LGBT London

London has a thriving LGBT community. The United Kingdom, with London as its capital, frequently features among the top 20 in Europe's Rainbow Index. There is no one "gay village" or LGBT district in the city. Instead, several areas are good destinations for gay and lesbian travel.

Understand
London hosts a major Pride in London event in June or July each year. The event is more than 50 years old. It is one of several pride events in the city - including London Trans+ Pride and UK Black Pride.

EuroPride, a pan-European pride event, began in London in 1992.

There is no one LGBT neighbourhood. Bloomsbury has a rich LGBT history and is home to the UK's oldest LGBT bookshop Gay's the Word, which features in the biopic Pride (2014). Dalston and Soho have thriving pubs and bars, while Vauxhall has a busy night-time scene. Some venues may have age restrictions, often 18+.

Gaydio, a national LGBT radio station, broadcasts in London and is available on DAB digital radio and online. The monthly flyer GayLondonLife offers some knowledge on what is going on.

History
London has been a major LGBT city for many years. The government decriminalised "homosexual acts" between men in England and Wales since 1967. The city launches an official but not legally recognised "partnership register" back in 2001, a prerequisite to legally recognised same-sex partnerships in 2005. Trans people have been able to legally change their gender since 2005. Same-sex couples have been able to marry in England, Wales and Scotland since 2014.

LGBT discrimination in employment was made illegal in 2003. Discrimination in the provision of goods and services on grounds of sexual ordination was made illegal in 2007, while gender identity was included in the all-encompassing Equality Act 2010.

There are two reasons for the unusual mixture of locations in London. Back in the 1970s, the previously residential area in and around Soho quietly transformed in the main adult entertainment quarter of London with sex cinemas, peep shows, sex shops and late-night bars. However, during the 1980s, the local borough council Westminster City Council, started to restrict the number of sex shop licences in the area to fifteen and as such, some LGBT parts were driven out to other boroughs in London.

Secondly, in recent years high rental costs and new redevelopments have put a large damper on places, meaning that some are basically forced out like the city's only leather bar Backstreet which closed in 2022.

Do
Event dates vary year-to-year. Check websites for up-to-date line ups and information.

Money
Of course London is like the rest of the UK, and uses the British pound [GBP] as its currency. Although LGBT people might be interested to know that London-born mathematician and the father of the computer Alan Turing, who was gay and is on the back of the current £50 banknote. Also there has been a 50p piece, designed by non-binary Dominique Holmes celebrating 50 years of pride in 2022. You might be able to find one in a coin collectors shop in the city, as the coin was quite collectable.

Cruise bars
If you would like your drink with sex on the side, there are special cruise bars for that. They have an entrance fee and usually have themed evenings. All only open to those over 18. Note: Sexual activity in the toilets is illegal, and if you are caught you will be thrown out.

Sleep
Under English law, you cannot discriminate against a person based on their sexual ordination or gender identity as they are "protected characteristics" under the Equality Act 2010. This means no hotel or accommodation can refuse you a double bed or even a room if two men or women ask for one. Because of this and other factors, there aren't really any gay hotels in London. However the Grand Central pub (see above in Drink) does have B&B accommodation in the pub.

Stay safe
Homophobic and transphobic attacks are rare but do happen from time-to-time - against men, women and non-binary people. Violence against LGBT people or groups could amount to a "hate crime" in the UK. According to the Metropolitan Police, hate crimes can include physical assault, verbal abuse and incitement to hatred (such as threats against a specific person or group based on their identities).

There are two police forces in London:


 * City of London Police - within The Square Mile (City of London) only
 * Metropolitan Police Service - everywhere else.

The British Transport Police looks after the rail and underground transport network, such as railway stations, tube stations and tube lines.

You can report a crime in progress by calling  or  and asking for the police. This is the emergency line in the UK.

You can report past crimes, or crimes which do not require a police call-out, by calling . There may also be online reporting tools available, such as on the Metropolitan Police website.

If you do not feel safe talking to the police, there are other organisations which you can contact, including:


 * CrimeStoppers to report crime anonymously on  - https://crimestoppers-uk.org/
 * LGBT Foundation to report LGBTphobic hate on  - http://lgbt.foundation/helpline
 * Switchboard for advice and support  - https://switchboard.lgbt/
 * Galop to report LGBT+ domestic violence on  or help@galop.org.uk@undefined - https://galop.org.uk/

Many LGBT pubs are part of the Ask for Clive initiative, which aims to make LGBT pubs safe for LGBT individuals. The idea is that if you feel harassed or discriminated because of your sexuality or gender identity, if you tell a member of staff to "Ask for Clive", they will try and get a trained member of staff to resolve the issue.

Local laws
This isn't a wagging finger at you, but advice on what are the laws while you are here.


