Gscene Magazine July 2013

JULY 2013

CONTENTS

www.gscene.org @gscene GScene.Brighton

ADAM BROOKES, BEDFORD TAVERN (GOLDEN HANDBAG LANDLORD OF THE YEAR 2012) BIRTHDAY PARTY

PUBLISHED BY Peter Storrow TEL 01273 722457 EDITORIAL info@gscene.com ADS+ARTWORK design@gscene.com

BEDFORD TAVERN

GSCENE magazine

EDITORIAL TEAM James Ledward, Graham Robson ARTS EDITOR Michael Hootman SUB-EDITOR Graham Robson DESIGN Michèle Allardyce MODEL Brett Murray PHOTOGRAPHY Nathan Attenborough www.nattenborough.co.uk MAKEUP ARTIST Daniele Arbisi

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CONTRIBUTORS Jaq Bayles, Jo Bourne, Nick Boston, Matt Carver, Suchi Chatterjee, Nick Douglas, Craig Hanlon Smith, Enzo Marra, Andrew Modd, Netty, Charles Nyereyegona, Carl Oprey, Eric Page, Kat Pope, Steph Scott, Del Sharp, Keith Sharpe, Gay Socrates, Darren Solo, Brian Stacey, Glen Stevens, Craig Storrie, Duncan Stewart, Vron, Roger Wheeler, Mike Wall, Morham White, Kate Wildblood

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FRONT COVER

PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Hootman, Sarah Haddow, James Ledward, Ian Mager-Playford Momentcatcher mrmomentcatcher.com

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© GSCENE 2013 All work appearing in Gscene Ltd is copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated on the page concerned.

6 News

SCENE LISTINGS 40 Brighton Listings 59 Solent & Bournemouth Listings

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FEATURES 21 BACKING INTO LIGHT Colin Spencer talks to Rebecca Sandles about his autobiography

22 TRANS* A round-up of everything trans* in Brighton & Hove

33 LA ISLA BONITA Craig Hanlon-Smith goes back in time on the Isle Of Wight BEDFORD TAVEN

NEWS

34 UP4AMEET? Kat Pope chats to Benedict Garrett about his new show

26 26 27 27 28 29 29 30 31 31 32 35 36 38 39 58 58

Transribe Trans Matters Young People’s Voice FTM Brighton Craig’s Thoughts Suchi’s World Vron’s Voice Changing Attitude Netty’s World Queerying Queenie Charlie Says The Man Who...

Shopping Geek Scene Come Dine With Morham Dance Music DJ profile: Jonesy

INFORMATION 62 Services Directory 63 Classifieds

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PUTTING THE T FIRST!

RAINBOW FUND SUPPORTS TRANS PROJECTS DELIVERING FRONT LINE SERVICES

BRIGHTON HOSTS FIRST TRANS* PRIDE !

t At the end of last year, the Rainbow Fund provided grant funding to support the pilot of a groundbreaking trans youth network run by Allsorts. Since setting up the project, Allsorts have attracted funding from Comic Relief and Children in Need to extend the pilot and meet the growing demand for the service.

Allsorts supports and empowers young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or unsure (LGBTU) of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The Rainbow Fund supported the Transformers project through grant funding last year, it has also twice funded FTM Brighton, including in its spring 2013 grants round. FTM Brighton is a group for transgender men, gender queer people and those questioning their gender identity. It provides a social space, support, sexual health advice and coordinates local campaigns relevant to FTM trans people.

JESS WOOD MBE

t On the weekend of July 26-28, Brighton will be staging the first ever Trans* Pride in the UK. Trans* Pride is organised by volunteers and they are inviting everyone who identifies as gender variant in any way and their significant others, allies, friends and families to celebrate with them and share a unique insight into gender and life. Trans*Pride is affiliated to Brighton Pride and is part of the Pride Week celebrations. The weekend starts with a film event at the Duke of York’s @ Komedia as part of The Pride Film Festival. For up to date information and timings view: www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Dukes_At_Komedia/ Saturday, July 27 is the main event where everyone will meet at the fountain on Old Steine at 11.30am then march up St James’ Street at noon to New Steine Gardens for Trans* Pride in the Park till 6pm. There will be speeches and entertainment all afternoon, community stalls and a community cafe provided by Lunch Positive, the award-winning HIV charity that provides lunches for people with HIV every Friday at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church. www.lunchpositive.org After the event in New Steine the party moves to Blind Tiger, 52-54 Grand Parade, Brighton for Transfrau with entertainment from 8–10pm and DJs and dancing from 10pm-late. Sunday, weather permitting, there will be a picnic noon–4pm.

Location is still to be finalised so check the Trans* Pride Facebook page for information at: www.facebook.com/TransPrideBrighton?fref=ts or www.gscene.com for regular updates.

Trans* Pride need funds to help pay for the event and are currently seeking donations to cover insurance, to build the stage and pay performers’ expenses. Any amount, no matter how small will really help. To donate, view: www.gofundme.com/TransPrideBrighton Volunteers are also needed. If you would like to be a volunteer email: transpridebrighton@gmail.com

Jess Wood MBE, Director of Allsorts, welcomed the grant to Allsorts: “Trans children and young people are often bullied and isolated in school, college and at work. As a result, trans children and young people can face a tough journey to express their deeper identity. There is little understanding of what trans children and young people need and this project will not only help the children and young people involved and their families but also help to raise awareness throughout the city especially in our schools.”

MARRIAGE DEBATE DRAWS LARGE CROWD t More than 200 people turned out to participate in a debate on gay marriage at St Mary's Church in St James Street, on Friday, June 21. The event was organised by Changing Attitude Sussex, who campaign for the inclusion and equality of LGBT people in the Church of England. The principal speaker in favour of Same Sex Marriage was Simon Kirby MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Sport and Tourism.

RAINBOW FUND AGREES SPRING SMALL GRANTS ROUND

t The Rainbow Fund grants panel has agreed a new round of grants this spring. Voluntary sector groups were invited to submit a proposal via the Sussex Community Foundation in April.

Proposed funding includes: • FTM - £850 for project costs • LGBT Community Safety Forum - £3,800 for a community advocate post • Peer Action - £500 for therapy activity costs • Lunch Positive - £1,000 for essential food hygiene equipment • MindOut - £1,000 for their peer support group costs

L-R: SIMON KIRBY MP, CLLR CHRISTINA SUMMERS, DR SHARON JAMES, REV'D ANDREW WOODWARD, DR KEITH SHARP & REVEREND DAVID PAGE

Simon has been a longstanding supporter of LGBT people and equal marriage. He argued forcefully that the "the benefits of a legally defined marriage should not be excluded to anyone because of their sexuality". He refuted the idea that the current Bill going through Parliament would "redefine marriage", pointing out that marriage had changed many times through the centuries and that allowing same-sex couples to marry would strengthen the institution rather than weaken it.

The principal speaker against Same-Sex Marriage was Councillor Christina Summers. who was elected to Brighton & Hove Council as a candidate for the Green Party. She was expelled from it last year because of her opposition to gay marriage, support for which was a policy of the Green Party. At the time of her disciplinary hearing she told her party "I'm accountable to God above any political party". Supporting Simon Kirby MP was the Reverend David Page, a past Chair of the Changing Attitude Board of Trustees and supporting Christina Summers was Dr Sharon James, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Marriage. The audience discussion afterwards was polite and respectful even though there were strong feelings on both sides.

PAUL ELGOOD

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Paul Elgood, Chairman of the Rainbow Fund, said: "This is the first time we have given out grants in the spring, and so I would like to thank the many fundraisers who made this possible. We do not directly fundraise ourselves but rely on groups, individuals and businesses to help ensure we have enough funding available. The funds available meant we mostly gave out small grants this time, with our larger grant round in the autumn. We are pleased to be funding some of our regular organisations and also some new proposals. We hope the funding will make a difference to their work. I would also like to thank the independent grants panel for their time and expertise again."

The Rainbow Fund provides grant funding to the local LGBT voluntary sector. It does not fundraise directly but benefits from a number of high profile events and activities. There are no salaries, expenses or office hire costs associated with the Fund, except in terms of the professional advice it receives in terms of administrating the Fund by the Sussex Community Foundation. All panel members are volunteers and give their time freely.

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SHARON BARR

GAY VILLAGE PARTY LOSE MAIN SPONSOR

t The future of the Gay Village Party was put in jeopardy early last month when Eristoff Vodka withdrew their promised financial support. Organiser Sharon Barr had been in discussions with the vodka brand rep for the previous six months and a schedule of payments had been agreed (Gscene has seen the emails). Sharon was told by the rep at the end of May, the offer of the money had been withdrawn. She claims no notice was given. Sharon said: “This is a huge blow to the event. Bacardi Brown-Forman, owners of the Eristoff brand, had promised £15,000 towards this year’s event. The local bars in return had agreed to sell Eristoff as their favoured vodka brand for six months. We are now so close to Pride that I really cannot see us raising the funds needed to pull the event off. I’m meeting with the bars, council and police next week in order to decide what the next step will be. I urge all businesses in the St James’ Street area to pull together and donate as much money as possible to make this event happen.

Following a meeting with the council, the police and local bar owners on Wednesday, June 19, Sharon issued the following statement: “A productive meeting was held today between the St James’ Gay Village Party committee, Brighton & Hove City Council and Sussex Police after Bacardi BrownForman withdrew its promised funding for the event. Local licensees are pulling together and working hard to keep the event on. There is no major financial support on offer from any of the corporate businesses that occupy St James’ Street and it is left to the independent businesses to keep what is a long standing and significant event in the city's calendar alive.

“Financial support is needed so please be generous in keeping this unique event on and donate through the donation boxes in venues in and around St. James’ Street.”

The meeting was chaired by Sharon Barr who is confident with the support from Brighton residents and businesses, the local authority and Sussex Police, that a safe and well organised event will again be part of the city's Pride celebrations this year.

Bacardi Brown-Forman were asked to comment but did not reply.

DR KEITH SHARPE

DR MARTIN WARNER

BISHOP OF CHICHESTER TO LEAD 'SERVICE OF WELCOME' FOR PRIDE 2013

t Dr Martin Warner, The Bishop of Chichester, will be the preacher at this year's Service of Welcome for Pride at the Church of St John the Evangelist in Preston Park, which takes place at 2pm after the Pride Parade. St John's has held a Pride service for many years but this is the first time the Bishop of Chichester has officiated. His willingness to be the preacher is highly significant and represents a very welcome shift of attitude in the Anglican hierarchy.

