Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Victorian gay bar in Vauxhall, England
The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is a pub on Kennington Lane featuring a curved facade and mid-Victorian design elements. The interior holds multiple performance spaces where live shows and cabaret acts are hosted throughout the week.
The building was constructed in the mid-1800s on the former grounds of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. After World War II, it evolved into a center for LGBTQ+ entertainment and community gatherings.
Drag performers, cabaret artists, and alternative entertainers shape the character of this space, and visitors gather for shows that celebrate individuality and creative expression. The venue has long functioned as a meeting point for people seeking a place where they could be themselves.
The venue opens seven nights a week and hosts different themed events and performances nightly. Vauxhall station and multiple bus routes nearby make it easy to reach from anywhere in London.
In 2015, the pub became the first building in the United Kingdom granted Grade II listed status specifically for its LGBTQ+ historical significance. This recognition acknowledged its decades-long role as a visible gathering place for a community that faced legal and social barriers elsewhere.
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