 * The age of consent in Great Britain, including London, is 16.
 * The UK has a long history of gross indecency laws which prohibits various sexual acts in public. The latest codification is the Sexual Offences Act 2013 which principally prohibits having sex in public. This law is used also against public cruising and cottaging [having sex in public toilets]. Many pubs have signs telling patrons that only one person is allowed per toilet cubicle.
 * Nightclubs, saunas and pornography-containing sex shops ban entry for under 18s. Bars can allow 14 to 18 years entry, but most voluntarily don't, as it is a condition of their alcohol licence.
 * Although the drinking age is 18, most licensed places operate a system where if you look under 25 or even under 30, you may be asked for your ID to confirm your age. So keep your passport or driving licence with you. If you are staying for a while, for instance being a student, it might be wise to invest in a PASS age verification card. It costs around £15 to £30.
 * Cannabis e.g; ganja, weed, pot, although it is used by certain community members, is an illegal narcotic. If you are caught with a small amount such as a single joint, you would be arrested and likely cautioned [a notice would be put on your criminal record]. Any more, or if you are caught dealing, there is the possibility of fines, imprisonment, or if you're a foreigner, expelled from the country.
 * No business or organisation is allowed to discriminate against you on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, bar a few exceptions under the Equality Act 2010. That means that women can go into gay bars etc, unlike say in Berlin. Despite the current transphobia in the media, trans people have the right to use the same toilet as their gender identity.
 * Prostitution laws in England are rather complicated about what is legal and what is not, so it is best to avoid it in total.
 * Unlike many other countries like Canada, United States and parts of Mainland Europe; poppers [alkyl nitrite] are legal in the UK and are widely available in sex shops.

Respect
Most gay cafés, bars and nightclubs have a tolerant and welcoming attitude towards straight people visiting them, and your straight friends are unlikely to be turned away. Nevertheless the behaviour of a number of hen parties [bachelorette parties] have made many of them turn away groups of women. If you do get a hen party nearby and they become boisterous, notify the bar or security staff.

Stay healthy
The NHS is the public health provider in London. If you have travel insurance, you may also be entitled to use private hospitals.

If you are in a "life or death" emergency or require an urgent ambulance, you can dial  or  , and ask for the ambulance.

If you need urgent health advice and are not sure where to turn, even overnight, phone NHS .

You can walk into Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments throughout London if you require urgent assistance. Pharmacies may be able to help with minor ailments. You can find a database of all NHS dispensing pharmacies here.

Sexual health
Some organisations distribute free condoms or lube at pubs, bars, nightclubs and saunas. You can purchase condoms or lube at most supermarkets and almost all pharmacies.

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is free on the NHS in London. This is a medium-term method of HIV prevention, not a one-off "fix" like condoms.

Sexual Health London offers home testing for people living in London. The website offers advice for people who need sexual health advice throughout London.

If you have had unprotected sex and you need PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) to protect yourself against a potential HIV infection, you can walk in to most sexual health centres. You can also get PEP from Accident and Emergency clinics at large hospitals after an assessment or screening.

Rape and sexual assault survivors can also walk in to most sexual health centres or Accident and Emergency.

You can contact Switchboard for advice and support on  or at https://switchboard.lgbt/

There are several specialist sexual health clinics includingː


 * in Soho which has dedicated services for trans and non-binary people, people who use chems, men who have sex with men, and the wider LGBT community. Some services are walk-in, for example, if you need PEP or if you have been sexually assaulted. Other services may require a booking.
 * (34 Dean Street) in Soho for short, quick appointments.
 * in Bloomsbury, which has a dedicated service for men who have sex with men.
 * in Whitechapel with limited opening for men who have experienced historic sexual abuse, sexual assault or rape

Disabled LGBT
See also: Travellers with disabilities

Unfortunately, LGBT people who have disabilities will have a hard time in London. Many venues are based in the basements such as Vault 139 or She Soho, or are in old buildings so as such they have a lot of stairs or steps. Many don’t have lifts like the Duke of Wellington. A lot of venues do not have accessible toilets such as Compton’s or Admiral Duncan. Many pubs and nightclubs have loud music and bad acoustics, which can be problematic for those on the autistic spectrum or those with hearing problems.

Connect
London is well served on most mobile and 5G networks, including EE, O2, Three and Vodafone.

Most cafés and bars offer free WiFi. Check with each venue if you are unsure.

Go next

 * Brighton, with very regular fast trains to and from London, has a thriving LGBT scene - including nightclubs and club nights, shops and a calendar of events
 * Manchester's Gay Village, with its famous Canal Street, features a set of popular bars and clubs
 * Paris' 4th arrondissement is an LGBT hotspot with plenty of bars and nightclubs, and is just a few hours away by train from St Pancras International