Lesbian London

Where to Drink:
Retro Bar
1200-2300 Mon-Sat, 1200-2230 Sun.  Charing Cross map
2 St Georges Court,  WC2. Tel (0)20 7321 2811 Charing Cross tube
On first sight this is a traditional spit and sawdust bar - until you see the quirky artwork on the walls featuring pop stars. It attracts a very mixed crowd of gays and lesbians in equal measure - mostly (but not exclusively) under 30. A college bar with some middle aged office workers thrown in is the closest I can get to describing it. Particularly worth going on a weekend where you can get selected beers and spirits cheap all day. An upstairs bar opens at around 7.30pm. As it is down a small passage way, off the Strand, you will need to keep an eye out or you will miss it. Definitely friendly, and definitely recommended.

First Out Cafe-Bar:
This has a downstairs bar which is frequented by lots of lesbians. Particularly popular on Fridays which is a women only night (between 2000 and 2300 - men are tolerated as guests) - free entry. See the listing above.

The Vespa Lounge:
Tottenham Court Map
Tottenham Court Rd, Upstairs at The Conservatory, under Centrepoint (Centrepoint is the big high rise office block at the junction of Tottenham Court Rd and Oxford Street) Tel (0)20 7240 1860 Tottenham Court tube.
This currently bills itself as London's newest girls bar. I have no idea what it is like, but you might check out more information from [email protected] The good news is that I have finally found out exactly where it is located - the address is very misleading, as it seems to be more on St Giles High Street than Tottenham Court Rd. Anyhow, go to First Out Coffee Shop (see under 'Where to Eat') and stand in the entrance. Over the road you will see some greenery with some flats behind with shops at street level. At the right-had end of the block of flats, you will see the entrance to the Vespa Lounge - clearly visible from the doorway. Voila.

Where to Dance:
Club Deb at the Liquid Lounge
2130-0200 on Thursdays.
257 Pentonville Rd (by Thames Link), Kings Cross, Kings Cross tube.
Entry £2 after 2200 (free before).
I saw this on a flier - any good anyone? DJ's spinning indie, funk, retro, and big beat.

Fist - see review in the Raunchy section, below. 

Raunchy:
Fist:
Operates for one night (usually Sat 2200 until 0600) every 3 or 4 weeks - see adverts in the Gay papers (available free in most gay bars).
Currently happens at 'Imperial Gardens' (under the railway arches), Camberwell New Rd. Oval tube. Entry is £10.
Fist is one of those clubs which take over a venue every so often - every 3-4 weeks in this case. This strict dress code club attracts a packed, shirts-off, tits-out crowd of men and women, mostly between 25 and 40 (not many people over 45). Harnesses and all sorts of leather and rubber gear abound. There is a dancefloor, a second big space with a big screen showing porno movies, and a gallery where people congregate to practice their interpersonal skills. The atmosphere is very good. On the downside, it is a bugger to get to (a long walk South from Oval Tube), some of the door staff can be EXTREMELY rude, and the prices are high.

If you do decide to give it a try, get off the Underground at Oval tube - from there walk South-East down Camberwell New Road for just under 1 mile. When you hit an overhead railway bridge, turn left up the alley way on the left (up the side of the railway) - Fist is under one of the railway arches.

'Loose' at the Candy Bar:
2030-0100 every Tuesday' Soho map.
30 Dean St, Soho, W1. Piccadilly Circus tube.
Entry for members is £6 before 2200, and £8 thereafter. Non members are charged £8/£10. 'Loose membership cards' available for £5 - 10 visits gives you 1 free entry.
This bills itself as Soho's only weekly girly strip night for women only. Apparently it has full nude professional pole dancers. 

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