On a visit to the British Library last year, I saw Secret Maps, an exhibition that explores the stories hidden within old and unusual maps. Among the many remarkable items on display, one item stood out to me: London Gay to Z, a 1976 map charting gay venues across the city.

Looking at it raised a question: Nearly 50 years on, what still exists? Which places have survived, which have not, and what have those locations turned into today?

That curiosity sent me down a rabbit hole of investigation, and I did a bit of digging. Here’s what I found.

London Gay to Z was printed in 1976. It included a map for tourists and visitors, surrounded by adverts and also included safety guidance on public behaviour.

There are 36 advertisements around the map, 26 of which include venue addresses. All are for locations in London, except for one, which was a hotel in Frinton-on-Sea (now residential housing).

I categorised the 25 London venues: 14 were bars, restaurants or clubs, 8 were shops or stores, 2 were hotels and 1 other was an office for personal ads. The venues were mostly spread across Chelsea, Earls Court, and Soho, with a few outliers.

So which of these venues have survived 50 years later? The very short answer is that none of the venues from 1976 still exist, certainly not as the same venue. Restaurants have become gyms. A bookstore has become a candy store. Something listed as ‘hard-core leather’ is now a Marks and Spencers. Perhaps none of this is surprising: for somewhere to remain the same in the changeable, trend-following, volatile world of London property would be nothing short of a miracle.

Some notes and observations:

Ultimately, gay (or LGBTQ+) venues can be fleeting and ephemeral. Some venues in London have a history stretching back several decades, but that history can be difficult to trace in a very specific way. All the more important then that the British Library have preserved this map, which in itself was designed to be ephemeral.

Thank you for reading + until next time,