19/09/10: Once upon a time, Soho Pride was one of the hottest events of the queer calendar year. Then Mayor Boris and his fellow Tory Eton cronies cut the funding for it. The reason? To use the money to promote tolerance in schools across the capital, apparently. Whilst it may take a few years for your average back-of-the-bus hoodie to be up front on a London Pride float wearing a pink boa, this has left the party-less Sohoites with nowt to end the summer on.
Step in the unlikeliest of bedfellows to give you at least a taster of the Pride spirit. Almost ALL of the gay businesses in and around Soho put any competition or differences aside to bring the ‘community’ back to the gay scene. From the scorching hot, house fuelled DJ sets at Barcode Soho and Rupert Street, to the Priscilla: Queen of the Desert madness at Ku Frith Street, via the all-day dragathon at 79CXR, everyone made an effort to ensure a day of pure partying. Both Ku Bars went all out, with Sandra helping Vicki Vivacious bring the house down at Lisle Street, and a gorge pink balloon arch at Frith Street. The Edge in Soho Square was JUMPING, full to the brim with tipsy cuties as DJ Harvey Adam spun some fine pop tuneage. Profile Bar went all Studio 54 on us with their Warhol-inspired exhibition of the gay scene drageratti, Comptons was packed to the rafters with shaven-headed sweethearts and G-A-Y went really G-A-Y with a plethora of pink cocktails, which meant we couldn’t tell our Kylie from out Kate Bush by the time we’d had three.
Now a message to Westminster Council: Surely the positive vibes from all involved during and preceding the event means that we can safely expand it into the street next year. The Soho businesses and ‘pink pound’ is unquestionably one of the biggest cash cows to line your coffers, which are already heavy from all those traffic warden fines. Don’t we deserve a little love and trust back?
Long live Soho!
Soho
Words: Lee ‘three per cubicle’ Dalloway
Photos: www.nicophoto.co.uk
