LONDON
It’s fair to say that London has the nastiest, sleaziest, filthiest players in the English-speaking word.
Hot-spot neighborhoods: Covent Garden, Fitzrovia, Soho, Vauxhall
Drink Fuck Shake Buy Crash Eat Pump Trim Ink Hang See Plan
WHERE TO DRINK (AND CRUISE)
The Bunker (217 City Rd, Shoreditch) This bar and sex club hosts regular events for fetish freaks. link
Comptons (51-53 Old Compton St, Soho) London’s classic gay bar hosts the hugely popular monthly Leather Social. link
Leather Social Where to find London’s Leathermen every month. link
Duke of Wellington (77 Wardour St, Soho) Leather-friendly Soho pub that’s home to the London Leathermen’s monthly Gear Social. link
Gear Social A monthly event for guys into any and every kinds of fetish. link
Eagle London (349 Kennington Ln, Vauxhall) Popular Vauxhall spot, if not quite the leather bar the name might imply. link
The Lord Clyde (9 Wotton Rd, Deptford) This new cruisy spot in southeast London is getting a lot of buzz. They have the occasional leather night. link
WHERE TO FUCK
The Bunker (217 City Rd, Shoreditch) This bar and sex club hosts regular events for fetish freaks. link
Covent Garden Health Spa (29 Endell St, Covent Garden) A bathhouse convenient to Soho. link
E15 Club (6 Leytonstone Rd, Stratford) A bathhouse in the East End with a darkened basement. link
Hampstead Heath (Behind Jack Straws Castle, N End Way, Hampstead) Horny guys in the great outdoors. Unofficially condoned by the police. Head uphill on Heath St. from Hampstead station. link
Jaime HP Membership sex parties carrying on the legacy of the dearly departed Hoist. link
The Locker Room (8 Cleaver St, Kennington) Small bathhouse in South London with theme nights. link
The Lord Clyde (9 Wotton Rd, Deptford) Downstairs from the ground floor pub is a main cruising area with glory holes, a maze, and more. link
Pleasuredrome (Arch, 124 Cornwall Rd, South Bank) Large bathhouse with “deluxe pods” for rent. link
Sailors Sauna (570-574 Commercial Rd, Limehouse) A bathhouse in East London with a roof garden. link
Saunabar London Portsea (2 Portsea Pl, Marble Arch) Small bathhouse near Hyde Park. Skews a little older. link
Sweatbox (1-2 Ramillies St, Soho) A Soho sauna with foam parties and other stuff going on, plus a full gym. link
Underground Club London (37 Wharfdale Rd, Kings Cross) This play space underneath Central Station gay pub hosts an assortment of theme nights. link
Vault 139 (139-143 Whitfield St, Fitzrovia) Sex bar close to Soho. link
WHERE TO SHAKE YOUR ASS (AND CRUISE)
Eagle London (349 Kennington Ln, Vauxhall) Dirty dancing at the Eagle on the weekend. link
Hard On (66 Albert Embankment @ Union, Vauxhall) Dance-slash-sex parties. link
Rut Strict dress-code parties at Bloc South nightclub. (Currently closed. Check the website for updates.) link
Sugar Daddy (S Lambeth Rd, Vauxhall) Dance parties for sweet daddies. link
TROUGH Fetish dance parties held throughout London. link
Union (66 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall) Vauxhall club for all-night cruising and dancing. link
WHERE TO BUY GEAR
100 Shades of Blue (100 Old St, St. Luke’s) Sex toys and poppers, poppers, poppers! link
Clonezone (35 Old Compton St, Soho) Leather, sex toys, and all sorts of stuff for men, in the gayest part of Soho. link
Clonezone – Earls Court (266 Old Brompton Rd, Earls Court) When you need to pick up restraints and Soho is just too far. link
Fetch (Arch 6, Voltaire Rd, Clapham) Your flagship fetish store. link
Fetish Freak (75 Bolton Cres, Kennington) Because you’re a freak. link
Freedoms Shop (Mortimer Market Center, Capper St, Fitzrovia) Get your condoms and lube in this shop run by the National Health Service. link
Lewis Leathers (33 Windmill St, Fitzrovia) Britain’s oldest retailer of motorcycle apparel. Close to Soho. link
Prowler (5-7 Brewer St, Soho) All sorts of really gay sex stuff. link
Prowler RED (50 Old Compton St, Soho) Just like Prowler, but RED! link
Regulation (13A Bateman St, Soho) Leather. BDSM implements. And lots and lots of rubber. link
Silvermans (422-426 Mile End Rd, Stepney) Uniforms. Motorcyle gear. Military. Police. Boots. Stuff you want. link
WHERE TO CRASH (AND MAYBE FUCK SOME MORE)
Blue Door Dungeon (Islington) Book this fully equipped dungeon by the hour or by the night. link
The Corner (42 Adler St, Whitechapel) Hipsterish leather-friendly hotel in the East End. link
Dirty Liquor Hotel (359a Mile End Rd, Mile End) Leather-friendly hotel in the East End close to the Backstreet. link
Holiday Inn Express London – Stratford (196 High St, Stratford) Leather-friendly hotel in East London. link
