“This purple paint has been a nightmare to get rid of,” complains the new owner of the former GAY Bar building.
Matthew Jacobs Morgan has taken over the building on Old Compton Street in Soho behind it lay gathering dust for nine months.
The GAY Bar, which had been in the space for 22 years and had become an ‘institution’ on what was once considered the gayest street in Britain, closes in October.
Owner Jeremy Joseph said he had had enough of fighting it Westminster Council, Nimbys and a general decline of the area.
But Matthew is determined to make Old Compton Street LGBTQ+ element/bastion/home was once, and today is opening Coven, a club for ‘every letter of LGBTQIA’.
And as the Coven team finishes decorating, Metro has been given an exclusive look around.
The 32-year-old, from Cut it outsaid subway: ‘Three coats of high coverage paint and it still feels like water when you try to cover all this purple.
“Also, getting fire print wallpaper is a nightmare.”
‘Everyone is welcome here’
There are remnants of GAY Bar’s past everywhere, to see them with your own eyes. Looking at the cupboards, a stack of branded plastic cups sit amongst the dust. On one of the screens downstairs, the logo is faded but permanently burned.
Work on the rooms was still very much being completed when the metro visited the site on Wednesday.
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But one thing is for sure, they are transforming into something much more modern with a somewhat sophisticated style.
Walking into the main room downstairs, an antique fountain stands in the middle filled with books on strange history.
And just a few feet away, a grand piano is lit by the wall of screens now showing Matthew’s music video.
He said: ‘The GAY Bar was my first clubbing experience when I was 19. The fact that it was open for 22 years is an achievement in itself.
“But with Coven, we’re making it more inclusive, rather than focusing on gay men. Everyone is welcome here.’
The opening of Coven is a sign of good things to come, as LondonThe nightlife scene is slowly climbing up from the bottom of the trenches.
A sign of good things to come
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan recently proposed a citywide licensing overhaul that would standardize rules across municipalities and allow it to make decisions.
For Soho in particular, Sadiq has said residents’ groups have had ‘undue influence’ on Westminster Council’s licensing decisions, with groups applying blanket objections to all new and extended license applications.
Metro has reported on the state of nightlife in Soho during the last two years. In speaking with business owners in the area, many have spoken about their struggles trying to grow their locations with later hours of operation.
One restaurant was even banned from extending their alcohol sales by just an extra hour to allow customers to stay at their table longer.
“This space is built on the kindness of others”
Refreshingly, Matthew has said he had a good experience opening Coven.
“I spoke to residents’ groups and they were supportive,” he said. “But we won’t be open past 1 a.m. most days.”
The building will also be open during the day, with tables and chairs set up for those who want to work and drink a coffee.
Matthew said: ‘So many people have just given their energy to make this a wonderful space. I have had trouble working with my power tools, but I have a few friends who have been so quick to offer help
“The piano has been donated to us, the bathrooms have been sponsored by businesses like the dating app Feeld.
‘This space is built by queer people, for queer people’.
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