Clapham Common

Clapham Common is a big public common in south-west London. It has been talked about as a gay cruising ground for decades, and it also has a grim record: a man was killed in a homophobic attack here in 2005. By day it is an ordinary park full of runners, families and five-a-side football. Cruising itself is not a crime in England, but sex where the public can see it can lead to arrest for outraging public decency or exposure, and in a public toilet it is a specific offence. Robberies and homophobic attacks on men in London parks do happen. Keep your phone charged, carry little, tell a friend where you are, and report incidents to the police or to Galop, the LGBTQ+ anti-violence charity. Clapham's gay bars are a few minutes away.