Dr Keith Sharpe, Chair of Changing Attitude Sussex, commented: “It is marvellous news that the Bishop of Chichester will preach at the Pride' Service of Welcome'. In the past the church authorities in Chichester did not openly support this event. But now that the new bishop, Dr Warner, is going to be the preacher we are hopeful that there will be a sea change in the attitude of the Church of England towards LGBT events such as Pride. We hope that many Anglican clergy and their congregations will feel able to march with us in the parade and come with us to the service to hear what the Bishop has to say. We are really grateful to Dr Warner for his courage in taking this step, and we hope that he will be well supported in the church. It is always a beautiful and moving service, but short so there is always plenty of time to enjoy the activities in the park afterwards. All are welcome and we encourage everyone to come along.”

For more information about Changing Attitude Sussex, view: www.changingattitudesussex.com

CALLS FOR DRUG POLICY OVERHAUL

t A broad coalition of scientists, politicians and celebrities have called on the Government to end the failed ‘war on drugs’ and commit to an urgent review of the UK’s drug laws. In an open letter published in The Times newspaper, public figures including Sir Richard Branson, Sting, Russell Brand, Dame Joan Bakewell and Sir Ian Gilmore, former president of the Royal College of Physicians, highlight the £3 billion spent by the taxpayer on a drug policy which they claim, “does little to address the root causes of addiction and pointlessly criminalises people”.

The initiative, led by Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas, has attracted cross-party backing in Parliament from Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East and chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee (Labour), Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park (Conservative), Julian Huppert, MP for Cambridge (Lib Dem) and Paul Flynn, MP for Newport West (Labour).

The letter to The Times states: “Worldwide there is growing recognition that the ‘war on drugs’ has failed – having cost billions of dollars and caused tens of thousands of deaths. In the UK, scientists, politicians, lawyers and police increasingly agree that we need to review existing policy, which costs taxpayers £3 billion a year but does little to address the root causes of addiction and pointlessly criminalises people.

“By agreeing to an independent review to determine whether the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is effective or good value for money, the Government can prove its willingness to acknowledge failures within existing policy – and join in the global effort towards an alternative strategy based on evidence.”

Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove and Portslade, said: “I’m calling for evidence-based policy when it comes to drugs. We need to push our emotions and prejudices to the side and go with what works. What we have now is simply not working.”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

t With reference to the article on Danny Dwyer, (The Argus, June 8) headlined 'Pillar of Gay Community denies unsafe sex claims'.

Upon reading this piece of crude character assignation I was immediately transported back to the atmosphere and climate of the witch-hunting 1980s, where prejudice was presented as public interest and prurience masqueraded as public morals.

The Argus, proudly promoting itself as a 'Family Newspaper', has really slipped back into the hate filled past with this pillorying of a private individual. Where did the author of this poison gather the background info to cobble together such salacious sanctimony from trawling sex websites?

One of the worst pieces of gutter journalism I have seen in The Argus in many years. What disturbs me most is not the contents of the piece but the motivation of the 'journalist' who wrote it, and the subsequent editorial decision to publish. Shameful.

John Irvine, Brighton This is one of many letters we have received about this story in The Argus. The message in all the letters was similar so I have chosen this one to express the community’s disappointment at the decision to run the story. JL*

EQUAL MARRIAGE BILL SURVIVES ‘FATAL MOTION’ IN FIRST HOUSE OF LORDS TEST

t Last month, Peers voted overwhelmingly in favour of ‘equal marriage’, following a controversial attempt by Lord Dear to have the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill thrown out.

Lord Dear’s ‘fatal motion’ was rejected by a majority of 242 peers. The Bill now proceeds to Committee Stage in the House of Lords.

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive, said: "We’re absolutely delighted.

We always expected a tough challenge in the House of Lords, and Lord Dear’s ‘fatal motion’ – very rarely used - demonstrates the lengths to which a minority of peers are, sadly, still prepared to go to deny full equality to lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

The Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons with a majority of 205 on May 21. MPs had earlier rejected a wrecking amendment, by 375 votes to 70, during the Bill’s Report Stage on May 20. The Bill’s Second Reading on February 5 passed by 400 to 175 votes, a majority of 225. www.stonewall.org.uk/marriage

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THE OLDEST GAY IN THE VILLAGE IS NAMED PRIDE’S THIRD AMBASSADOR

t George Sydney Montague is better known to everyone as the Oldest Gay in the Village. For the last few years he has proudly rode on his mobility scooter on the Pride Parade. In June he celebrated his 90th birthday and invited friends and family to his home on Marine Parade in Brighton. People came from as far afield as Singapore and Norway to give George their best wishes.

George was born in 1923 and left school in 1937 aged 14 saying in his own words: “I was not grammar school material”. The only thing George was good at was woodwork so he became a pattern maker. In 1941 he was 18 and desperate to join up and fight for his country. Despite working in a reserve occupation, which meant he didn’t have to fight, he managed to pass the test and was accepted as an air crew wireless operator/air gunner, but failed the exams. He was posted to Southern Rhodesia where he was promoted to the rank of corporal as a physical training instructor. On being demobbed he started his own pattern making business which eventually moved from wood into metal patterns and became very successful.

George realised he was gay in his twenties, when it was illegal to be homosexual.

Like many of his friends at the time George married when he was 37. His wife, Vera, knew George's gay friends but the issue of George's sexuality was never discussed. George believed if he got married he could stop being gay, which of course never happened. He fathered three children and now has three grandchildren who he is very proud of and loves dearly. At a family gathering after his family had grown up, George decided to come out to his children and the rest of his family. He said: “Sorry guys your dad is gay”. Paula his daughter, said: “Oh daddy we've know for years.” After his coming out George lived apart from his wife and after a while they became friends again. George says: “Vera found someone who made the last years of her life far happier than I could.”

On June 28, 1997 George met his partner Somchai Phukkhlai in London; they have been civil partners since 2006 and will be celebrating their 16th anniversary together. They have homes in Brighton and Thailand where they spend the English winter.

George says the thing that most pleased him about his birthday celebration was a letter he received afterwards from his sister-in-law regarding the complete change of her views on homosexuality after meeting all his friends at his 90th birthday party. She wrote: “It was an education to find that your gay community are no different to anyone else; I found them pleasant and warm and it's really good that there is no longer any discrimination which should, on reflection, have disappeared many eons ago.”

George will once again be on his scooter at Pride this year as one of the first four Pride Ambassadors ever in Brighton & Hove. He received the largest number of nominations in June and is immensely proud to have been chosen and says he will represent all the older LGBT people in the city.

LOW COST ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE DURING PRIDE t During the summer, the Sussex University Residential Services are offering some budget and self-catering rooms on their Falmer campus, which can be booked by individual visitors on a night by night or weekly basis.

Falmer Station is just nine minutes from Brighton train station, a single train journey costs £2.40 and trains run every 15-20 minutes. Falmer station is the third stop on leaving Brighton, after London Road and Moulsecoomb. Taxis do not run from Falmer Station to the residences.

The No 25 bus runs every 10 minutes from Brighton to the University of Sussex (slowing to every 20 minutes in the evening, and every 30 minutes at night) and costs £1.80 for a single ticket. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes.

If you arrive in Brighton by coach the nearest stop for the No 25 is at the Old Steine which is situated a short walk away behind the coach station.

The cost of a taxi from Brighton Station is approximately £12.

During Pride weekend, en suite single rooms are available from £25 per night, and budget rooms from £18 per night, together with similar rates throughout the summer.

For more information, view: www.sussex.ac.uk/res identialservices/newsandev ents/index/pride

THE CO-OPERATIVE ARE BACK TO SUPPORT BRIGHTON PRIDE!

t Following their support of Brighton Pride for the last nine years, The Cooperative’s award winning employee network Respect will be out in force with their Making history with Pride entry in this year’s Parade. The entry will see employees, members and customers come together to celebrate and soak up the amazing atmosphere of the event. The Cooperative Membership team will be engaging the huge crowds at their interactive stand in Preston Park too. The Co-operative is the UK’s most gay friendly retailer and ranks third in the 2013 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The Respect network is proud to be one of the largest employee LGBT networks in Europe with over 6,000 Friends of Respect and were recently named Network Group of the Year at the 2013 g3 magazine Readers’ Awards. You can follow the Respect network on Twitter: @CoopRespectLGBT

PRIDE FUNDRAISER DINNER & SHOW WITH MZZ KIMBERLEY

t The New Steine Hotel, Bar & Bistro are raising funds for Brighton Pride by hosting an evening of delicious French food followed by live singing with the UK's favourite import from Detroit, Michigan on Wednesday, July 24.

Mzz Kimberley will be singing songs from her youth, from jazz, blues, gospel and show tunes and you can expect to hear her stories of growing up, hanging out at Motown and meeting Warhol before his passing. This powerful singer promises a night filled with fun and laughter.

Dinner will be served at 7pm and finish at 8.30pm when the show will start, continuing until 10pm with a 15 minute interval.

Tickets are £29.50, which includes a three course meal and show. Tickets are available from the New Steine Hotel 01273 681546.

Numbers are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

All the profits from the night will be donated to Brighton Pride. Pride Fundraiser Dinner & Show with Mzz Kimberley, Wednesday, July 24, 7–10pm, New Steine Hotel, Bar & Bistro, 10 & 11 New Steine, Brighton BN2 1PB. For more info, tel: 01273 681546 / 695415 or view: www.newsteinehotel.com

MZZ KIMBERLEY

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GEOFFREY BOWDEN

In his resignation email, Peter, wrote: “After 16 years at the helm of GEMS, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, the Council of Brighton & Hove and all the official organisations and friends who helped and supported me to turn GEMS into the successful social group it is today. GEMS has been my baby, but the baby has grow and developed opinions I cannot agree with, so its time to let it go. I wish all members of GEMS the very best for the future.”

Cllr Geoffrey Bowden, a prospective trustee at GEMS, said: “Peter has worked tirelessly to highlight the isolation that many gay men can encounter in their old age. GEMS has provided a lifeline for many, who grew up in an era when the closet door was kept firmly shut. Peter's energy and good humour will be sorely missed.

