Londoner's Diary:Strip club threat to a landmark of LGBT history

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
Getty Images
30 September 2016

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in south London has a chequered history, full of tales of drag, dancing and Princess Diana. But its status as one of the city’s most LGBT-friendly venues may be at risk yet again: a Spearmint Rhino is charging toward it.Last night The Londoner was at 180 The Strand to mark the unveiling of Really Good, the new sculpture by David Shrigley which has now been placed on the fourth plinth. We spotted Amy Lamé, the comedian, former Mayoress of Camden, and founder of Duckie, the progressive cabaret initiative which has its home at the tavern. But after scuffles over development plans its future is in doubt again, and an unlikely party is interested in the premises. “We got it listed, but the foreign company that owns it is selling,” Lamé told us, explaining that it is now on the market for a steep £4.1 million. A pub chain is among interested buyers but Spearmint Rhino, the strip club and lapdancing chain, also has its eye on the property.

Turning the tavern into a destination for exotic dancing may attract a different clientele but would cause uproar in the area, where it stands as a landmark of LGBT history. Sadiq Khan hosted a Kylie Minogue fundraiser there earlier this year, Jennifer Saunders filmed scenes for the Absolutely Fabulous film there, and Princess Diana once donned a drag disguise to sneak in and dance the night away with Freddie Mercury.

But the fight continues. Lamé explained that efforts are being made to make a bid, with the help of a private investor, to rival that of those who wish to change the venue’s purpose. Time will tell if there will soon be poles mounted on the dancefloor once trodden by Princess Di.

---

Fresh from Jeremy Corbyn’s triumphant Labour conference, veterans of the hard Left’s march have apparently celebrated by rewatching the prequel to what they hope will be Momentum the Movie. The Campaign is a 1983 BBC film about Momentum’s predecessor, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, and its presence on YouTube has brought a blast from the past. Actors play activists Jon Lansman and Pete Willsman, but who could play Jezza in a sequel?

Civilisation beats politics to the shelves

An absence of politicians at the launch party for Kenneth Clark’s new book last night. But it wasn’t a slight. Arabella Pike, publishing director of HarperCollins, welcomed guests to the National Gallery for the launch of the biography of Kenneth Clark, of Civilisation fame. “The other Kenneth Clarke book is out in a few days,” she explained, referring to the memoir of his near-namesake, the veteran Tory MP. He will struggle to compete when it comes to illustrious party guests at his own launch: last night’s party brought together two of the gallery’s former directors, Charles Saumarez Smith and Nicholas Penny, along with its current boss, Gabriele Finaldi.

We’re not all nuts about Brazil

A welcome return to London for Aparecida Schunck who was at Fortnum & Mason yesterday with her daughter Fabiana Flosi for a lunch in support of the Silent No More Gynaecological Cancer Fund. The mother-in-law of Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone, Schunck was adbucted from her home in São Paolo in July and kept by her kidnappers for 10 days. Across town at One Marylebone, Marie Claire and Neutrogena celebrated innovative women at their Future Shaper Awards, with heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson among the guests. Luckily she had a more pleasant time in Brazil than Schunck, having been part of Team GB’s Rio Olympics success.

Hitting the high notes with royalty

Could the Queen be ready to sing her own anthem at the next Royal Variety Performance? The Londoner bumped into sporting mezzo-soprano Laura Wright this week ahead of her performance at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Wright will sing the national anthem to kick off the American Football NFL International Series. But it’s not her most high-profile performance to date.

In 2012, Wright was invited to Buckingham Palace after recording the official song for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Stronger As One. “I had a conversation with the Queen about her singing and she told me she’d like to get better,” Wright recalls. “I was standing with Gary Barlow talking about singing and she said ‘I’m not any good at it’.” Wright, of course, went on the charm offensive. “I said ‘I’m sure you are, Your Majesty’, and we discussed giving her singing lessons, but it’s safe to say it went no further.” Wright, however, must have made an impression: she was invited back to perform at the Queen’s 90th birthday lunch on The Mall this summer.

The Queen, however, is eclipsed by actor Idris Elba when it comes to Wright’s favourite celebrity acquaintances. “I met him when he was reading a poem at the Invictus Games and my brothers and I were backstage when he came off the stage.” Was she impressed by his sparkling wit? “He smelled really nice,” she laughed. “I’m backing him for Bond.” Shaken, not sniffed.

---

To Boisdale of Canary Wharf last night for the restaurant’s music awards, where host Jools Holland hailed the winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Rolling Stones? The surviving Beatles? No: Chas & Dave. “These guys are the gatekeepers of London’s musical knowledge,” Holland said. “They’ve cast a wide net over our musical history. It’s time to take Chas & Dave seriously.” If you say so.

Daphne’s take on Hitch

The Birds is a horror classic, making a star of quintessential Hitchcock blonde Tippi Hedren, right, and adding a certain malevolence to the ordinary pigeon. But those who had read the source material, a short story by Daphne du Maurier, may have been disappointed by the loose adaptation. Evidently, so was du Maurier herself. A letter from the author to Kingsley Amis is up for sale by Peter Grogan Rare Books and Manuscripts, in which she gives her review.

“Photography and direction brilliant,” she wrote, “but my simple story gone west to San Francisco and all about relationships between blondes and mother-ridden lawyer.” Blondes and men with mother issues? Du Maurier may have analysed much of Hitchcock’s oeuvre in one sentence.

--

Modesty of the day: Sadiq Khan was asked by Time Out New York to describe the London Mayor, aka himself. “He’s brilliant,” he answered. “The best mayor ever.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in