A commenter (Mrs Erdleigh) draws my attention to this story, about Canterbury's only gay bar, which I blogged about a while ago:
A gay bar in Canterbury which was set up after complaints that the homosexual community was not being represented has been forced to closed because of lack of business.Ah...
Two months after the complaint the city's first gay bar, called CO2, was opened by landlord Darren Bister. But now, just six months on, the bar is closing because of lack of business - proving the city is 'not gay enough'.And that's what happens when you let loud-mouthed idealogues with chips on their shoulders and axes to grind dictate your business opportunities...
"We are closing because it is just not very successful at the moment," said Mr Blister.
"It's a waste of time, a waste of our work and a waste of money.
"We've not had the support from the community we thought we would get, so it's time to shut the doors - we've had enough."
He added: "It's a lost cause. Being gay in Canterbury is no-go."Well, no, it probably isn't. Perhaps, just perhaps, there aren't enough gay people in Canturbury who want to go to a specifically-themed 'gay bar'.
Perhaps they are perfectly happy to drink in their local with everyone else?
Now, about those loud-mouthed idealogues with chips on their shoulders and axes to grind...
Pride spokesman Andrew Bretell said the city's 'anti-gay brigade' would be celebrating.Celebrating what, exactly?
He said: "Until the council sends out a clear signal that it's all right for the gay community to be out and proud in the city, businesses and ventures that strive to serve and build up that community will find it difficult to succeed.
"The homophobes must be celebrating."
If there are really people with a morbid fear of gay men in Canterbury (and hey, there may well be a few) wouldn't they be only too happy to have segregated pubs?
Update: Suggested by anon in the comments. And because it's too good not to:
It is a similar story to Bikers pubs.
ReplyDeleteA few opened in our area in the late 70s and 80s, (or "redesignated" themselves as such), at the height of the bikers "fashion" (Meaning every one wanted to be, but only 1% of us were before, or stayed so afterwards.).
They were to every single one, failures.
Why? Because, like a good rat bike, you can not "build" a bikers bar. It has to develop, get a name for it's self as a good place for bikers to go. Then it becomes a bikers local. A FEW, such as Wilsons in Wood Street Liverpool, become almost LEGENDS.
But you can NOT tell a biker that "this is a bikers pub"
I presume gay pubs will be the same.
I suppose the Cathedral takes most of the potential business of the gay bars.
ReplyDeleteTwo words - smoking ban
ReplyDeleteAll pubs are suffering at the moment so one would expect a newly opened bar with no established customer base to suffer harder. Wouldn't they?
"Pride" is going the same way as "gay". At least Mr Bretell can have the satisfaction of knowing that no-go areas for non-homosexuals have been established in the world of English vocabulary - if not in Canterbury.
ReplyDeletewv - prowd
I would have thought Mrs. Erdleigh would be commenting on the posts you will be making in three months' time, but there you are - no accounting for taste I suppose.
ReplyDeleteThe Essence of the All is the Godhead of the True, after all.
So those £1000s of taxpayers' money spent on this were wasted twice?
ReplyDeleteThis because it never stops being funny.
ReplyDeleteAlso, re Mr Teutonicus, I like the idea so much that I will shortly be opening a drivers' pub. It will also have a 'gay' annex (for the caravanners among us).
Could it perhaps be that the percentage of homosexuals in the general population is not as high as claimed, and that this bar is therefore catering to a small number of potential clientele? One hears figures such as 5% and 10% - even 20% or 30% - thrown about (usually underarm) with truly gay abandon, but there seems to be no scientific basis for these claims.
ReplyDeleteI recall a report in Scientific American a few years ago on an extensive survey/census undertaken in the USA. If I remember correctly, it concluded that gays accounted for a little over 1% of the population. I can think of no good reason why the incidence should be significantly different here.
What is clear and well documented is that gays are disproportionately over-represented in our major metropolitan areas, so that many areas of the country will have fewer than average gays living in them. Perhaps this is the case in Canterbury?
It's a trick!
ReplyDeleteWhy won't anyone realize they're everywhere!
EVERYWHERE!
@ Weekend Yachtsman
ReplyDeleteLOL and hi to a fellow fan. :-)
Bloody 'eck. I first thought the 'Gay Bar' was a reference to the A&M sketch.
ReplyDeleteAs Anon said, eternally funny. I might fall over this evening but doubt I will never manage to swoon with such comic effect.
Mitchell & Webb's Dönitz as the new Führer just about tops it, but it's pretty close.
manwidecome, puffing isn't illegal.
ReplyDeleteExactly the same fate that befell each and every 'non-smoking' pub that was tried every now and then since Frank Bough was on Nationwide to promote each one as it temporarily opened.
ReplyDeleteJust watched the Gay Bar vid, brilliant, thank you.
ReplyDelete"...like a good rat bike, you can not "build" a bikers bar. It has to develop, get a name for it's self as a good place for bikers to go."
ReplyDeleteIndeed. People are individuals, and niche businesses develop by word of mouth. Not by commandment of the diversity brigade...
"Two words - smoking ban"
Quite possibly. That would blow the minds of the 'tolerance' bunch, wouldn't it?
"This because it never stops being funny."
Oh, it's priceless!