Royal Vauxhall Tavern

History

The RVT was built in 1863 at Spring Gardens, Kennington Lane, on land which was originally part of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. It started life as a Victorian music hall. After the Second World War, returning servicemen and local gay men were attracted to the venue, which held shows by female impersonators (drag shows).

By 1975, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern had two bars around a kidney shaped bar which doubled as a stage for the drag artists to dance along in their stilettos from the tiny apron stage at one end. Prior to the cabaret starting the bar would be cleared of glasses and drinks and the staff would clean the bar ready for the drag to dance along it in their heels. The public bar attracted local workers and had a dart board whilst the lounge attracted the local gay community. Notable acts from this era include "Carla", famous for her Barbra Streisand impersonation and "The Great Lee Paris" on a Saturday night with Land of Hope and Glory, and There'll always be an England. Freddie Mercury was also a frequent visitor during the 1970s.

The RVT survived local redevelopment throughout the 1970s and 1980s and maintained its independence as a gay venue. Many of London's top drag artists performed there, including Hinge and Bracket, Regina Fong and Adrella. Diana Dors also appeared there. Lily Savage, the drag persona of Paul O'Grady, was a regular performer for eight years, with shows four times per week.

According to Cleo Rocos in her memoir The Power of Positive Drinking, Diana, Princess of Wales visited the RVT in the late 1980s, disguised as a man and accompanied by Rocos, Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett. Rocos stated that revelers didn't notice Diana because their attention was focused on Mercury, Everett and Rocos.

In 2005, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern was taken over by gay businessmen Paul Oxley and James Lindsay. With a new lighting and sound system the venue opened seven nights a week and maintained its popularity. In November 2014 the RVT was sold in a multi million pound commercial deal. Lindsay was retained and appointed by the new business owners.

The RVT was made a grade II listed building on 8 September 2015 – the first building to be listed in recognition of its importance to LGBT community history. The listing was the result of a campaign supported by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, and the actors and entertainers Ian McKellen and Paul O'Grady, among many others.

Duckie

Duckie is an avant garde club night, hosted by Amy Lamé, that has run every Saturday night at the RVT since the mid 1990s. According to the venue, Duckie provides "queer heritage, performance art and honky-tonk". The event's disc jockeys, known as "The Readers Wifes" [sic], play Britpop, disco, hi-NRG, easy listening, glam rock, rock, contemporary pop, new romantics and punk.

Sundays at the RVT

Sunday Social (formerly known as Sundays at the RVT and prior to that S.L.A.G.S./Chill-Out) is a Sunday afternoon event which most recently has been regularly hosted by American drag queen Charlie Hides, who started his residency at the RVT on 7 April 2013. Since June 2015, additional Sunday social acts perform in rotation which include Hides, Myra Dubios and La Voix, who was a semi-finalist in 'Britain's Got Talent'. Prior to that Jonathan Hellyer's Dame Edna Experience was the resident act for 14 years. The event attracts a large number of devotees from all over London and further afield. In addition to Charlie Hides the event is supported by resident DJs Simon Le Vans and Sean Sirrs plus regular special guests who play a mixture of dance anthems and commercial house.

David Hoyle

The performance artist David Hoyle intermittently hosts an avant garde cabaret show, where sometimes controversial themes are explored.

Wotever World

Wotever World is a community based on and for Queer Art & Culture. It started as Club Wotever by Ingo in 2005 where it was launched in a small wine bar in Central London. Now, Bar Wotever is one of Wotever Worlds many events that occurs every Tuesday at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Wotever World have birthed many events and occasions over the past eleven years, including the Female Masculinity Appreciation Society, Strictly Queers Dancing, and Queer Experiments.

Awards

The RVT won the Fringe Report best venue in 2010, the Time Out Love London Award, Best Pub Award 2014, Boyz Best Smaller Club 2014, Boyz Best Bar South London 2014 and London Best Cabaret Venue 2012.

The Dame Edna Experience was voted the Best Cabaret Act for 2011 (Pink Paper reader's awards).