18/04/15: Last Sunday night, the 12th April, performers at the Black Cap were told the venue was closing with immediate effect and the doors were bolted shut on north London’s most iconic LGBT venue, also known as the ‘Palladium of Drag’.
With a rich history stretching back more than 50 years, the Black Cap has always been at the centre of the north London gay scene. It was granted Asset of Community Value (ACV) status earlier this month by Camden Council.
Last Saturday, some 200 drag queens, activists, patrons, friends and even a Routemaster bus gathered outside the Cap for a peaceful protest to voice their anger and disgust that property developers can ride roughshod over such a beacon of LGBT history and culture.
Members of the old guard, Titti La Camp, Mrs Moore and Sandra joined forces with the new guard, Meth and the Familyyy Fierce for rousing speeches from the likes of: Nigel Harris, Camden LGBT Forum; Father Bernard Lynch, a Roman Catholic priest and outspoken HIV activist; and Ben Walters from the Black Cap and newly formed Save The RVT groups.
There were also messages of support from parliamentary candidates Diane Abbott and Tulip Siddiq and songs from the Pink Singers as well as snippets of the infamous Regina Fong. Despite the great sense of injustice felt by the loss of the pub, the crowd was in good spirits, cheering on the drag acts, regularly chanting “We Are The Black Cap”. Organiser Spike Rhodes was overwhelmed by the turn out for the event.
It is believed the gutting of the ground floor has already started with a case study on property development company Common Ground Finance’s website claiming it believed there was a strong possibility to “enhance the value of the building” by using the ground floor for retail space and converting the upper floors for flats. “We are expecting to put a new leisure tenant in, so it will remain as a leisure venue,” says Paul McGill, managing director of Common Ground Finance. “It’s [first floor redevelopment] to be discussed. We’re in slightly unchartered territory. We’re not used to buying a controversial site and equally it’s not my decision to close the pub…I’m only a buyer.”
Keep up to date through the #WeAreTheBlackCap Facebook page: www.bit.ly/WeAreTheBlackCap
Black Cap, 171 Camden High Street, NW1 7JY
Words and Photos by Chris Jepson
