Eagle London Turns 13!

Vauxhall blokey boozer Eagle puts on some of the best parties in London, with the cruisey vibes of Men Inc. every Friday, the legendary disco sensation of Horse Meat Disco every Sunday night, and eclectic monthlies like Debbie and A Night of House meaning there’s always something on to grab you by the gooch and drag you to the dance floor.

And guess what, they turn a hormone-ridden 13 next week, and rather than going all LEAVE ME ALONE GOD NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME, they’re inviting everyone in for a mega celebration!

We caught up with the owner, Mark Oakley (pictured), to see how they’re celebrating, plus to have a look at the past, present and future of Eagle London!

 


Hey Mark! So Eagle London is turning 13 years old next week. How are you going to be celebrating?

Hey QX! Men Inc, Eagle Saturdays and Horse Meat Disco will be putting on a party every night over our birthday weekend to celebrate our 13 years here in Vauxhall. We want to thank all our customers for their ongoing support over the years, so will be sharing the Eagle love all weekend.

How much has Eagle, and Vauxhall in general, changed since you opened? What did you have on the first night there 13 years ago?

Vauxhall has gone through considerable evolution in attraction and development to the LGBT community in recent years. Many venues have closed, but we are excited about the new vibe in the area and looking forward to the next 13 years. When myself and my business partners Ian Cullen and the late, great Paul Wilde had our first night at the venue, it was called Chunkies…large trays of roast chicken and doughnuts. Needless to say there were no doughnuts left at the end of the night! We were instantly excited and have never looked back. And then of course Horse Meat Disco arrived, to this day a Sunday night Vauxhall institution.

How have people reacted to the refurb earlier last year?

The response has been amazing. We’ve invested a considerable amount of money, time and love into refurbishing the venue, so we’re thrilled that our customers are appreciating it. We have one of the best sound systems in London and Vauxhall’s only private beer garden, creating a cool contemporary space for our customers to enjoy.

Are there any new nights or events planned for 2017?

We’ve launched the New Year with ‘Debbie’ once a month on the first Saturdays. The last party was rammed and we’re really looking forward to Debbie doing Eagle again this Saturday 4th February. Our ‘Night Of House’ monthlies are going from strength to strength, and we’ve some great guests lined up. We’re also pleased to announce that on the 18th February we’re launching ATHENA, a new monthly fun-packed 80s night of pop, disco and hi-nrg from our friends at Pop Horror. So loads to look forward to!

What do you think the next 13 years have in store?

It’s our ambition to continue setting trends, and to continue to be a beacon of light and hope on the LGBT map of London. We hope the current turmoil around the world settles and that people can learn to live together in peace.

Have you been to all the other Eagles worldwide? 

I’ve visited most and have formed partnerships with both Amsterdam and Sao Pãulo, who also host our Men Inc. party every Friday night. I’ve probably been to most, and have close relationships with NYC, LA and Houston. We also regularly welcome international visitors to Eagle London from around the world.

How does it feel to be a teenager?

Now we’ve entered our terrible teens, we’re looking forward to never growing up and experimenting with a new eye shadow every day.

Thanks for speaking with us!

You’re welcome!

 

• Men Inc. is on Friday 3rd February, 9pm-4am, £5 After 10pm

• Debbie is on Saturday 4th February, 9pm-4am, £6

• Horse Meat Disco is on Sunday 5th February, 8pm-3am, £6 Before 10pm, £8 After

• Eagle London, 349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY.

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