Famed astronaut Katy Perry has joined others voicing their despair at the news that London’s G-A-Y bar has closed its doors.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the famous venue in the heart of Soho was shutting its doors so that its owner, Jeremy Joseph, could focus his business around its nighclub sister venue, G-A-Y at Heaven. On Monday (13 October), he posted on Instagram that the bar had now shut and he’d handed over the keys.
The closure was met with a wave of sadness from LGBTQ+ people, many of whom had enjoyed some of their earliest nights out at the venue, as well as from drag queens and performers who had passed through.
Now, footage has emerged of “Dark Horse” singer Perry expressing her dismay. In a video taken from her show at the O2 Arena, in London, on Monday night, she asked: “Did they say that G-A-Y was shutting down? That G-A-Y shut down? The club? Here?”
@abbielily_ long live g-a-y #katyperry #lifetimestour #lifetimestourlondon #gay #club ♬ original sound – Abbie
When it was confirmed, she said: “They shut down the gays, how dare [they]?” which brought a loud cheer from the audience.
“We’ll just bring the gays here,” she added. “They can’t shut us up, we’ll just get louder and more homosexual.”
Earlier this month, Joseph explained that the closure came about partly as a result of a rent review for Heaven. While it had gone in his favour, it was still a big enough increase to mean having to shut G-A-Y.
In a lengthy post, he also lamented that Old Compton Street had “lost that LGBT identity.” He put G-A-Y up for sale in January.
The latest closure follows that of G-A-Y Late, which Joseph announced in 2023, citing a spike in attacks on customers and staff as well as increased building and development works in the area.
It also follows the loss of The Glory, in East London, although the opening of The Divine has filled that void. Meanwhile, community groups have fought to reopen historic venues such as The Black Cap, In Camden, and The Joiners Arms, in Tower Hamlets.
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