Gay venues
105
Country
United Kingdom
Population
9.0M
LGBTQ+ status
Welcoming
In this guide · 5 sections

London has more dedicated LGBTQ+ retail than almost any other city. There's a legendary independent bookshop in Bloomsbury, plus fetish stores in Vauxhall and Soho. Here's where to find them.

Books & Culture

    • Gay's The Word (66 Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury) — The UK's oldest LGBTQ+ bookshop, it's been open since 1979. They have knowledgeable staff, author events, and an enormous stock of queer fiction, non-fiction, and zines. It's near Russell Square tube. Even if you don't buy anything, it's a cultural institution worth seeing.

    Soho

    • Prowler (5-7 Brewer Street, Soho) — This two-floor LGBTQ+ lifestyle shop sells clothing, accessories, adult products, and novelties. It's the main gay retail presence on the Soho strip, easy to find on Brewer Street near the Old Compton Street intersection.
    • Clonezone (1 Sherwood Street, Soho) — An adult shop near Piccadilly Circus with clothing, accessories, and health/wellness products. It's been here a long time.

    Fetish & Leather — Vauxhall

    • Regulation (Vauxhall area) — This is a serious leather and rubber fetish retailer. They do custom gear, masks, harnesses, and specialist equipment. The staff really know their products. Mail order is available too.
    • Expectations (Vauxhall) — Another fetish retailer, this one has a lot of leather, rubber, and BDSM equipment. It's been around for a while, well-stocked, and one of the most complete fetish stores in the UK.
    • Fetish Freak — Mostly online, but they do have a London presence. They sell gear, accessories, and toys for the leather/rubber community.

    Online-Focused

    • ESMALE — A UK-based online retailer that ships across Europe. You'll find underwear, swimwear, adult products, and accessories. Good to know if you want to order something before or after your trip.

Where to Find Everything

Soho is the most convenient cluster, specifically Old Compton Street and Brewer Street. Prowler and Clonezone are both here, and the gay bars and cafés make it a pleasant area to spend time. Vauxhall is the fetish hub; the leather shops are close to the Vauxhall gay club strip (Eagle London, Duckie, Club Colosseum). Bloomsbury is a separate trip, but Gay's The Word is worth the detour.