Another London gay bar has closed for good
By Will Stroude
London’s LGBT scene has been dealt another blow with the news that Soho gay pub Molly Moggs has closed its doors for good.
The venue in the heart of the capital’s gay scene on Old Compton Street has closed with immediate effect after being sold, management announced today (30 March).
The news means punters will not have the opportunity to raise one last drink at the reliably raucous pub, famed for its drag, cabaret and karaoke nights.
“Unfortunately today we say goodbye to the Molly Moggs that we’ve all loved for many years,” staff wrote in a statement on Facebook.
“We can’t thank our loyal customers and our new customers enough for sticking with us through the thick and thin and making it such a valuable part of Soho.
“Who knows what the future holds for good old Molly’s but for now ‘there will be no singing drag queens at Molly Moggs’.”
The closure of Molly Moggs comes as rising rents and private development continues to put the squeeze on London’s historic gay scene.
Other venues to close for good in the last few years alone include The Black Cap in Camden, The Joiner’s Arms in Hackney, Vauxhall’s Barcode, The George and Dragon in Shoredtich, and Soho hotspots Shadow Lounge, Manbar, Madame Jojo’s and The Green Carnation.
Last November, London Mayor Sadiq Khan appointed queer activist and performer Amy Lamé as night czar fopr the capital, with many people hoping that her influence will help to slow the decline of the city’s LGBT+ scene.
It’s not all bad news though, this month has also seen the opening of a brand new LGBT venue south of the river in Vauxhall
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