He will certainly be a very hard act to follow.”

GEMS meets the last Friday of every month at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, Brighton from 7-10pm. Membership is free and the organisation survives from donations and grant applications. Stephen Grainger remains as the Social Events Co-ordinator and he is supported by three new committee members.

To contact GEMS, call: 07970 861755: or email: brightongems@aol.com

CHANGES AT THE QUEEN’S ARMS

t Kevin Calladine, the present manager, has become part-owner of the Queen’s Arms in George Street, Brighton. Andy Feest the owner of the QA for the last 22 years said: "Kevin’s done a fantastic job of managing the QA for the past 20 months. I’ve decided to take a step back and Kevin will be responsible for the day to day running of the bar. I’ll still be involved, but more behind the scenes. I’m very proud that the QA has been and will continue to be an integral part of the Brighton community and I believe we’re so much more than just a bar. We have a great team of staff and we look forward to serving you, our customers for many years to come.”

t Maria Antoniou has been appointed Interim Chair of Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, replacing Mark Elsworth who stepped down in May after four years in the role. Maria has served on Switchboard's Management Board for the past year and was asked to step up until a permanent Chair is recruited. She has professional experience in charity fundraising, along with a PhD in Women's Studies and a background in university lecturing and academic research.

MARIA ANTONIOU

Over the years GEMS has had representatives on Brighton & Hove Council committees, has been a member of the International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA), the European Gay Elderly Forum with the EU in Bruxelles and for the last five years Peter Otto has been a guest lecturer at the Solomon Institution in Tunbridge Wells on the subject of Life Experience of Older Gay Men. In 2011, GEMS were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services to the Community and received a special Golden Handbag Recognition Award at the Golden Handbag Show in the same year. Since 2008 Peter has organised the annual AIDS Memorial Concert under the patronage of GEMS and with the support of Brighton & Hove Council. The Mayor of Brighton & Hove is a patron of GEMS and the members of GEMS enjoy an annual reception at the Mayor's Parlour. The Mayor also attends their annual Candlelight Dinner before Christmas.

t The May Bank Holiday Charity Fundraiser at the Queen’s Arms raised a fantastic £1,100 to be shared between Martlets Hospice and the British Institute for Learning Difficulties (BILD). Kevin Calladine, Queen’s Arms’ manager and new partowner, said: “It's days like this that remind me why I love my job so much. A huge thanks to all the acts: Gabriella Parrish, Dave Lynn, Jason Sutton, Jennie Castell, Adora Dix, Tammy Twinkle, Son of a Tutu, Mzz Kimberley, Davina Sparkle, Lady La Rue, Cosmic Stars and Mary Mac. Also a big thanks to Darren Cavill for sandwiches and photos. To all the staff; Mary Weller, Richard Bailey, Mike Hartley, Jessica Anthony, Bonnie Weller, Chris Gault and the lady with the raffle Cherry Weller. Thanks to our guests from The Undateables; Sam Culpeck and your auction skills and Kate Toffee Brackley your poem was immense! And lastly, Scott Burey who organised the event excellently and was a divine compere and host. To all the customers that donated auction lots and bidded on them."

Maria said: “I'm pleased to accept this challenge.

This is a significant time for Switchboard as we raise funds to strengthen our Counselling and Helpline services. We have also taken on sole ownership of the LGBT Health & Inclusion Project (LGBT HIP), previously jointly managed with the Terrence Higgins Trust. Over the coming year, LGBT HIP will be carrying out important work, including community engagement relating Brighton & Hove Council's implementation of the trans equality scrutiny recommendations; and partnership work with other agencies to engage marginalised LGBT communities including BME people, older people, disabled people and carers. I look forward to working with the volunteers, staff and Board at Switchboard to create a successful and responsive organisation.”

Mark Elsworth said: “Chairing Switchboard has been an interesting and challenging experience for me and I'm now delighted to hand over to Maria who will, initially, take the role for three months. I know that with her calm leadership abilities, Switchboard is in good hands.”

MARK ELSWORTH

t Peter Otto, advisor and fundraiser to the Gay Elderly Men's Society (GEMS) has resigned. During his 16 years at the helm of GEMS the organisation has considerably increased its profile and the profile of older people in the city.

GEMS are a social group who aim to reduce isolation and to help support and take care of mature gay men in Brighton & Hove.

They hold regular social events and organise trips to the theatre and local tourist attractions.

The group is an important mechanism for older gay men to maintain their friendship networks.

The former Older Lesbian & Gay Men's Forum was created in 1997 with the help of Age Concern under the guidance of their Director, Dorothy Engmann. In 2002 the men and women decided to go their separate ways and GEMS was born.

NEW INTERIM CHAIR FOR LGBT SWITCHBOARD

QUEEN’S ARMS RAISE £1,100

KEVIN CALLADINE

PETER OTTO

GEMS ADVISOR RESIGNS

LIFE BEYOND THE SCENE

t Tired of the commercial scene? Try the new coffee meetings for all women who like women (gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer) and their straight female allies to meet, chat and socialise (open to both cis and trans women also). They take place every first and third Tuesday of the month from 5–7pm at the Red Roaster Coffee House, 14 St James’ Street, Brighton.N.

GSCENE 13

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LUNCH POSITIVE CELEBRATES 4 YEARS AND NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK

t Last month (June 7), Lunch Positive celebrated its 4th birthday and National Volunteers Week. The lunch club, for people with HIV, achieves ongoing growth and the number of people going along and joining the project each week keeps steadily increasing. Recently, Lunch Positive served its 10,000th meal, every one provided entirely by volunteers. The project aims to provide a safe and welcoming community space where people can find friendship, peer support and share a healthy and affordable meal once a week. In the last year a team of 27 volunteers gave a total of 5,200 hours to the project.

Gary Pargeter, Volunteer Project Manager, said: “It feels a fantastic achievement to have celebrated four years and now to be entering our fifth. We provide a unique service locally, one which despite improvements in HIV treatments shows that there remains a need for a space where people can meet – helping cope with the often complex social and psychological impact of being HIV positive. We’re also seeing more and more people in unexpected or enduring financial hardship – and it’s rewarding that we are able to help support people with a regular healthy meal in these circumstances. Everything positive that happens at the lunch club is a result of the support people provide one another, from the tremendous efforts of volunteers in delivering the service every week, to the welcome, encouragement and support members give one another when they come along.”

For more information, view: www.lunchpositive.org

LGB&T MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT VACANCIES ________________________________________ ADVOCACY WORKER: 10.5 hours per week £24,646 pro rata (£7,394) Experienced LGBT Mental Health Advocate sought to manage a busy case load providing support, information and representation, provide outreach & support peer advocacy. Must have experience of mental health advocacy.

ADMINISTRATOR: 24 hours per week £15,039pa pro rata (£10,312) Experienced, part time Administrator sought to join LGBT team to be responsible for office systems, data input, reception, social media, organising meetings and events, publicity and promotion.

All posts subject to satisfactory references and enhanced CRB check. ______________________________________________________ For application pack please see www.mindout.org.uk or email info@mindout.org.uk or send a large SAE to: MindOut, Community Base, 113 Queens Rd, Brighton BN1 3XG Closing date for both posts: noon Thursday 18th July Interviews for Advocacy Post: Wednesday 24th July Interviews for Administrator Post: Monday 22nd July Registered Charity No 1140098

t Public places to run next year’s Brighton Half Marathon are almost sold out.

Organisers have issued a last call to anyone wishing to enter the race on February 16, 2014 either as part of a corporate team or as an individual runner.

More than half of the 11,000 available places were snapped up in the first month alone following the opening of registration in April.

The Brighton Half Marathon Corporate Challenge takes place as part of the Brighton Half Marathon and is designed as a team event to assist companies and organisations to build teamwork in the workplace and promote health and fitness, with the Corporate Challenge Trophy being presented to the team that has the lowest aggregate time of their first three runners.

In 2013 there was also a trophy for Best Fundraisers which was awarded to Worthing-based company Travel Places who raised over £4,000 for St Barnabas House Hospice in Worthing, with nine of their staff members taking part.

Entry to the Corporate Challenge is integrated into the standard registration process, with entry fees of £30 for affiliated runners and £32 for non-affiliated runners including a goody bag and a medal at the finish. Over 40 teams are signed up to the Brighton Half Marathon Corporate Challenge 2014 so far.

To find more details, view: www.brightonhalfmaratho n.com/corporate-charitychallenge The Brighton Half Marathon is organised by and is the main fundraiser for Brighton-based charity the Sussex Beacon, a unique centre providing innovative services to meet the changing needs of people living with HIV. Other official charities include WaterAid and Rise.

Partners for the 2014 race confirmed so far include the Seattle Hotel, Visit Brighton, Brighton & Hove City Council and Studio57 Clinic.

HELEN JONES

LUNCH POSITIVE

LAST CALL FOR ENTRY TO BRIGHTON HALF MARATHON

t MindOut, the LGBT mental health project, has been awarded £87,450 over the next two years as part of a national antistigma campaign.

The funding is part of a £3.6m Big Lottery Fund grant awarded to the Time to Change campaign, which is also supported

by Comic Relief and the Department of Health and is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.

The additional funding will deliver targeted work to drive major social change by challenging the stigma and discrimination that people with mental health problems suffer from.

Helen Jones, Director of MindOut, said: “We are delighted that MindOut is part of this major national project. We will be providing some LGBTspecific mental health antistigma initiatives as part of a very successful partnership. This funding will enable us to recruit an anti-stigma coordinator and to provide lots of opportunities for volunteers to get involved in creating social change. We will be launching our anti-stigma project at Pride this year, look out for us in the park.”

If you would like to get involved as a volunteer, view: www.mindout.org.uk or email: info@mindout.org.uk

PEER ACTION JULY EVENTS

t Peer Action, the local HIV charity offering friendship and support through a range of outings and activities for all those living with or affected by HIV, send a huge ‘Thank You’ to Mark and his team at the Camelford Arms in Kemptown for the recent fundraiser for Peer Action, which raised in excess of £200.

From Sunday, July 14 onwards, Phil will be running his meditation classes at the Sussex Beacon. Class begins at 11am and runs for one hour.

