The Gateways club has been commemorated for its cultural significance
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE PROVIDED BY ENGLISH HERITAGE
Lesbian history is often hidden in plain sight. It’s documented in journals, letters, longing poems and “best friends” who lived together. Sometimes, though, lesbian history is more concrete. Sometimes it’s a building in Chelsea that was home to one of the most legendary lesbian nightclubs ever.
The Gateways Club has received a blue plaque from English Heritage, commemorating its pertinent place in lesbian history. Founded in 1931, the social venue ran for 50 years, becoming a hub of lesbian culture and community.
Rebecca Preston, Historian at English Heritage, said: “The Gateways Club in Chelsea holds a profoundly significant place in British LGBTQIA+ history and the site remains an important one in the wider history of the capital. For over five decades, it offered a precious safe space where lesbian women could be themselves, free from judgement, harassment, and the prying eyes of the law. This blue plaque commemorates a venue of great social significance.”
Founded in 1930, the Gateways was a place for lesbians like Radclyffe Hall to mingle and meet other like-minded individuals. After WWII, it fell under the proprietorship of Ted Ware, and it was during this time that it became legend. Celebrities like Joan Collins, Diana Dors and Dusty Springfield all passed through its doors.
By 1967, there was a woman-only policy and it became one of the beating hearts of lesbian nightlife. The club closed in 1985, but its legacy still endures. Before there was Vanilla, Butch Please, Gal Pals and more, there was Gateways. And it’s vital that we honour that.
In 2022, the club was even given its own documentary by Jackdaw Media/Anibus Films titled Gateway’s Grind: London’s Secret Lesbian Club, presented by Sandi Toksvig. The documentary features interviews from several regulars and DIVA’s very own editor-in-chief Roxy Bourdillon, as well as a deeper dive into the building’s fascinating history.
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA+ media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
✨linkin.bio/ig-divamagazine ✨
