G-A-Y Bar goes on sale as Soho has ‘lost its vibrancy’

After another one of his venues, G-A-Y Late, closed in 2023, he said he had planned to apply for a late licence for his remaining venue under that brand.

He later decided against this as he felt it would face too many objections from the council, police and residents.

“It’s a constant uphill battle and another fight in the cost of living crisis which has negatively impacted all of the hospitality sector,” he said.

“It doesn’t feel like anyone with power cares about hospitality and it definitely doesn’t feel like they care about LGBT venues.”

Mr Joseph also cited what he said was a wider decline in Soho as an “LGBT capital”.

He said when he had opened the venue on Old Compton Street, it was the “gayest street in the gayest capital”.

“But it’s not like that anymore,” he added.

The nightclub owner said he wanted the G-A-Y Bar to remain an LGBT venue and he was also considering a franchising option to achieve that, but he believed it would not happen “in the current climate”.