Other social activities include: • Monday: Bingo at the Gala; • Tuesday: lunchtime swimming; evening yoga classes with Dan; • Wednesday: join Chris and Julia for a games night at the Barley Mow pub; • Saturday, July 27: unwind with a wide range of holistic therapies.

Most Peer Action services and events will be taking a break during August and will return in September. For full details on all Peer Action events, view: www.peeraction.co.uk

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WWW.GSCENE.COM SUMMER ‘BREEZE’ HOTS UP!

t The No 77 bus to Devil’s Dyke moved up a gear in June and the open-top bus service now runs seven days a week, with additional evening buses, right through to September 1.

Leave your car at home and relax in your grandstand seat while the bus breezes you through Brighton & Hove and out to the Downs.

Buses return from Devil’s Dyke right up to 8.30pm, you can even pop up for a summer evening stroll.

OUR BOYS SUPPORT DJ CLAIRE’S GOLDEN HANDBAG BID

Two open-top buses per hour will work the Devil’s Dyke route. Each of them is low-floor and accessible to people travelling in wheelchairs or pushing buggies.

Up to two children per adult go free on the 77 bus.

t Claire Fuller’s campaign to be voted Favourite Local DJ, in the Golden Handbag Awards, called not only on the support of regular clubbers at the Basement Club at Legends, where she is the resident DJ at Pop Candy on Sundays, but also on some of our troops serving in Afghanistan. Claire did not win but she was a very respectable runner up.

We are an independent LGBT Forum working with the Community to address and improve safety issues in Brighton & Hove. We hold quarterly public meetings. Please sign up for our news letter at: www.lgbt-safety-forum-brighton.com/newsletter

LGBT SAFETY FORUM AGM

6pm TUES 16th JULY The Queens Hotel, Brighton, BN1 1NS

ALL WELCOME For more info visit: lgbt-safety-forum-brighton.com

WE NEED YOU! Want to get involved in YOUR local community?

We are still recruiting Committee members and Volunteers.

Open to ALL members of the community.

To sign up visit: www.lgbt-safety-forum-brighton.com/get-involved

An adult return to Devil’s Dyke is £5, or buy an Explorer ticket for unlimited bus travel. Senior citizens’ bus passes are accepted too. Explorer tickets allow unlimited travel on virtually all bus services, including the weekend 78 bus to the heart of Stanmer Park and the weekend 79 bus to Ditchling Beacon.

One day versions of the Explorer can be bought from Brighton & Hove’s bus drivers for £7. Two people can save with a Family Explorer for £10 which includes up to three children.

Leaflets with information on each of the three Breeze bus routes (77, 78, 79) are available from www.brightonhove.gov.uk/breezebuses or at libraries, council offices and bus offices, or by calling the council on 01273 292480.

The Breeze up to the Downs project is supported by Brighton & Hove City Council, The National Trust and the South Downs National Park Authority.

Picture by Transport Marketing.

BRIGHTON GAY RADIO

t Brighton Gay Radio is an online station playing poptastic music round the clock. DJ Mark 'Marcia' Jenkins, well known to Bulldog regulars as DJ Marcia is in charge of all programming which features camp classics from the last 40 years of gayness.

Mark has been resident DJ at the legendary Bulldog Glitterball on Monday nights for the last 12 years. The station runs 24 hours a day and you can find the daily schedule at www.brightongayradio.com. My particular favourite is All Presenting Day on Wednesdays which features Marcia's Brighton What’s On Guide for the over 70s with fabulously out of fashion music, followed at 8pm by JMD Superstar, a weekly fans tribute show to the wonderfully camp Jane McDonald.

Mark started the station last July because he felt most gay media and radio stations cater for a youngish audience and are dance and business orientated. Mark says: “Working for years at the Bulldog I realised that many older queens (and some younger ones) reacted very well to the older, slightly camp classics. Brighton Gay Radio gives me the opportunity to share my music passions with all those who are like-minded.”

MARK ‘MARCIA’ JENKINS

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The weekly schedule is as follows: • Mondays: Marcia’s Glitterball Year features music from a year gone by and based on the legendary Bulldog Glitterball nights.

• Tuesdays: check out the online diary changes every week.

• Wednesdays: features Marcia's Brighton Show, a What’s On Guide for the over 70s with fabulously out of fashion music. If you want anything mentioned during the show email: studio@brightongayradio.com.

At 8pm there is a weekly fans tribute to the fabulously camp Jane McDonald.

Marcia is a huge fan!

• Thursdays: local resident Ian Fennell takes control with his community show Scene & Heard. If you want anything covered during the show email: studio@brightongayradio.com • Friday: ABBA Friday (once again slightly gay). Both this show and the Jane McDonald show have picked up a big following all over Europe • Weekends: features non-stop camp classics covering everything from Eurovision favourites, Pride Anthems to Madonna and 1980s classics.

Check out Brighton Gay Radio, it is fabulously uplifting and yes fabulously camp: www.brightongayradio.com

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LABOUR CHOOSE CANDIDATES FOR NEXT ELECTION

CLEANER, GREENER CITY ANYONE?

Paul Elgood, former Lib Dem Councillor for Brunswick & Adelaide ward, joined residents in Brunswick and Regency wards on a litter pick to help keep the streets of his former ward of Brunswick & Adelaide clean.

PAUL ELGOOD

Nancy said: “I’m delighted to have been selected as the Labour candidate for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven. Two decades of campaign experience; real life experience, gives me a genuine connection to the lives of people across the constituency, and a track record of delivering practical change on issues such as Sure Start, fuel poverty and transport. I’ll fight to expose cruel Coalition cuts and demonstrate that Labour has an alternative for good jobs, affordable homes and better schools. Every time a policy negatively impacts on the residents of Brighton Kemptown, I’ll challenge the Conservative MP as to why he voted for it – such as the £30 million cuts to local NHS trust and the Bedroom Tax.” The final selection for the Brighton Pavilion seat, currently held by the UK's first Green MP, Caroline Lucas, will be held on July 20.

SIMON KIRBY MP

t During the CityClean strike last month residents and traders took matters into their own hands as the city centre slowly became buried under piles of rubbish.

Dr Kyle, a former Pride trustee, said: “Local residents are fed up at the lack of economic development, quality job creation, and wasted money on poorly thought through traffic schemes. I have a track record of delivering for people in greatest need, which I will do during the campaign and in Westminster. I’m raring to go, I have the passion and background to win this seat back and I can’t wait to get going. Under Ed Miliband, Labour will rebuild Britain – invest in our economy, halt the dismantling of our NHS, and ensure there is adequate support for the most vulnerable members of our society. I am looking forward to campaigning with local people on these, the issues that really matter.”

NANCY PLATTS

DR PETER KYLE

t Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party have now selected two of their three candidates for Brighton & Hove at the next general election. Dr Peter Kyle will contest the Hove and Portslade Parliamentary seat, where a 1.9% swing is required to take the seat from the sitting Conservative MP. Nancy Platts, who stood unsuccessfully for Labour in Brighton Pavilion at the last election will contest the Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven seat. Nancy topped the ballot and will contest the Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven Parliamentary seat, where a 1.6% swing is required for Labour to retake the seat from the Conservatives.

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven, moved quickly to congratulate Nancy on her selection to contest his Kemptown seat: “Congratulations to Nancy on securing the Labour nomination for this seat. As the MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven I know what a special place it is and I’d be happy to show Labour’s new candidate the many wonderful parts of the constituency. Since 2010 I’ve been working hard across the constituency, taking up thousands of cases on behalf of residents, from the Marina to Moulsecoomb and from the pier to Peacehaven. I’ll continue to do my best for all residents, regardless of how they vote. I’d also like to add my commiserations to Katie Ghose, who, as someone with local links, would have been a good candidate. Some people may be surprised Labour have selected someone from London over a local candidate” He concluded by saying: “I always believe that people want to see politicians rise above petty, personal, point scoring and see them tackle the real issues like unemployment, the wider economy and immigration. These are the issues I focus on every day and I hope the new Labour candidate will join me in promising to run a clean campaign. Constituents can rest assured that rather than obsessing about elections I am getting on with the job of representing local people in Parliament.”

Paul said: “What happened to the 'greener, cleaner city' we were promised? The state of the city is terrible and this will lead to an increase in crime and vandalism, not to mention a downturn in tourism and business. When we were in the council, these issues were our top priority. Councillors should stop arguing amongst themselves and stop picking on the low paid workers and sort this out now.”

In a separate initiative The Tourism Alliance asked their members to help keep the streets and beach clean around their venues.

Management from the Sea Life Centre and Brighton Pier organised a daily beach clean every morning.

Nick Mosely from the Tourism Alliance, said: “As well as ensuring the beach is presentable for visitors and residents, we are also concerned of the environmental impact of large volumes of waste on marine life.”

LGBT FOOTBALL FANS VOICE CONCERNS OVER RUSSIAN ANTI-GAY BILL

t The Gay Football Supporters Network (GFSN), has raised concerns that LGBT football fans at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup could be persecuted and arrested simply for carrying rainbow flags after a Russian court passed a bill criminalising anyone spreading “homosexual propaganda”.

The GFSN, a non-profit organisation and social network for LGBT football fans across the country, which hosts its own national league, worries there will be no repetition of events such as 'Pride House' as seen during the London Olympics.

Ed Connell, GFSN Campaigns Officer, said: “The GFSN is very concerned that the footballing authorities see fit to award the prestigious World Cup to countries such as Russia which discriminate against the LGBT community. We would urge UEFA and FIFA to demonstrate their resolve to tackle discrimination by seeking assurances that LGBT supporters will be able to attend these events without the risk of intimidation or arrest merely because of their sexuality.

“We would also hope that future host applications will be scrutinised more closely so as to ensure that competitions are not awarded to countries with poor human rights records or without assurances from those countries that all members of the footballing family will be both safe and welcome.”

This is the latest in a line of anti-gay events in Russia from people losing their jobs over their sexuality, to discriminatory government legislation, and LGBT people being beaten to death. For more information, view http://gfsn.org.uk/

GOLDEN HANDBAG AWARDS SHOW

t This year's Golden Handbag Awards Show played to a full house at the Brighton Metropole Hilton last month. Twenty one scene awards were presented as well as five special awards. Entertainment was provided

by Maisie Trollette, Myra Dubois, Dave Lynn and Eva La Diva who had the house up on its feet dancing. This years ceremony crossed over monthly Gscene deadlines so the usual Golden Handbags’ photo spread and full list of results will appear in the August issue of the magazine.

