DIVA spoke to the owner Alex about the crazy viral success of Hackney’s new LGBTQIA hot spot
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES BY ZULA RABIKOWSKA
If you haven’t heard of the new lesbian bar La Camionera by now, where have you been? The LGBTQIA community has been going nuts about the new Hackney-based, inclusive pop-up bar, flocking in their literal hundreds just to get a peek in.
On 22 February, the owners of this venture – Alex and Clara – announced that something even more exciting was happening. La Camionera was going to become a permanent venue. And this time, we weren’t going to be sent to the basement. We’re finally getting a lesbian bar above ground.
But why is this so important? “When [the LGBTQIA community] have these nights they’re often in the cheapest places which is a basement,” Alex explained to DIVA. “It’s because we have a tendency to do everything DIY so it’s always coming out of people’s pockets. We have no capital. No power.”
Alex continued: “But there are so many people who have access needs who can’t go up and down stairs. It was so important for us to find a place which is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible toilet.”
The LGBTQIA community has rejoiced about the opening of this new bar, with many taking to TikTok and Instagram to express their gratitude for such an inclusive, accessible space. Sapphics in their hundreds braced for the winter cold just to be a part of its opening night. “It was crazy!” Alex said. “I expected it to be busy, but I had no idea that there were that many lesbians in the area.”
La Camionera’s opening has acted as a beacon of hope for the sapphic community, especially following the news that a trans-exclusionary bar named L Community will be opening in London later this year.
But Alex doesn’t like to take credit for the initial success of the bar. “The opening night was brilliant, but that’s more testament to the fact that it’s not mine. It would not get the support without the community getting excited. I did technically set it up but it would be nothing without the support of the community.”
Last year it was reported that there were only three permanent lesbian bars left in the UK. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising rent prices, LGBTQIA spaces have struggled to stay afloat. For Alex, it’s important that La Camionera is kept as a lesbian bar. “It’s a way for us to keep that word alive but without excluding people,” they explained.
Clara and Alex will be refurbishing and redecorating their new venue soon. To stay updated on when the permanent space will open, follow the bar on Instagram.
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