Lewisham’s lost gay pubs
I grew up in Lewisham borough in the 70s and 80s but knew nothing of the thriving LGBT pub scene there. So it was a real adventure to find out all about it from former regulars and bar staff. The emerging picture was wonderfully colourful, delightfully grubby, at times hilarious but also profoundly moving. It became obvious that what was going on locally in Lewisham was part of a much bigger story about finding community; supporting each other through tough times; pubs as safe spaces away from prejudice and hate; and what we lost when those – and so many other – pubs closed.
I wove the interviews together to create this 2-part podcast. It was commissioned by Bijou Stories and made as part of In Living Memory: A People’s History of Post-War Lewisham.