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t Brighton Gay Men's Chorus return to the familiar surrounds of St George’s Church in Kemptown for their next show, Taken From Behind (The Scenes) which is part of the new Brighton Pride Arts & Film Festival.

Go back stage with the Brighton Gay Men's Chorus as they put on another killer show! Witness the bitchiness and backstabbing. Who steals the show?

Who murders the song? Is there anyone without a stain on their reputation? All will be revealed. It would be a crime to miss it...

Taken From Behind (The Scenes) is on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 at St George's Church, St George’s Road, Kemptown, Doors open at 7pm (with licensed bar), show starts at 8pm. Tickets: £12/£10 from: www.brightongmc.org, from the Dome Box Office: 01273 709 709 or from Prowler, 112 St James Street, Brighton, 01273 683 680.

TAINTED LOVE WITH ACTUALLY GAY MEN’S CHORUS

t Cabaret star Miss Jason will perform with Actually Gay Men’s Chorus when they take to the stage for their new show Tainted Love as part of this year’s Pride celebrations on Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2. The chorus will perform iconic songs from the 1960s to the present day, written and performed by artists such as Adele, U2, the Beach Boys and Elton John, which explore the ecstasy, angst, devotion and despair associated with matters of the heart.

Jason Pimblett, Musical Director, said: “The theme of this year’s Pride, Gay Icons, gave us an ideal opportunity to explore more of a contemporary repertoire than audiences might expect.”

This is a welcome return to St Andrew’s for Miss Jason who performed with the chorus in 2009 as part of their Fringe show, Coming Out of Make Up. There will be two performances of Tainted Love at 7.30pm on Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2 at St Andrew’s Church, Waterloo Street, Hove. Tickets are £10/£8 concessions, available on the door, or online: www.actuallygmc.org Proceeds from the event will support the work of Sussex Beacon and MindOut. For more information, view: www.actuallygmc.org

MINDOUT FOR THE LAUGHS!

t MindOut For The Laughs returns once again to the Komedia on Wednesday, July 31 for “another night of polished Pride entertainment” featuring Dolly Rocket, Debra Jane Appleby, Marilyn Munroe, Qukelele, Julie Jepson, and the Actually Gay Women's Chorus. One of the community highlights of the community lead up to Pride each year, this year’s show is presented and hosted by the lovely Cat Harding.

MindOut For The Laughs, Wednesday, July 31, the Komedia, Gardner Street, Brighton. Doors 6.30pm, show 7.30pm. Tickets: £12/£10 concessions, are available from: www.komediabrighton.ticketsolve.com

BRIGHTON WRITERS MISS JASON’S CONTRIBUTE TO PRIVATES ON PARADE LGBTQ DOCTOR t Jason Sutton, better known as Miss WHO BOOK Jason, stars in Peter Nichols’s emotional t Long-time friends and Brighton residents Neil Chester and Martin Warren have contributed to Queers Dig Time Lords, an anthology of new essays on Doctor Who from an LGBTQ perspective. Published last month by Mad Norwegian Press, the book is a sister edition to the previous collection, Chicks Dig Time Lords, which looked at the programme from a feminist perspective.

Neil, who lives in the Preston Park area, said: “I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since I was a child, when the editors asked if I might like to contribute to this book I jumped at the chance.

What started as a mild curiosity in a junk yard has lead to years of fun and loads of friends.”

Neil contacted his friend when editors asked if he knew of anyone else who might like to contribute. Martin said: “Doctor Who was what cemented our friendship and I’m very grateful to the programme for that. The opportunity to offer an LGBTQ slant on an iconic institution was great and it’s a really enjoyable collection of essays with some eye opening takes on the Doctor and the programme.”

Nigel Fairs, local author, playwright and producer, has also contributed a touching piece about his friendship with one of the shows stars, Louise Jameson. Louise played Leela, Tom Baker’s ‘savage’ assistant in the original series and the essay looks at Nigel’s relationship with Louise as it develops over time.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who with special programmes broadcast in November.

Queers Dig Time Lords is available now on Amazon and major book retailers.

rip-roaring comedy, Privates On Parade, at the Theatre Royal in August. Jason plays the cross-dressing role of acting Captain Terri Dennis, as he romps his way through the jungle giving performances dressed as Marlene Dietrich, Vera Lynn, Carmen Miranda and Noël Coward. In his delicate hands are a set of privates, whose journey from boys to men is handled with care. The comedy of this play is set against the violent jungle warfare where laughter meets death and shy, sexually-inexperienced National Service lads become men.

JASON SUTTON PRIVATES ON PARADE

BRIGHTON GAY MEN’S CHORUS

BRIGHTON GAY MEN’S CHORUS TAKEN FROM BEHIND (THE SCENES)

Privates on Parade is based on Peter Nichols’s own National Service experiences whilst entertaining the troops. It’s 1948, peace reigns in Britain but in South East Asia our boys are fighting a forgotten war against Communism. So, what do the British military send over there to help win the war against 5,000 Chinese Communists? I’ll tell you what, says Major Giles (Gillian) Flack...

Song and ruddy Dance! Yes, the boys of The Song and Dance Unit South East Asia (SADUSEA) are there to entertain the troops.

Jason Sutton leads a talented (in all the right places) troop of fine young soldiers in this hilarious play with music.

The show runs from Thursday, August 22Saturday, August 31 at 7.30pm. Matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2pm. Tickets are £23.50 and include a standard glass of Prosecco per ticket holder. To book telephone: 08448 717 650 (booking fee applies); no booking fee if you book at Theatre Royal Box office in New Road.

Contains strong language and nudity. www.privatesonparade.com www.atgtickets.com/brighton

GSCENE 21

BACKING INTO LIGHT Rebecca Sandles talks to author Colin Spencer about the first volume of his autobiography, Backing Into Light: My Father’s Son Colin Spencer was born in 1933. It’s a date that’s important in the sense that it puts his birth between the two World Wars and leaves his future affected by both. There are layers in Backing Into Light. Stories beneath the story. Peel away the top layer, the story of an artist and writer coming to terms with his sexuality, and you find a man profoundly affected by his parents who, in their turn, had been damaged by the ravages of two world wars - both physically and mentally.

A novelist, artist, and food writer, Spencer has lived in Sussex since the 1940s when his family lived for a time in a bungalow high on the Downs; “it had great views of the sea and of any possible, and then very likely, German invasion fleet.” His is a story of a man coming to terms with his own sexuality over a period in British history when society itself was grappling with its own attitudes to sexuality. And it’s an uncomfortable look at fatherhood, and the affect of a father’s behaviour on his son. Spencer writes, “From the beginning, he ignored me and long before his death he disinherited me. I don’t think I had any notion of paternal care, for I never had a word or gesture of affection or concern.”

Those who publish the intimacies of their lives for all to read, and judge, have their own reasons for doing so. What lies behind Spencer pointing the spotlight so sharply on his own colourful life experiences?

“I’m trying to dig down into the reason why,” he explains over black coffee in his living room, the walls covered with his own colourful paintings, “why we do things, why we behave badly.”

His memoirs are a rapid fire of interactions, betrayals, affairs and travel tales. These vary from memories of being in the army Medical Corps during National Service and nursing soldiers afflicted with STDs, to happier tales of Brighton in the 1960s. “All those gay pubs, bars and clubs that existed then. Gay men used to flock down at Whitsun and Easter holidays. Brighton would be a-buzz with interesting, attractive people.” He then adds with a suggestive, broad smile, “it was terrific!”.

His memoirs also dig up the tale of a messy, bitter divorce involving a man denying his sexual identity in a futile bid to gain the right to spend more hours a week with his young son. ‘Bitter’ in the context of Spencer’s divorce is an understatement. The anger that still burns in him four decades on glares up from the page. “I’m very keen on the truth,” explains Spencer, making clear why he is so frank, especially about his varied sexual encounters. “I believe it helps other people, it helps them to be honest. It helps them not to spend hours of guilt and torture over various things. The more honest we are and open about everything we’ve been taught to feel guilty about the healthier we are as a society.”

And open he certainly seems to be, with lovers both male and female discussed in graphic detail, from ‘pimplepricks’ to frottage and buggery to “heavy breathing, grunts and teeth.” Pushed on what he hopes readers may take from his sometimes dramatic, but never dull memoirs, he is adamant that it is not about giving any form of advice, “I wouldn’t be arrogant enough to give advice. The reader can take whatever they want.” Some recommendations do sneak out though, “Enjoy all the intricacies and complexities of one’s own individuality, because that’s the gorgeousness of humanity - we are all individuals.”

The core message is perhaps ‘not to be afraid of yourself’. Spencer has what he describes as an “abhorrence of mass emotion and mass opinion”. Like the vibrant paintings on the walls of his home he too isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd; “to be a lone voice is very scary, but how valuable it is.”

Backing Into Light by Colin Spencer, published by Quartet (£25)

22 GSCENE

TRANS SCRUTINY The City Council have released a report following their Trans Scrutiny Review last year. James Ledward highlights some of the reports main recommendations.

Following the non appearance of any local councillors from any political party at a Trans Remembrance Day event at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church in 2011 and the resulting bad publicity, representatives from the trans community met with the council leadership and the Green led administration agreed to hold a Trans Scrutiny Panel, which was establish in May 2012.

The Panel acknowledged the answers are complex and a seismic change is required before trans people can feel they are able to live their lives as they wish in Brighton & Hove. The Panel hopes that as a result of this inquiry, steps taken will result in significant change in a city where everyone, irrespective of their gender or gender expression, can enjoy what the city has to offer.

The Panel considered health, housing, community safety, employment, leisure and recreation and employment issues affecting Brighton & Hove's trans community and made a series of recommendations.

During the Panel’s inquiry, there was a substantial amount of incorrect and offensive national media comment about trans people.

The Panel released a strong statement that this sort of comment would not be tolerated and hoped in future its work would address this misrepresentation and foster better relationships.

