos venues in London are aimed at a fresh and funky clientele, all boasting those obligatory video screens and dance spaces with some great nightly drink offers to boot.
The Escape Bar in Soho is small but well formed, boasting some of the best cheap drink offers in London. They also host regular theme parties including the now legendary beach party, so keep an eye on the website. Thursdays are always popular when the Crush Bars mean you can enjoy 2-4-1 drinks every time that the week’s featured artist comes on the screen.
Kudos near The Strand has a nightly entertainment programme and is popular amongst the oriental community. The venue serves up a great food menu during the day and is perfect for reading the gay press and planning your evening out, while the downstairs dance bar is a great place to party until the early hours.
Finally for all you Clapham boys and girls, The Kazbar is a great funky venue boasting two levels, outside café-style seating and nightly entertainment including the infamous Thursday Crush Bar. VJs and DJs make it an ideal place to pop along to over the weekend and enjoy some young and friendly company.
Escape Bar: 10A Brewer Street, London, W1R www.kudosgroup.com
Kudos: 10 Adelaide Street, London, WC2 www.kudosgroup.com
Kazbar: 50 Clapham High Street, SW4 www.kudosgroup.com
THE OUTSKIRTS
If you live on the outskirts of London and don’t fancy travelling into West End then rather conveniently there are four venues we can recommend in north, south, east and west London that all boast great entertainment and a friendly welcome. They’re all pub / club venues, meaning you can spend an entire evening there until the early hours and have regular cabaret acts, drink promotions, DJs and dancefloors to keep yourself busy.
The Black Cap in Camden is a firm favourite for North London boys and girls with an incredible history and some great cabaret acts. There’s an outside roof terrace, a large upstairs bar, and a club downstairs that opens right through to 3am on weekends. Check their website for their weekly entertainment programme, which includes drag queens, singers and even strippers.
The Black Cap, 171 Camden High Street, NW1 www.theblackcap.co.uk
The 2 Brewers in Clapham is a sister venue to The Black Cap and boasts both a cabaret bar at the front, and a nightclub at the rear. The team serve food, have great drink promotions, similar entertainment, and club nights taking you through to the early hours. The clientele is young and trendy - as is the interior, which has recently been refurbished.
The 2 Brewers, 114 Clapham High Street, SW4 www.the2brewers.com
If you’re in west London and feeling a bit isolated, West Five on Popes Lane is yet another destination venue hosting quiz nights, cheap drink offers, karaoke parties and full-on club nights at the weekend. There is also an outside garden area, a pool room, a piano bar, and lots of weekly live entertainment.
West 5, Popes Lane, Ealing, W5 www.west-5.com
Finally, east end boys and girls have been drawn to The White Swan for the past 19 years thanks to an amazing range of imaginative entertainment on offer. Go along any night of the week and they’ll have something on. If you want some saucy action you can enjoy a stripper and cheap drinks on a Monday and an amateur strip night on Wednesday. On Friday and Saturday the place is transformed into a nightclub, filled with plenty of young and horny east end totty.
The White Swan, 556 Commercial Road, London, E14 7JD www.bjswhiteswan.com
Want to know more? The why not buy the Spartacus International Gay Guide online and save money while cruising the gay globe.
Have you got any suggestions for starter gay bars? Or perhaps you’ve got an interesting tale to tell about you’re first time out on the scene. Then why not get in touch by emailing feedback@rainbownetwork or leaving your thoughts on the message boards.