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London

Bear (or admirer's) weekend in London

by JustSayGrr

A November 2000 travel journal

Last Updated: December 5, 2000

Journal Usefulness Rating 3 out of 5
Journal Usefulness Rating
8
Reviews

Guide for gay men who are interested in finding where larger hirsute gay men go out for nightlife on the weekends in London

See detailed descriptions of bars, restaurants and museums listed. If you're in London over a weekend, it's a pretty good guide to the bars to go to if you're into bigger, furry men.

Quick Tips:

Be sure to pack an umbrella and appropriate outerwear, as London tends to be cold and quite rainy this time of year. DON'T FORGET TO PACK COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES. Most Americans have no concept of how much they will walk in Europe, and consequently usually return with blisters to show for it.

Best Way To Get Around:

Far and away the London Underground ("Tube") is best for getting around central London. They run until midnight. Between midnight and 7AM, you must rely on your own two feet (careful with the neighborhood), a London taxi, or a "minicab" -- basically someone who owns a car and wants to make some money by driving you to a destination. Watch out though...they often are uninsured and don't always know where they're going.
Renovated rooms are comfortable and quite nice. Be sure you get booked in one. The older rooms definitely show their age (peeling wallpaper, somewhat tattered furnishings). Small by American standards (the bed took up the lion''s share of the room), but you''ll probably be spending very little time there. Great restaurants/bar/cafe on first floor. Housekeeping works great hours for American tourists. They''ll still be around at 2-3PM to clean if you''re still adjusting to the time change. Although I found it odd that they did not supply washcloths in the bathrooms.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

Forte Posthouse - Regent's Park
Carburton Street London, England
011 44 0870 400 9111

Wagamama

Restaurant

Great place to eat late if you forgot to dine before heading out for a few pints, and the pub has just closed. I had the Yaki Soba, which was pretty tasty... cooked Japanese noodles with vegetables and various forms of seafood thrown in.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

Wagamama
4A Sreatham St London, England W1H 9AB
+44 20 7323 9223

Pret A Manger

Restaurant

Although there are plenty of places in London to grab a ready-made sandwich and a Coke, this cheery chain seems to have a great selection that extends beyond the expected. My favorites are the Scotch Beef on Rye or any of the wraps.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

Pret A Manger
40 Albermarle Street London, England W1S 4TE
+44 (207) 932-5325

Mainly a decorative arts museum, the V&A has many interesting sections such as furniture, fashion, glass and sculpture. I highly recommend seeing the temporary exhibit called "Brand New". This examines marketing strategies of the past hundred years or so and what those brands say about the consumers who buy them.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell Road London, England SW7 2RL
+44 (20) 7942 2000

Kings Arms

Activity

Friday night is when the local bear group, Bear Hug, meets. While this pub caters mainly to bears all week, it is PACKED on Friday night both upstairs and down. I didn't notice the decor of the place as much as I did the patrons....WOOF! Lots of great bears and cubs, all pretty friendly. This is a pub, so by law it closes at 11PM. Plan on heading out early (like by 8PM) to get in before the crowd.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

Kings Arms
23 Poland Street London, England W1F 8QL
020 7734 5907

Duke's

Activity

After King's Arms closes, follow the procession of bears to the Oxford Circus tube stop and head on down to Vauxhall. It's a short walk down Kennington to Duke's (on the right...listen for the thumping disco music). A horrifically campy cabaret act comes on around midnight, but you'll probably be too distracted by all the lovely bears in the crowd to notice. The terrace (or so I'm told) gets busy with action on warmer evenings. A fairly large space situated around a rectangular bar in the center. Cabaret is up in the front, pool tables, restrooms, coat check and terrace in the back.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

Duke's
349 Kennington Lane London, England

XXL

Activity

You're likely to see many of the folks that were at King's Arms and Duke's on Friday night...and quite a few who weren't. This is a LARGE space. It is a unique venue situated under 4 arches of an elevated railway bridge. First arch has a bar, a restroom and a coatcheck. The second arch is a rather large (and dark) dancefloor. The third arch is an open room with a portion cordoned off with camouflage netting. I didn't explore back there to see what was going on, but I was told later that sometimes there's some naughty goings-on back there. The fourth arch is another bar area and another restroom. This place is a must for any bears/cubs (or admirers). Lots of fun and like most bear bars, attitude-free.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by JustSayGrr on December 5, 2000

XXL
Under a railway arch London, England

About the Writer

JustSayGrr
JustSayGrr
Chicago, Illinois

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