Show your support for the LGBTQ+ community this Pride month and beyond by paying a visit to these brilliant businesses.
June has arrived in a blaze of glorious sunshine which means, alongside the start of official British summertime, that it’s now Pride month.
It’s a time when LGBTQ+ people come together to celebrate the progress made towards equality, raise awareness of the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and celebrate in the spirit of love, friendship and solidarity.
It’s also an opportunity for allies to respectfully show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. In the present moment, this is more important than ever. The Covid-19 crisis has exposed and intensified systemic inequalities for the community, with LGBTQ+ people reporting worsening mental health, financial difficulties, increasing risk of domestic abuse, homelessness and isolation.
Although the pandemic put many Pride festivities on hold for the past couple of years, the LGBTQ+ scene remains vibrant and resilient. And while we look ahead to the return of the Pride in London parade, which also marks the 50th anniversary since the first Pride took place in the UK, there are still a great many spaces around the capital that offer LGBTQ+ people a place for expression, connection, and celebration. These venues are an invaluable resource for the community, and provide safe havens where people can be their true authentic selves, if only for a little while. And they deserve our support; not just in June, but all year long.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of businesses that are run by and for the LGBTQ+ community. From friendly pubs to independent bookshops, every pound spent at these brilliant venues helps ensure the survival of LGBTQ+ culture. Use it a starting point to explore London, and if you feel so inspired, seek out more LGBTQ+ businesses as you go –we promise there are plenty more out there.
Gay’s the Word
Nestled in the middle of Marchmount Street on the edge of Bloomsbury is the pioneering Gay’s the Word, the oldest LGBTQ+ bookshop in the UK. Established in 1979, it stocks an unparalleled range of queer literature, as well as hosting regular literary events, meetings and discussion groups.
If the bookshop looks familiar, you might well have spotted it in the 2014 Pride, which chronicled the story of the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners activist movement. A friendly, welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community, it’s frequented by everyone from tentative teenagers questioning their identity and tourists tracing gay history, to local supporters who keep the beloved bookshop thriving through good times and bad.
Over the years, Gay’s the Word has fought off rent increases, charges of indecency by customs officers, falling print sales and acts of vandalism to keep its doors open. Despite the difficulties, it remains a sanctuary for LGBTQ+ customers, who can browse the shelves in a space that truly embraces them.
Dalston Superstore
Alongside its diverse programme of special ticketed events, Dalston Superstore is also open during the day for leisurely food and drinks – and if you’re looking for a hangover cure, then the popular Drag Brunch, which sees a variety of brilliant local entertainers serve up a smorgasbord of games, quizzes, shows and prizes every weekend, is definitely not to be missed.
Sh! Women’s Erotic Emporium
The first and only erotic boutique in the UK for and by women, Sh! Women’s Emporium was founded in 1992 as an antidote to the male-dominated sex industry of the time. As it’s rooted in women’s sexual empowerment, it’s anything but sleazy: think well-informed staff, a warm atmosphere, and a soundtrack of the biggest female pop singers past and present.
Not only is the boutique staffed by women, but Sh! also stocks a collection of handmade artisan sex toys, designed and created in their London studio. The team also run a host of educational talks and workshops, allowing women to explore aspects of their sexuality in a safe environment. That being said, everyone is welcome to visit – and if you need further persuasion, it sits within a lovely East London café, so you can have coffee and cake on your trip.
The Glory
Along the riverside on Kingsland Road is The Glory, a mainstay of east London’s LGBTQ+ scene. Owned by drag legends Jonny Woo and John Sizzle, it’s a cosy cavalry pub with a well-stocked bar. But downstairs in the basement, it’s a fabulous LGBTQ+ performance venue, hosting everything from drag shows ands DJ nights to cabaret and comedy.
The Glory is well-known for creating a safe space for up-and-coming talent as well as welcoming established performers into the fold. It’s here that you’ll find one of London’s biggest drag contests LipSync1000!, a regular salon hosted by original 80s Blitz kid Princess Julia, as well as a range of monthly variety shows and themed club nights. Prepare to be entertained.
Open Barbers
In need of a haircut? Consider Open Barbers, an inclusive salon catering to people of all genders, sexualities and hair types. As a social enterprise, services are offered on a sliding scale based on what customers are able to afford, welcoming everyone with a queer and trans friendly attitude.
The salon space is open to visitors with free wifi, refreshments and a ‘zine library. They also host a range of collaborators who deliver additional services and events, such as massage, therapy, and a range of social groups.
The Apple Tree
With LGBTQ+ spaces closing at an alarming rate across the capital in the last few years, the arrival of The Apple Tree in 2018 was a rare bright spot for the community.
Tucked away on Mount Pleasant between Farringdon and King’s Cross (with a pop-up on Clerkenwell Green while the main venue is being refurbished), the independently owned pub is a welcome space for the LGBTQ+ community and those “living an alternative lifestyle”. It’s got a laidback, neighbourhood vibe that’s distinctly different from other LGBTQ+ pubs, with plenty of comfy furniture, homemade beverages and quirky, colourful touches.
They’re more just a pub, too, hosting workshops and events such as body positive life painting, immersive theatre performances, open mic nights, drag cabarets and monthly queer clothes swaps. There’s also a number of rooms to hire, as well as networking and co-working spaces.
Images: Getty; Instagram; Gay’s the Word
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