Historically there has been inadequate awareness of the lives of trans people in the city. Sensationalist media reporting coupled with a lack of understanding has led to trans people suffering undue discrimination, problems accessing statutory services, and harassment while living in Brighton & Hove.

The central question posed by the panel was: what needs to be done to make things fairer for trans people to live, work and socialise in the city?

“During the Panel’s inquiry, there was a substantial amount of incorrect and offensive national media comment about trans people”

Some of the key proposals from the reports 37 recommendations include: • The development of a city-wide needs assessment, a trans equality strategy and a mandated annual statement of what has been done by key organisations to promote trans equality in the city.

• Trans awareness training for Council staff and Councillors, as well as funding for initiatives to carry out trans awareness work in schools.

• A series of recommendations to improve access to NHS primary care, specialist gender identity services and mental health support for trans people.

• Recommendations to improve access to housing and social care services for trans people.

• Improved reporting and response to hate crime against trans people.

Since the Panel started changes have already begun: the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have committed to a trans needs assessment in early 2013. They will also be organising trans awareness training for all CCG staff, clinical leads and GPs. Housing officers have started to commission trans awareness training and the sports and leisure team are looking at offering trans only swimming sessions, while City Services are looking to introduce more flexibility on honorific titles (such as Mr, Ms etc) within online forms.

The panel acknowledge that the council are not as trans aware or trans inclusive as it should be and should endeavour to rectify this situation and commits to monitoring the reports recommendations to ensure that things do change in future. The Panel say the LGBT Health Involvement Project (LGBT HIP) should be seen as a model of good practice.

Cross party Panel members included: Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, Councillor Warren Morgan, Councillor Denise Cobb, Jay Stewart, and Michelle Ross.

The Panel tried to engage actively with as many members of the trans community, support groups, and service providers as possible before making their recommendations.

There is a lack of hard data on the numbers of trans people accessing services in Brighton & Hove, with the result that service providers are not necessarily aware of their needs.

The report recommends that, as a matter of some urgency, a needs assessment should be undertaken to identify the size of the trans community and its needs, involving trans people at every stage of the process in order to inspire the trust of the trans community.

Following this, a city-wide trans equalities strategy should be developed by the council and its partners, including an action plan with clear leads and responsibilities led by a council ‘Trans Champion’.

“Mistakes in gender related speech can be very upsetting and can be easily avoided” There are a number of recommendations in the report aimed at increasing awareness of the lives of trans people. Basic principles such as the importance of using appropriate pronouns to refer to someone need to be explained: mistakes in gender-related speech can be very upsetting and can be easily avoided.

The need for trans awareness training at every level runs through the report and the Panel believe that Brighton & Hove City Council should be at the forefront of changing the perception of trans people in the city.

For a full statement of the report's findings and recommendations see: www.brightonhove.gov.uk/content/council-anddemocracy/democracy/trans-equalityscrutiny-panel-2013

MOVING ON...

Helen Marie Carter told her story to Gscene last year about the first part of her gender reassignment surgery.

Last month she returned to St Georges Hospital surgery in Tooting for breast augmentation surgery.

Helen asked me to accompany her and even suggested a headline for this piece. James Ledward keeps abreast of Helen's transition.

I decided to play it safe and have called the piece Moving On. Helen arrived in Brighton in 1995 after living her childhood years in Guernsey. Her story is colourful and at times reads straight from the pages of a novel. Her childhood was not a happy one and she was beaten regularly by her alcoholic father. She was deported from the Island after being found not guilty of murdering a Pearly King. She returned to live in Portsmouth, where she was born and worked, in her words as, a 'cock in a frock' prostitute in Portsmouth Docks where she was gang raped and beaten on Southsea seafront by four men. Her lasting memory of the nightmare was when the last thug had finished beating her and leaving her for dead, he said to one of his mates, “that's one less freak for the world.”

After twenty year of cross dressing and living as a women Helen finally saw a psychologist at Brighton General Hospital in 2009 and was referred to Charing Cross Hospital in London where she underwent the first stage of her surgery early last year. She suffered from a few complications after the surgery but is now fully recovered, fighting fit and ready for the breast surgery to complete her transition.

She wanted me to watch her operation, but that was one too far for me. I’m too squeamish!

Three days after leaving Helen at the hospital I got the call to go and collect her and she appeared radiant from the Hospital with her new D size breasts.

Driving back in the car to Brighton she regaled me with all the grizzly details of her surgery

and had nothing but praise for the service provided by St Georges Hospital.

Helen has been busy with her writing over the last year and will no doubt be putting pen to paper to tell her story about transitioning and she wants to reassure other trans people who want surgery to be patient but persistent and eventually their turn for surgery will come.

I asked her did she feel different after this surgery. She said, “People don't see the result of the first part of the surgery I had last year.

It made me feel more confident about myself.

With my new breasts I feel more fulfilled comfortable and ready to take on the world.”

Helen taking on the world is a scary thought!

I am so pleased that after years of living her life feeling unhappy she now has found peace and fulfilment. On top of that she was named as Pride's Second Ambassador last month.

Helen says, “I feel so proud to have been chosen to walk at the front of the Pride Parade this year. When I told my story last year it changed my life and so many people congratulated me on having the courage to tell the truth, 'warts and all'. I would like to thank all the people who nominated me to be a Pride Ambassador after reading my story.”

24 GSCENE

BRIGHTON TRANSFORMED

NICK DOUGLAS

“I honestly believe that trans invisibility kills, literally kills. We just don’t know how many trans people go through life without knowing what the possibilities are, and seeing other people who’ve made that journey and come through that process successfully.”

Nick Douglas, LGBT Health Inclusion Project Coordinator, is passionate about trans* visibility, and will be telling his story as part of a new project that’s recording the lives of transgender people living in Brighton & Hove.

QueenSpark Books, Brighton’s community publisher, has launched Brighton Transformed to document life stories from Trans* people to create a unique online archive accompanied by a book, exhibition and radio documentaries.

Nick says he’s getting involved because he wants “young people to have access to information about trans history and about trans lives, so that they don’t grow up in a state of ignorance in the way that I did. I want this to be a resource for the trans community – for us to come together, tell our stories, in our own words, talk about our lives and our experiences, and to celebrate the people we are, and the community and culture that we’ve created.”

Brighton Transformed will take a snapshot of trans* lives in 2013, at what feels like a crucial moment in trans* history. From the negative: The Observer publishing Julie Burchill’s anti-trans article and The Daily Mail’s treatment of Lucy Meadows, to the positive: the recommendations of Brighton’s Trans Scrutiny Panel being fully endorsed, the UK’s first Trans Pride - trans* issues, and lives, are becoming increasingly visible.

Over the next 15 months trans* volunteers will be recording oral histories that reflect the richness and diversity of the community which will then be used as the basis for the Brighton Transformed book. All interviews recorded will be published in an online archive which is intended to be the first step towards a national trans* archive. As well as receiving their oral history training, volunteers will also be trained in radio production and will make documentaries to be broadcast via project partner RadioReverb 97.2fm.

From the steering group, which includes representatives from The Clare Project and FTM Brighton, to the volunteers who will be going out and recording and preserving people’s stories, trans* people will be at the heart of this project, determining the topics covered and highlighted, and ensuring that the full spectrum of trans* lives and experience are preserved for future generations.

RUTH ROSE

Stories of local trans* people in their own words

Ruth Rose is the South East’s representative to the UK Advisory Forum on ageing. At 80 years of age she is the oldest person to go through gender confirmation treatment and she is a passionate advocate for the importance of preserving trans* stories and for showing the huge variety of trans* experience. She says that this is the key to “making change happen - people see and hear and understand by examples, that’s why I’m involved more than anything.”

Ruth goes on to say, “Anyone who would like to speak out should – the more varied those people are, the more it will enhance the idea that this is a varied community, and not rubber stamped as one image all the time.

“When I was young, it’s hard to believe this, but had I been out in the street and recognised as a man living as a woman, I would have been arrested for offending public decency, kept in a cell overnight, brought before a magistrate in the morning, and sent

off to a psychiatric unit that would have started aversion therapy - electric shocks to try and prevent me from thinking the way I think. We’ve come such a long way. It was barbaric, but it’s so important that the history of these people is shown because younger people don’t know what it was like in the 1940s and 50s. It really was a terrifying thing to have haunting you day after day, week after week, and not knowing that there were other people even like it. And it’s so, so important that other people understand that history, as now we’re on the threshold of total acceptance.”

If you identify as trans or gender queer and are interested in taking part in the project or contributing your story to the archive, Brighton Transformed wants to hear from you.

BRIGHTON TRANSFORMED INFO To get in touch or to find out more: Tel: 01273 571710 (answer phone) Email: kathy@queensparkbooks.org.uk Write: QueenSpark Books, 10-11 Pavilion Parade, Brighton, BN2 1RA Twitter: @TransBrighton Facebook: BrightonTransformed Web: www.queensparkbooks.org.uk

TRANSFORM YOUR SUMMER! Allsorts Youth Project recently received funding from Comic Relief and Children in Need to expand their work with trans* and gender questioning children and young people. As a result of this new funding, Transformers, the social and support group for trans* young people aged 16-25, will be held fortnightly rather than monthly. The first ever Transformers Summer Activities Programme, will run from June to August, with a series of fun activities and off-site trips for 16-25 yearolds who identify as trans* or gender questioning. Activities include: rock-climbing, laser quest, bowling, art activities and much more.

Allsorts will be holding a launch party to celebrate getting funding as well as going away on their first ever Transformers residential trip! There will also be opportunities to meet in a trans* safe and confidential space where you can get support from our Trans* Youth Support Workers and have discussions with other trans* young people about the issues that matter to you.

As well as the Transformers group for 16-25 year olds, Allsorts run a fortnightly youth group for trans* and gender questioning young people aged 11-15. This summer, they’ll also be running a Summer Holiday Activities Programme for under 16s who identify as trans*.

Activities include: kayaking, beach volleyball, rock-climbing and various art activities.

For more information about Transformers or our under 16s trans* youth group, please contact 01273 721211, info@allsortsyouth.org.uk or transformers@allsortsyouth.org.uk Or check out our website www.allsortsyouth.org.uk/ and facebook page: www.facebook.com/TransformersTransYouthBrighton

GSCENE 25

WHAT DO YOUR LAB TESTS MEAN WHEN YOU CHANGE GENDER?

