G-A-Y bar goes on sale as its owner claims Soho has 'lost its vibrancy'

The proprietor of 1 of London’s astir celebrated LGBTQ venues has said Soho has “lost its vibrancy” and enactment 1 of his bars connected the market.

Announcing the determination to merchantability G-A-Y Bar connected Instagram Mr Joseph wrote: “This isn’t an casual decision. To maine this is much than conscionable a bar.

“It’s besides my home. I’ve lived supra it for implicit 15 years but it’s present clip to marque immoderate changes.”

Mr Joseph continued: “I was wide to Westminster City Council’s Licensing Committee that if they closed Heaven for adjacent a abbreviated clip it would perchance enactment G-A-Y Bar astatine hazard financially.

“I was wide and transparent with everyone arsenic to the fiscal and intelligence harm which the combat to reopen Heaven had connected me.

“Even present aft Heaven reopening the harm financially and mentally has been irreparable.

“I firmly judge that Soho has mislaid its vibrancy.”

The bar’s proprietor added that helium had considered applying for a precocious licence for G-A-Y aft having to adjacent its sister venue G-A-Y Late but asked “what’s the point?” erstwhile groups specified arsenic The Soho Society and Met Police would object.

The venue, which has been going nether its existent sanction since the aboriginal Nineties, is 1 of the comparatively fewer successful London to clasp a licence until 4am.

Mr Joseph described however it is simply a “constant uphill battle” to effort and widen G-A-Y Bar’s licence and “another combat successful the look of a outgo of surviving situation which has negatively impacted astir each of the hospitality sector”.

He added: “It doesn’t consciousness similar they attraction astir LGBT venues, Old Compton Street has mislaid its queer identity.

“When I started G-A-Y it was ever astir having a venue connected Old Compton Street and Canal Street [in Manchester], being connected the gayest streets successful the gayest capitals.

“But it’s not similar that anymore and the crushed I constitute this is due to the fact that my extremity would beryllium for G-A-Y Bar to stay an LGBT venue and volition see franchise options, but my gut is that successful the existent climate, it won’t beryllium due to the fact that Old Compton Street is not the aforesaid anymore.

“It has a caller individuality and erstwhile you look down the thoroughfare you spot restaurants, cafes, takeaways but the thoroughfare that was the LGBT superior is nary more.”