UK’s oldest gay pub makes bid for listed status

A campaign to protect the future of the UK’s oldest LGBT pub, once frequented by Freddie Mercury, has gained the backing of high-profile figures including Ian McKellen, Paul O’Grady and the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Credit: Wiki

A group of architects has written to Historic England calling for an application to have The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) given listed status approved.

The Victorian pub, built in 1863, stands on the former site of the 17th-century Vauxhall Pleasure gardens and has helped launch the careers of many drag acts, including Paul O’Grady’s Lily Savage.

However the pub’s future has been called into question after the building was bought by Austrian property developer Immovate last year.

While Immovate has not said what it intends to do with the building Alex Kalli, an architectural assistant at Levitt Bernstein and member of campaign group RVT Future, said the company had opposed the listing application.

It has claimed that if the RVT was given listed status the venue would have to close, claiming that it even minor repairs would become “too expensive”.

Architects backing the campaign include James Soane, co-founder of Project Orange, Ben Campkin, director of UCL’s Urban Laboratory, Fernando Rihl, co-founder of Procter-Rihl Architects, Simon Atkinson, a professor at the University of Texas, and RCA professor Nigel Coates.

The application follows the launch of Historic England’s Pride of Place project, which aims to document buildings and landscapes associated with the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) history.

Calling for the pub’s protection, Coates said: “An island of dignity in the whirling indifferent interchange that is Vauxhall, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (or RVT) is a poignant reminder of the architectural elegance that characterised much of 19th century London. The possibility of its destruction is unthinkable, both from the architectural point of view and for its enduring popularity as an alternative venue.”

This week the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, spoke out in favour of the pub receiving listed status, with Ian McKellen and Paul O’Grady also among the campaign’s supporters.

“The Royal Vauxhall Tavern has been a lynchpin at the heart of London’s LGBT community for more than six decades”, said Johnson. “The RVT’s unique contribution to the vibrancy of London life should also be celebrated. It is a beacon that is known around the world and must be made a listed building so it can continue to shine for years to come.”

A decision on the application is expected in the next few months.