An iconic cabaret and drag club in East London is facing closure, leaving its performers and punters urgently calling for a reconsideration of plans to sell the venue.
The Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, founded in 1887, is a popular LGBT venue, hosting cabaret and drag events such as ‘Top of the Slops’ and the award-winning David Lynch-inspired Double R club. But now plans to sell the venue mean the club’s programming team have just one week left to vacate the building, according to Equity, a union for performing arts and entertainment workers.
A petition has been launched by Equity, calling on the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club committee to reconsider any plans to close its doors and sell the venue.
“The potential loss of yet another London venue for queer nightlife is devastating and represents a significant loss of work for performers in the drag and cabaret sector,” says the petition by Equity.
“Not only is the BGWMC venue an asset of tremendous value to the community, but the programme of events is also a vital and consistent source of income for so many professionals.”
The union has asked that committee members for BGWMC meet with performers and punters to discuss options to keep the club open. There is currently a ‘send-off party’ planned for July 26 to say goodbye to the club.
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