We’re creating an online memory board for some of the UK’s lost venues.
We’d love for you to help us grow this historical archive of the UK’s lost gay scene. If you’ve got photos or memories of any of the venues you’d like to share please use the comment section below and we’ll add them right here.
Catacombs
A gay bar in London’s Earl’s Court region. According to reader George, it never sold alcohol, but played the best music.
Memory from Peter:
Catacombs as I remember never sold alcohol but they did sell softer drinks and toasted cheese sandwiches which I never quite understood.Very late night club but the best music in town and was like an old large cellar in the basement.
Vivid memories of The Catacombs…..At the tender age of 18, new to London, very green and exceedingly shy and discovering freedom!! Soon discovered Gay News and the gay scene at Earls Court. Must have been incredibly brave to go on my own. Saturday nights. There were bouncers on the door, and the club used to provide square gold coloured metal keyring fobs with raised lettering CATA top line COMBS bottom line to help ID. There was a steepish narrow flight of steps down to the dance floor and a bar on the right I think.I THINK they did sell beer, but I only ever drank Coke, so might be mistaken.The dance floor was always dark, illuminated with numerous flashing disco spotlights. I vividly remember the packed floor and the heads bouncing to Motown, Stevie Wonder-Superstition, Temptations-The Law of the Land, Timmy Thomas-Why cant we live together. I hear those on the radio sometimes, shut my eyes and Im back there in 1971/2 such was the huge impression. Around the dance floor which was circular or multi-sided such as Octagonal was a series of arches which led on to a corridor around the dancefloor.There was a series of arches into open rooms around the outside of this corridor, each room with tables and seating around. There was always a row of stationary figures around the wall just watching the dancefloor and a similar row around the corridor, all awaiting the next pickup. I dont remember where the toilets were, very shy and maybe didnt use them, nor the disco, nor if there were any emergency exits and looking back, I always think the place could have been an inferno if the worst happened, but oh! such happy memories.
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Vivid memories of The Catacombs….. At the tender age of 18, new to London, very green and exceedingly shy and discovering freedom!! Soon discovered Gay News and the gay scene at Earls Court. Must have been incredibly brave to go on my own. Saturday nights. There were bouncers on the door, and the club used to provide square gold coloured metal keyring fobs with raised lettering CATA top line COMBS bottom line to help ID. There was a steepish narrow flight of steps down to the dance floor and a bar on the right I think. I THINK they did sell beer, but I only ever drank Coke, so might be mistaken. The dance floor was always dark, illuminated with numerous flashing disco spotlights. I vividly remember the packed floor and the heads bouncing to Motown, Stevie Wonder-Superstition, Temptations-The Law of the Land, Timmy Thomas-Why cant we live together. I hear those on the radio sometimes, shut my eyes and Im back there in 1971/2 such was the huge impression. Around the dance floor which was circular or multi-sided such as Octagonal was a series of arches which led on to a corridor around the dancefloor. There was a series of arches into open rooms around the outside of this corridor, each room with tables and seating around. There was always a row of stationary figures around the wall just watching the dancefloor and a similar row around the corridor, all awaiting the next pickup. I dont remember where the toilets were, very shy and maybe didnt use them, nor the disco, nor if there were any emergency exits and looking back, I always think the place could have been an inferno if the worst happened, but oh! such happy memories.
A friend used to prefer The Masquerade more, I will leave a memory there.