Holiday Inn London – Stratford City (10a Chestnut Plz, Montfichet Rd, Stratford) Leather-friendly hotel in East London. link
Holiday Inn London – Whitechapel (5 Cavell St, Shadwell) Leather-friendly hotel in the East End. link
hub by Premier Inn London Covent Garden (110 St Martin’s Ln, Leicester Square) Well regarded, reasonably priced spot close to Soho. link
ibis budget London Whitechapel – Brick Lane (100 Whitechapel Rd, Whitechapel) Leather-friendly hotel in the East End. link
ibis London City – Shoreditch Hotel (5 Commercial St, Spitalsfields) Leather-friendly hotel in the East End. link
ibis London Stratford Hotel (1A Romford Rd, Stratford) Leather-friendly hotel in East London. link
Mama Shelter London Shoreditch (437 Hackney Rd, Bethnal Green) Exceedingly hip leather-friendly hotel in the East End. link
Sanderson (50 Berners St, Fitzrovia) Funky high-end property designed by Philippe Starck. link
The Soho Hotel (4 Richmond Mews, Soho) Trendy boutique hotel in Soho central. link
Travelodge London Bethnal Green (231-237 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green) Leather-friendly budget hotel in the East End. link
Travelodge London Mile End (141-147 Mile End Rd, Stepney) Another leather-friendly budget hotel in the East End. link
Travelodge London Vauxhall (3 Bondway, Vauxhall) Budget-friendly hotel near all the madness of the Vauxhall nightlife. link
The Whitechapel (49-53 New Rd, Whitechapel) Leather-friendly hotel in the East End. link
Z Soho (17 Moor St, Soho) Very gay-friendly hotel just down the street from Comptons. link
WHERE TO EAT (AND CRUISE)
Balans Soho Society (60-62 Old Compton St, Soho) A place for basic dining directly across from Comptons. link
Balans Soho Society Café (34 Old Compton St, Soho) A casual, 24-hour version of the Balans down the street. link
Bistrotheque (23-27 Wadeson St, Cambridge Heath) Hip eatery in a converted warehouse in the East End. link
Côte Brasserie (124-126 Wardour, Soho) Leather-friendly Soho branch of the French restaurant chain. link
Mildreds (45 Lexington St, Soho) Popular vegetarian spot. link
Nero Caffé (43 Frith St, Soho) Popular coffeehouse in Soho. link
Poppie’s Fish & Chips (55-59 Old Compton St, Soho) Some say this gay-friendly favorite is London’s best place for fish & chips. Plus, it’s conveniently located right next to Comptons, home of the Leather Social. link
Sophie’s Soho (42-44 Great Windmill St, Soho) Stylish gay-friendly steakhouse in Soho. link
WHERE TO PUMP IRON (AND CRUISE)
Central YMCA (112 Great Russell St, Fitzrovia) Hang out with all the boys. link
Fitness First London Oxford Circus (15 Great Marborough St, Soho) Cruisy outpost of the national chain. link
Fitness First London The Strand (Covent Garden) (6 Bedford St, Covent Garden) Convenient location for gym bunnies. link
Fitness First London Tottenham Court Road (179a Tottenham Court Rd, Fitzrovia) Big, cruisy gym. link
Jubilee Hall (30 The Piaza, Covent Garden) For serious workouts. link
Muscle Bull Gym (64-66 Gedling St, Bermondsey) With a name like that, it’s gotta be gay! link
Oasis Sports Centre (32 Endell St, Covent Garden) Gym with indoor and outdoor pools. link
Virgin Active (333 Goswell Rd, Islington) Big gym just a little north of the center of London. link
WHERE TO GET A BUZZ CUT AND BEARD TRIM
Murdock London (83 Brewer St, Soho) For the high hipster hair experience. link
Roger’s demon barbers (34 Romilly St, Soho) Men’s grooming in Soho. link
WHERE TO GET INKED
Frith Street Tattoo (18 Frith St, Soho) Well loved shop in the heart of Soho. link
New Wave Tattoo (157 Sydney Rd, Muswell Hill) One of London’s top shops, located in a suburban area of North London. What better place to get your Depeche Mode tattoo! link
Vagabond Tattoo (471 Hackney Rd, Cambridge Heath) Beautiful studio, friendly staff, gorgeous body art. link
WHO TO HANG WITH
BLUF London is world headquarters for the club for men into full dress leather uniform. link
London Leathermen If you’re visiting London, you’ll want to make the acquaintance of these sexy Englishmen in leather. link
SM Gays A group of gay guys into serious SM play, going strong since 1981. link
WHAT TO SEE WHILE YOU’RE IN TOWN
St. Andrew’s Chapel at Southwark Cathedral (London Bridge, Southwark) A chapel that commemorates those around the world who live with and have died from AIDS. link
WHAT TO PLAN FOR
July
Fetish Week London A week of twisted fun organized by fetish mega-site Recon. link
Pride in London Show your pride by marching in full leather in the annual parade. link
[Suggestions? Corrections? Contact me!]