By Dr Gifford Batstone, Consultant in Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Medicine, Brighton.

DR GIFFORD BATSTONE

reference ranges before they changed gender.

In hospital pathology laboratories we report results on a wide range of tests. To enable the requesting doctor to see if values are too high or too low the laboratory provides figures to indicate whether the results are within expected limits – these are called reference ranges. These ranges are calculated to include 95% of the population. However for a number of lab tests there are differences in these ranges depending on the sex of the person from whom the sample was taken. So the lab provides different reference ranges for male and female people (there are also differences by age for some lab tests).

Now obviously sex hormones such as oestrogens and testosterone are changed as part of the gender re-assigment process. But you may be surprised at the range of tests that have different reference ranges for males and females. Of course whilst the endocrinology and other experts involved in cross-sex hormone manipulations are aware of the issues described below, not all clinicians will recognise them.

So if your doctor has asked for tests to see how well your kidneys are working a request for serum creatinine and urea will be part of the test panel requested – but serum creatinine and urea are higher in males than females because males in general have a greater amount of muscle in their bodies. To see how well your liver is working your doctor will probably request a range of tests including three enzymes normally present in blood called ALT, AST and alkaline phosphatase – again the reference ranges for these results are higher in males than females. If there is a possibility of muscle damage you may have CK measured in your blood – again male results are higher on average than those from females. Even the commonest blood test, haemoglobin gives values and reference ranges that are higher in males.

When someone changes their gender, the NHS regards them as having changed their sex and hence the laboratory changes the reference ranges to reflect their new gender.

However if a male changes to female, that person will continue to have most of the features that led to them requiring male

A specific example may help to describe the potential clinical dilemma. Creatinine is measured in blood as a marker of kidney function as mentioned above. There is a national programme for the early detection of chronic kidney disease using a calculation based on creatinine called the e-GFR. The reference range for creatinine in males is 62-106 umol/L and for females is 44-80 – so about 30% higher in males. So a male with a perfectly acceptable creatinine of say 96 who changes gender to female will be regarded as having a significantly high creatinine judged by their now female reference range. This is compounded in the calculation of e-GRF as a different factor is used in the calculation for females rather than males so that in this example the eGFR will be calculated as rather than if male reference ranges had been used.

Of course it is possible that the processes involved in gender re-assignment over time change body composition and metabolism so that reference ranges align with the chosen gender - but we don't know this. If there was a study undertaken that looked at current and previous laboratory results on people who had changed their gender we would be able to find out much more.

However I believe such a study could only be undertaken through collaboration with transgender organisations and would require ethical approval of the local research community and specific authority to review the pathology results of people undergoing gender re-assignment using both their original and new names.

The purpose of writing this article is firstly to make those who have undertaken gender re-assignment aware that doctors requesting laboratory tests may be considering results as abnormal when they are not or normal when that are abnormal. The second purpose is to see if those of you who are part of the transgender community think this issue is sufficiently important that there should be a study of the changes over time in the laboratory results. This will require volunteers who are say 5 years after gender re-assignment to be willing to formally agree to your laboratory records being reviewed by a team of doctors and scientists within our laboratory.

So please will you though Gscene agree whether you think this is important and if you would be willing to be part of such a study. I have asked James to co-ordinate your replies. Please email info@gscene.com

CLARE PROJECT Transwomen in the mid-1990s needing lengthy and expensive treatment to deal with their body hair found a sympathetic and caring environment at Shadi Danin’s salon in Hove. It was at her suggestion that one of her clients, Christina Beardsley, a well-known trans* Church of England minister began a monthly support group in her salon. Christina named the Clare Project after St Clare of Assisi, who was renowned for her stance against institutionally imposed norms.

Some years later, a joint venture to find a safe space for trans* people to access affordable psychotherapeutic counseling, resulted in a regular weekly drop-in session, which has been running continuously for nine years. This was wholly due to the generosity of Dorset Gardens Methodist Church who saw the need in the local community and offered a meeting space and financial support in the early days. The founders of the drop-in brought this new venture under the umbrella of the Clare Project, which was already established constitutionally and had good financial standing.

The Clare Project today is a community organisation with a vision. The group is wisely facilitated and shepherded by Rosemary Allix, a local Brighton woman who has a big heart and, in her own words “an enormous amount of respect for these people who have the courage to be real with themselves and the world, often at huge cost”.

Virginia Cole, the resident psychotherapist, says, “trans* people are profoundly misunderstood by most of society, it takes a huge amount of courage to come to the dropin, often after a years of anguish. It’s a privilege to be able to hear their stories and take them through the pain of self-disclosure, often emerging in ways that continue to surprise and delight me.”

The weekly drop-in and affordable psychotherapy forms the mainstay of the Clare Project’s activity. Rosemary; “The Clare Project is all about walking alongside people as they journey. Most people creep in on their first day, terrified, lost and desperate, we watch them blossom into confident members of society, empowered and ready to face the world.”

CLARE PROJECT INFO Clare Project meets every Tuesday at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, Dorset Gardens, (off St James’ St), Brighton BN2 1RL from 2.30–5.30pm, except on the first Tuesday of each month, when there is an optional meal out in the evening preceded by the drop-in from 5–7.30pm. More details can be found on website: www.clareproject.org.uk on Facebook under: Clare Project or email: clareprojectinfo@gmail.com

26 GSCENE

TRANS

TRANS

BY STEPH SCOTT

BY NICK DOUGLAS

MATTERS

SCRIBE

TRANS PRIDE

GETTING OUR SHARE

Since my trans column last July so much has changed. There’s less than a month to the first Trans Pride held in our own city. For once an event where trans people can celebrate our lives rather than the usual meeting in November to remember our dead. Trans Pride is a grass roots group of volunteers putting together an event, not based around alcohol, but pride in ourselves - trans people that won’t be put down by the likes of Julie Burchill, Richard Littlejohn and other transphobic reporters who make money writing vile and inaccurate columns on us.

Have a think about your community. The people in it, their faces, their lives, their struggles and triumphs. Now imagine that nearly half of them have attempted to kill themselves at some point, and that over a quarter of them have thought about killing themselves in the last week. That is what is happening in my (trans) community. In 2012, one of the largest ever mental health surveys of trans people (889 respondents) reported that 84% had thought about ending their lives, of which 27% had thought of ending their lives in the last week and 4% thought about it every day. Amongst those who had ever thought about suicide, 48% had made at least one attempt and 11% had attempted suicide in the previous year. There are many statistics I could quote, space permitting, documenting the problems trans people face. And we know why: research consistently shows that exclusion, discrimination, marginalisation and hatred are at the root.

For three days at the end of July (Friday 26–Sunday 28) trans people will travel from across the UK to Brighton to take part in a Pride celebration where, rather than being a group tagged onto the end of a big booze up and dance party, we can unite and share our identities and stories. Hopefully enjoying ourselves whilst doing so. There’s a film night on Friday; a community event on Saturday afternoon followed by comedy/performance artistes and dancing; finishing off on Sunday with a beach picnic. You don't even have to be trans to attend - allies are very welcome and encouraged. Fingers crossed that rain and clouds stay away that weekend and the next, which is Brighton Pride.

As I write, many LGBT people are celebrating victory in the House Of Lords on the second reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.

Sadly, many trans people may suffer due to one of the Bill's flaws.

Married trans people will need spousal permission to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), before they can update their birth certificate. Just imagine the power that gives to a trans person’s spouse, particularly if the spouse can't accept their partners new life and divorce isn’t an easy solution. A situation can occur whereby in order to get a GRC a trans person could lose everything in the divorce courts or risk their partner delaying the divorce and not giving permission to apply for a GRC. Many trans people in unhappy marriages stay to support their partner and/or children as do many other LGB people. The difference being they don’t need permission from their spouse to legally be the person they want to be. Of course there are trans people in happy loving relationships where this would not be a problem but giving the spouse power to determine parts of a married trans person’s life is surely wrong. Yet again trans people are not being treated as equals!

“The Trans Equality Scrutiny Report has been fully accepted by the council...

Most of the recommendations will cost little or no money but will help a very marginalised group” On a happier note the Brighton & Hove City Council Trans Equality Scrutiny Report has now been fully accepted by the council and work is already under way to implement the reports findings. The report was cited by all political parties as being a great example of how scrutiny works well with only good things being said about it in council meetings. Other councils have shown an interest in the report and hopefully the findings and recommendations will be put in place across the country. Most of the recommendations will cost little or no money but will help a very marginalised group.

A final note to the letter writer in June's Gscene, you have your views but don't assign me a title I don't want. Other non-binary gendered people may use Mx, but I prefer no title at all!

“Money isn’t everything and we all know there’s not much about but sometimes it literally is the difference between life and death” Trans activists, myself included, are wary of talking publicly about these harsh realities. We are tired of being stereotyped as sick, desperate, pathetic and needy. But we do ourselves no service in presenting a ‘positive images’ agenda if it lets those responsible for addressing these issues off the hook. Of course, we know there is so much more to our lives and our communities than suicide risk. There’s so much to celebrate: the first ever national trans equality strategy and local trans equality scrutiny; more local support than there’s ever been: FTM Brighton, the Clare Project, Transformers at Allsorts and the MindOut trans groups; the first ever Trans Pride and the Brighton Transformed oral history project that is generating so much excitement; Brighton’s first trans sexual health clinic, Clinic T and the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has given us the first ever UK sexual health guides and website for trans people.

I pay huge tribute to every person involved. But every single one of them would tell you it’s not enough. These initiatives are generally run on a shoestring, held together with the love and hard work of over stretched volunteers and, more rarely where funds permit, staff.

The more I see, the more convinced I am that trans people just aren’t getting a fair share of the cake. I want to ask awkward questions.

How much of the money that goes to LGBT organisations actually goes to initiatives that genuinely serve trans people? Are our trans groups getting the help and support to be vibrant, sustainable organisations with the resources to do their vital work? At LGBT HIP (with my professional hat on) we’re creating a forum for the trans groups and projects in the city to come together and work out how we can put these issues on the agenda.

