He said the atmosphere was fun and welcoming and “when you hear our crowd singing a Lady Gaga song it sounds like you are at Twickenham ”. There are people who haven’t come out who will go there because it is a safe zone.” We are one of the few venues serving the 30-plus community.
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“It is like we have been socially cleansed of LGBT venues.
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Although the operators of XXL discussed some initial ideas with us, it is too early to consider any specific proposals for the cultural element of the development.“It was the only LGBT bar or venue left in Southwark,” said James McNeil, who co-runs the club. Native Land and its investor partners are implementing this element of the development in line with the original consent, to create new office, retail and cultural uses and a public thoroughfare.”įat Tony has said that the club “wouldn’t go down without a fight”, but unless the planning permission for the redevelopment of the club is overturned, or the developers offer another solution, the last “bear” club in London will be closing its doors for the last time in three months.Ī spokesperson for Native Land said: "We have yet to agree the cultural strategy for the overall Sampson House and Ludgate House redevelopment, which will need to be approved by Southwark Council. The redevelopment of the arches currently occupied by Pulse is part of a planning consent secured by the previous site owners Carlyle in 2014, and the plans for those arches remain unchanged since that consent was granted. James McNeil, co-runner of the club, and Mark Ames had proposed an LGBTQ cultural venue in the development but the plan was turned down, leading them to question whether the nationality of investors had affected decision making, given that attitudes towards homosexuality in Malaysia and Singapore (where the two main investors are based) are vastly different from those in the UK – with gay sex being illegal in both nations.Ī spokesperson for Native Land and its partner investors said: “This is absolutely not the case. "The two tenants of the arches, UBM and A&M Leisure (which runs Pulse Nightclub), have been fully aware of the development proposals since 2014 and neither objected to the existing planning application at time of submission." There will also be extensive new public space and new east-west pedestrian routes, with the approved plans opening up the existing railway arches to connect Tate Modern, the South Bank and the existing local transport hubs. The consented redevelopment will open up a previously inaccessible quarter of Bankside to the public, delivering a mix of offices, independent shops, three cultural venues, apartments and a minimum of £65m of affordable housing for Southwark.
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The club’s arches are set to be made into independent shops and undecided cultural uses, according to Native Land.Ī spokesperson for Native Land said: “Native Land and its partners acquired Sampson House and Ludgate House in 2015 with a full planning consent obtained by the previous owner, The Carlyle Group. The riverside development due to be built above the club’s railway arches and the surrounding land will comprise of 489 apartments, a hotel, offices, shops and towers up to 34 storeys tall. In some areas of London people still can’t walk down the street together.” We need gay clubs because the world we live in is not going forwards, it is going backwards. The gay scene has been so crippled over the last few years. All they care about is turning a buck.”ĭJ Fat Tony also told the publication: “London can’t afford to lose another big gay venue. This is being done by people who don’t care about London’s community.
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There is no room for difference everything has to be sterilised and the same. Mark Ames, co-founder of XXL told The Guardian: “Yet again, London is about to lose something that is unique to its character – the idea of open arms. The club has been given three months to close. XXL, which has been open for 19 years and is the only LGBT venue left in Southwark, is under threat from Native Land, the developers of an £1.3bn apartment, hotel and office development. One of London's biggest gay nightclubs is facing closure.