14/02/12: OK, so the Valentine’s cards from mystery suitors this year weren’t exactly inundating us like those overfilled sacks of competition entry postcards that they used to get on Blue Peter back in da day (what we affectionately refer to in the QX office as “the 90s”).
In fact, the closest I got to any form of recognition that somebody – somewhere – was indeed thinking of me on the 14th February was a text from British Gas threatening to cut off my supply if I didn’t cough up. Bastards.
At least we can rely on one thing every Valentine’s and that’s the good ol’ fashioned hospitality of the Irish, in particular one of our favourite exports from the Emerald Isle, a certain [Dame] Gary Henshaw.
Although the “Ku brand” itself is in its 17th year and has its own birthday, like any queen worth her crown jewels St Vals also marks the 5th anniversary of the original Ku Bar’s move to its mothership location on Lisle Street.
I say ‘the original’ because when you factor in Ku Bar Frith Street and the recent addition of Candy Bar to the family, if Gazza keeps spitting out baby Ku’s at the current rate it won’t be long ‘til Mr Henshaw gives the Crown Estate a run for its money in the property market.
But back to the business at hand and Ku was packed to the proverbial rafters with a myriad of folks, scene celebs, off duty MPs and pretty young things all clinking glasses, eyeing up the beautiful bar boys (don’t stare directly at them or you’ll turn to stone, or at least get an embarrassing boner – ahem) and generally spreading the mirth as only single gay men can do on Valentine’s Day, i.e. one man at a time. Happy birthday Ku… we’ve never left you sober or single.
30 Lisle Street, Leicester Square, WC2H 7BA
Words by Cliff Joannou
Photos by Joel Ryder
