Zodiac Bar, one of north London’s only trans‑founded LGBTQ+ venues, relaunches with bid for protected status

One of north London’s only trans‑founded and LGBTQ+ community‑run venues is relaunching this weekend as it seeks formal protection through community ownership powers.

Zodiac Bar, Club and Karaoke on Hampstead Road in Camden has undergone a major refurbishment led by long‑time shareholder Simon Williams and fellow shareholder and builder Philip Knowles. The relaunch comes at a challenging time for LGBTQ+ venues in the capital, many of which have faced closure in recent years.

Alongside the reopening, a campaign has been launched to have the venue listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). Supporters are being encouraged to submit an application to Camden Council, a move that would give the community the chance to bid for the site should it ever be put up for sale.

The campaign follows similar successful bids for venues including Heaven and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. A public petition backing Zodiac’s application has also been launched.

The bid has attracted support from prominent figures including Dr Victoria McCloud, Britain’s first trans judge, Camden Green Party leader Cllr Lorna Jane Russell, and trans activist Vicky Lee, founder of the long‑running Way Out Club.

Dr McCloud said she “wholly support[s]” the application, describing Zodiac as “a key promoter of intersectional LGBTQ+ life in all its variety”.

Vicky Lee said spaces such as Zodiac play a vital role in society. “Facilitating community is as important for a healthy society as personal housing,” she said. “The sanctuaries that do this for Londoners are becoming ever fewer and far between.”

Cllr Russell added that LGBTQ+ venues are “culturally and socially vital”, particularly as rising rents and redevelopment continue to affect nightlife across London.

The relaunch comes against a backdrop of significant decline in LGBTQ+ venues in the capital. Figures from the Greater London Authority show that numbers fell from 125 in 2006 to just 50 in 2022, with rising costs and development pressures cited as key factors.

Zodiac’s owners say securing ACV status would help safeguard the venue’s future and ensure it remains a dedicated LGBTQ+ space.

“It is important that Camden borough remains a welcoming and friendly place for people of all walks of life,” Williams and Knowles said in a joint statement.

“Zodiac having this special status will give the local LGBTQ+ community a say in the future of this iconic venue, as well as ensuring that it remains an LGBTQ+ space in the long term.”

They added that the venue hosts a range of inclusive events, including trans nights, disability‑inclusive programming and drag performances, and serves as a visible safe space for marginalised residents.

Zodiac was founded by trans entrepreneur Jade Phoenix in July 2020, initially operating as a pop‑up event series before opening permanently at 119 Hampstead Road in November 2021.

In an open letter released alongside the campaign, Williams described the venue as both a community hub and a functioning business, rooted in Camden’s history and identity.

“Zodiac is my spiritual home,” he wrote. “It is the room where the Camden I grew up in is still alive … independent, loud, kind, dangerous to nobody and lifesaving for many.”

Zodiac’s relaunch will take place over the weekend, with events running from 12-8pm on Saturday, 9 May and from midday on Sunday, 10 May.

SIGN THE PETITION HERE