G-A-Y Bar on Old Compton Street, Soho is to go up for sale, its owner Jeremy Joseph has announced

G-A-Y Bar on Old Compton Street, Soho is to go up for sale, its owner Jeremy Joseph has announced.

The news follows the reopening of sister venue Heaven nightclub with strict new conditions after a woman was allegedly raped by a member of the venue’s security team in November 2024.

In a statement shared on social media, Joseph said the “tough decision” was made due to the financial and emotional strain during this time.

He added: “I was clear to Westminster CC’s Licensing Committee that if they closed Heaven for even a short time it would potentially put G-A-Y Bar at risk financially, and I was clear and transparent with everyone as to the financial and mental damage which the fight to reopen Heaven had on me.”

“Even now after Heaven’s re-opening, the damage financially and mentally has been irreparable.”

Joseph, who said that Soho has “lost its vibrancy”, hopes for the venue to remain LGBTQ+, adding: “I’m sad, but also relieved because I’m making the changes I need to find peace of mind.”