Old Compton Street after eleven: LGBTQ+ Soho, bar by bar

Old Compton Street is the spine of LGBTQ+ London, and it is best after eleven, when the pubs spill onto the pavement and the street turns into one long conversation. Here is the order we would do it in, with the closing times, so nobody ends up on Charing Cross Road at midnight wondering where everyone went.

A street older than it looks

The Survey of London records new houses here in 1677 and 1678, and the street was fully built by 1683. It was first called Compton Street, almost certainly after Henry Compton, Bishop of London, who was involved with the builder Richard Frith in finding a site for the new parish church of St Anne. The western half was renamed Old Compton Street in the 1820s, and in 1896 the name was stretched to the whole street. By the 1980s its pubs were at the centre of gay Soho, and the street has been the heart of the scene ever since.

Start at Comptons, 51 to 53 Old Compton Street

Comptons calls itself the Grande Dame of Old Compton Street. It stands on the site of the old Swiss Hotel and has been at the epicentre of the scene since 1986, with a crowd that mixes old regulars and first-timers. It serves real ale and closes at half eleven in the week, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Get there by nine, stand by the window and order a pint of the cask ale.

The Admiral Duncan, 54 Old Compton Street

Across the road is the Admiral Duncan, one of the oldest gay pubs in Soho. On 30 April 1999 a neo-Nazi, David Copeland, left a nail bomb in the bar; three people were killed and 83 were injured. A memorial chandelier and a plaque inside remember them. Today it is a small, friendly pub with live entertainment, and it is known for its cabaret. Raise a glass to the people on the plaque, then order another round and stay for the show.

She Soho, 23a Old Compton Street

At the Charing Cross Road end, down at 23a, is She Soho, a DJ-led bar for lesbian and queer women. It is closed on Mondays, and open from 5pm until 1am Tuesday to Saturday, with the weekend parties the main event. Go after ten on a Saturday, when the DJ is in charge, and get a drink in before the dance floor fills.

The one that closed

You will notice a gap. G-A-Y Bar, which drew the crowds to Old Compton Street for years, closed for good in October 2025. Its owner, Jeremy Joseph, told PinkNews he had to focus on the Heaven nightclub, and said the street had "lost that LGBT identity". It is a reason to spend your money in the bars that are still here.

The Yard, 57 Rupert Street

South of the street, through a tunnel off Rupert Street, is The Yard. The buildings went up in 1884 as Victorian stables and a hayloft, and the bar opened on 2 June 1993. There is a courtyard downstairs and the Loft upstairs, with drag and DJs on Friday and Saturday nights. It is open until midnight, and later on special nights, with happy hour until 8pm from Sunday to Wednesday. Take a seat in the courtyard early, then head up to the Loft for the drag later on.

Village, 81 Wardour Street

When the pubs shut, Village on Wardour Street keeps going. It has a late licence and is open until 3am from Thursday to Saturday, 2am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This is the stop for dancing, and it is best after midnight. Order a vodka and soda and give in to the pop.

Ku Bar, 30 Lisle Street

Just south of Shaftesbury Avenue, on Lisle Street, Ku Bar runs drag shows, DJs and a large terrace, with Klub downstairs. It is open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, and its site says to check its socials for late openings until 3am. Go for the drag in the early evening, sit on the terrace and order a cocktail.

How to do it

Nine at Comptons, ten at the Admiral Duncan for the cabaret, then a choice: The Yard's Loft for drag, or She Soho for the DJ. Village after midnight, and if you are still standing at 3am, it is a short walk to Bar Italia on Frith Street, which stays open until 4am. Order a double espresso there, stand at the counter and watch the night come home.