We are so happy that this beacon of London queer nightlife and performance art is back on the road to recovery. The Glory will reopen its doors this week, and girl they have PLANS! QX’s Jason Reid caught up with the perpetually prodigious John Sizzle to find out more…
Hi John! The Glory is about to open after almost a four month hiatus, how are you feeling?
I’m pretty giddy actually. I’m getting that mixed buzz of ‘there’s so much to do!’ stress and frequent bubbles of excitement, as if we were opening for the first time. Feeling anything other than that that sense of dread we’ve all been experiencing is a welcome relief tbh!
What has changed in the set-up and day-to-day running of the venue?
We’ve had to review how we function from top to bottom. I won’t bore you with the administrative and legislation side but we’ve had to strip ourselves right back and re-invent ourselves as pub and not a performance venue. We’ve got all the safety measures in place, including the distancing and a shiny new ordering app and once we get the go-ahead we’ll start re-introducing our famed cabaret and hopefully parties.
Safety is a major concern for a lot of people who want to return to venues, they need to feel reassured. How are you addressing that?
We’re all about the scrubbing and the spaced out tables now! Drinks are delivered to your table and we’ve vastly reduced capacity. It’s looking quite cosy. I think it’s going to be quite bougie actually.
How will performances now work at The Glory?
There are still questions around live entertainment, though I have been in discussions with the police, licensing, Mayor of London’s office and other venues – and we will be able to introduce entertainment of sorts. It has to done safely, for our employees, customers and performers alike….and be entertaining…a tall order, BUT The Glory has ideas! Watch this space.
What do you have coming up? Can you share…
We have delicious drinks, wonderful bar staff and a newly tinselled basement bar for the moment. Our customers will be adding to the mix, but for now I’m keeping schtum about our plans. We just need to open and adapt to this new world of ours.
Diane Chorley has been a godsend during lockdown with their videos and appearances on Glory TV. Have you caught any online shows and who have you enjoyed watching?
I’ve watched all of the Jonny Woo specially curated GLORY TV episodes, obviously. They’re still all available through our Facebook page. They have been a tonic and loads of our scene faces have contributed their work to that. I’ve been giggling at loads of others though. I love the drags making their shows from their cages!
Taking into account all that’s happened, what do you think the future of The Glory now looks like?
We’ve had a chance to pause and take stock of the world around us so we’re looking at further ways that we can be responsible and supportive of our community and society in general. Like most people, our eyes have been opened to horrendous injustices. I think this has been the major benefit of the forced closure and the pandemic in general. We’ve had a chance to take stock, listen, learn and plan for a better future.
And we’re looking into creating a vaccine so that we can get the hell back to putting on amazing parties, special events, cabaret specials and boozy get togethers. The queers need the old normal back asap!
The Glory, 281 Kingsland Road, Haggerston, London E8 8AS reopens on Wednesday 8 July at 5pm.
