The Joiners Arms
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The Joiners' Arms was a gay pub and nightclub on Hackney Road in East London. Situated on the edge of Shoreditch, it had been central to the East London gay scene since it was re-opened as a gay venue in 1997 by David Alexander Pollard.[1] It had been described as "Britain's trendiest gay dive"[2] with gay public figures including Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane and Patrick Wolf known to have frequented the venue, and with events hosted by gay entertainers Scottee and Jodie Harsh.[3] The venue had been open to a range of gay subcultures such as the bear scene and drag queens. Due to its late night opening and free entry, the Joiners' Arms had a reputation for being a "last chance saloon" and sometimes having a rough crowd,[4] but this has also been described as part of its appeal.[2]
The Metropolitan Police requested a reduction in the opening hours of the venue,[5] though this was rejected by Tower Hamlets council in December 2013.[6]
The Joiners' Arms closed in January 2015, with the building due to be demolished to make way for housing.[7] There is a campaign to save the building as a protected community asset [8]
References
- ^ Pollard, David (16 December 2013). "GAY PUB WINS CASE TO KEEP LATE HOURS". Joiner's Arms.
- ^ a b Henderson, Bob (January 2009). "Britain's Trendiest Gay Dive". Gay Times Magazine.
- ^ Lismore, Daniel (3 March 2008). "JOINERS ARMS - WETYOURSELF".
- ^ "Joiners Arms Review". Time Out London. Time Out. 20 June 2012.
- ^ McCormick, Joseph (11 October 2013). "Petition started to save East London pub after police requests removal of late licence". Pink News.
- ^ "Joiners' Arms Blog. December 16, 2013".
- ^ Joannou, Cliff (4 November 2014). "The Joiners' Arms is Closing and It's a Travesty". Vice News.
- ^ Goddard, Emily (28 March 2015). "Council upholds Joiners Arms community asset status". East London Lines.