Just a talking shop? No way. This is about people’s lives. For example, if these organisations were properly resourced and funded, at least one of the things they could do is more effective suicide prevention work in trans communities. Money isn’t everything and we all know there’s not much about but sometimes it literally is the difference between life and death.

Nick writes this column in a personal capacity.

GSCENE 27

YOUNG

PEOPLE’S VOICE

BY KAI MOORE (19) ALLSORTS YOUTH PROJECT

FTM BRIGHTON

BY BEN (FTMB MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER)

JUST THE TICKET!

KEEPING UP WITH FTM BRIGHTON

If you realised you were stuck in a body that didn’t fit your mind, what would you do? Who would you go to? Where would you seek answers?

FTM Brighton (or FTMB), is a volunteer-run group, open to all transgender men, gender queer people and those questioning their gender identity. Inclusion is of the utmost importance to us; our aim being to be a diverse group, including all trans masculine people, whether you are intending to transition or not, and regardless of surgery or hormone use.

Allsorts was something I had heard about through various youth work I’d engaged in over the years and so when I found myself in this situation, it came to mind to check out what kind of services they had for trans* young people and boy, I am so glad I did! Once I’d finally plucked up the courage to go along to their trans* group’s meetings, aptly named Transformers, I was blown away by the people there, how amazing it was to be in a room with others who seemed to be talking about exactly the same things I was thinking about.

Even a debate about who had the longest leg hair drew me in!

“I live in an area that has very little provision for LGBT people of any age, and knowing that those provisions are just a short train ride away is brilliant” I really can’t appreciate enough the peer support groups I have attended. In addition to Allsorts, I’ve also been to FTM Brighton, a group for trans men and trans* masculine individuals. Again, I went along to this with my partner Tyler (who I met through Transformers!) and we were both wowed by the way we were welcomed in and supported from the word go.

I’ve found it hard, going through questioning my gender, working out who I was really meant to be. Being from outside of Brighton, I live in an area that has very little provision for LGBT people of any age, and knowing that those provisions are just a short train ride away is brilliant. I don’t know what I would have done without the support I get now and frankly I get to a point in the month when that is really all I need, one meeting, and I know I am not the only one.

If someone was to come to me now, and ask me what the first step would be, I would straight away say to seek out help from others going through the same things. It may be hard in some cases to find that help, but once you do it is so worth it. Seek the answers from those who understand. It really is worth it.

ALLSORTS YOUTH PROJECT Allsorts Youth Project supports young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or unsure (LGBTU) of their sexuality and/or gender.

Allsorts Youth Project, Young People's Centre, 69 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AE. Tel: 01273 721211; www.allsortsyouth.org.uk; www.facebook.com/allsortsyouth; twitter.com/allsortsyouth

We were founded in March 2011 by a group of four local trans men, following on from the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) lead sexual health project, Informed Passions. It quickly became clear that there was a huge need for such a group in Brighton, and we now have over 80 members.

FTMB provides a much needed social space, support, sexual health advice, and co-ordinates local campaigns relevant to FTM trans people. Since the group first formed over two years ago, we have clocked up a huge and wide ranging list of achievements, projects, and activities...

• In June 2012, FTM Brighton and THT worked on a joint project, looking at guidance on sexual health, HIV, and wellbeing for trans identified people. This was hugely successful, and resulted in both a website, and the publication of two brand new guides; one for trans men and one for trans women, which were distributed throughout the UK and internationally. For more information on the guide for trans men, view: www.tht.org.uk/transmen.

• FTM Brighton was also vital in the instigation of the Trans Equality Scrutiny; working alongside Brighton & Hove City Council, LGBT Health and Inclusion Project (LGBT HIP), other local trans support groups, and many members of the trans community, to produce a ground-breaking report and recommendations for action.

• FTM Brighton recently acquired funding from The Rainbow Fund, which will be used to move into a fully accessible venue.

JULIET JACQUES

I faced this problem a few years ago when I started questioning my gender. It started with working out who I liked, what sort of person.

During this, I realised I couldn’t be sure, until I knew who, or rather, what I was. I went online, I checked out forums, tumblr, anything and everything I could get my hands on. But the thing that helped me most was face-to-face meetings.

• We have had a wide range of different speakers at our regular monthly meetings, including the journalist, Juliet Jacques, Fox from Channel 4's My Transsexual Summer, and Lee Gale from Trans Bare All (TBA).

• We have an annual SOFFAs’ (Significant Others, Family, Friends, and Allies) meeting, where members can bring along people they feel are important to them in their life or transition. Our next one will be on Saturday, September 21, 2013.

• FTM Brighton regularly marches at Brighton Pride and we have a stall in the Preston Park celebrations afterwards. We will be there again this year, so do come over and say hi!

FTM BRIGHTON FTM Brighton’s meetings are held on the third Saturday of every month. We look forward to meeting new folks and welcoming them to the group. For more information, view: www.ftmbrighton.org.uk, email: info@ftmbrighton.org.uk, or Facebook: www.facebook.com/ftmbrighton.

28 GSCENE

CRAIG’S THOUGHTS

IN VOGUE BESIDE THE SEASIDE, BEDSIDE THE SEA

BY CRAIG HANLON-SMITH Moving to Brighton 12 years ago was fraught with potential complications. Although moving for love and confident the relationship would be worth it (it was, is, and forever shall be), having decided it was indeed grim up north and moving south enough some 11 years previous, I had never expected to leave London and just the thought of it was quite the wrench; the reality: tricky.

The proposed move was made no easier by the feeling I was somehow inappropriately wedging my way into an established Brighton posse of friends, and my infiltration at best an inconvenience most probably completely unwelcome. My visiting weekend Friday arrival would often inspire a gaggle of folding arms, a pursing of lips and a collective tightening of gay buttocks so fierce, half the group lost a third of their body weight up their asses and by Sunday afternoon the portly had become waif. I was not to be trusted, entertained or allowed in upon pain of death stare. Ever.

Fortunately I was born with more front than Blackpool (never mind Brighton) and I managed to brazen my way through with a little help from my friends and of course my new beau. The butt-wiggling meerkats either warmed-up or died off and I quickly grew to love my life by the sea with my boyfriend, yellow flat and Sunday night cocksucking cowboys. There was even the odd ripple of envy as I ran into friends of old in London and shared a wistful tale of how I now lived like a siren of song basking in the reflection of a glistening sea.

Sort of.

emptiness occasionally pausing for breath amongst the tumbleweed moments. The years took their revenge on our 'toast of the south coast’ night life and we were no longer chic just shabby, a party-life graveyard inhabited by hen parties clutching a deflatable cock and vomiting in the kiss me quick gutter. Even the sauna began to shrink and where once we had led the romantic glow of a (slightly) better life away from the pick-pocketing smog of our dirty cousin, sparkling Londinium now winced as we made our apologies explaining that we had a train to catch and where once we had have been invited to the after party, waved us thankfully off as everyone knows London doesn't do charity.

But like all bad pennies that have been languishing at the bottom of a tumbler of coke (you choose), we... are... back Brighton. And this, in spite of the uncollected recycling, the mortgage needed to park a car it’s not possible to drive anywhere at speed in, and yes in spite of the herbal tea drinking social worker sandal wearing incompetent vegans that are running the council (I can say all this because I voted for them and I'm sorry). Brighton (and Hove if we must) we have become desirable once more, and not in Katie 'flashing my tanned tits' Price kind of a way - we are in vogue.

Only last week at a summer barbecue in the shadow of fancy London town, I passed the time of day with three, yes three, couples who are making their way south to the sea. Twitter is alive with tweepsters begging for a life amongst us. Estate agents fighting over one another to sell our houses to emigrating families. Families, singletons, gays, straights, blacks and whites abandoning the overpriced, overrated unwelcoming steroid-abused arms of our wealthy cousin, for afternoon tea or a cup cake with the kindness of seaside strangers.

We, Brighton, play host to the third largest arts festival in the world, and Ladies and Gentlemen, we're not curated by the widow of an assassinated 1960s rock star who used to climb into the window display of Bensons for Beds for publicity. We have Aung San Suu Kyi nailing our paintings to the gallery wall motherf****rs. And the ladyboys think they've lived.

“Let us not forget those who walked and died in the shadows so that we might lounge in the sun” Yes we're charging nine of your English pounds for Pride, but you're lucky it’s not 40 and we're not letting a washed-up X Factor 'what did she sing' turn her nose up at us a second time. We have Alison legendary-friend-to-the-lesbians Moyet gracing our mainstage Ladies and Gentlemen. And the finest cabaret the United Kingdom can offer yanking at each others’ hairpieces for a spot under canvas. Alison Moyet has even moved here along with the younger wannabe Adele. We don't need the walk of fame to remind us who we are. This year we've already had Olivia Newton-John and Sinéad 'Kiss My Irish Arse' O'Connor grace our concert halls and that was just mid-week.

And Brighton, how we grew! Four gay bars became six became eight became ten became 12. Straight sports bars became the gay envy of other local nightspots, lesbians were given their own drinking space albeit underground, and intimacy was abandoned as walls between bars and hotels were flattened to make way for the marauding hoards of homosexual homemakers, who were expected any day now to be caught roller-booting over the brim of the south downs for pilgrimages both permanent and aplenty. We were now a city and expanding faster than the economy could permit, as was much of the rest of Blighty south of Dudley. But no-one thought to raise an eyebrow of concern and right under our noses... something changed Brighton.

We stood, arms folded in our cavernous gay hostelries counting the queers on one hand and listening to the winds whistle through the

We are back on the map; B & H is no longer just a fag packet but a town nay two towns conjoined at the hip and filled with fags, and much more besides. I can, but I do not have to, go to the theatre to have my heart strings tugged by Beautiful Thing - I see the happy gay beautiful faces beaming down at me from every flat, beacon, hotel and piers’ end and I thank my gay God that this is where I live.

And so, let us welcome our newcomers and summer visitors with open arms. Let us not crack nuts with our butt-cheeks or squeeze our breasts together with our elbows whilst sucking the skin from our teeth. Let us not go to war with our lesbian sisters, batty boy brothers or cousins of transgender. Let us not be offended to a fault if I am not listed in community advertisement and let us not dwell upon the dark ages, but let us not forget those who walked and died in the shadows so that we might lounge in the sun. And should anyone speak publicly of a shame that we do not recognise, smile and forgive them they know not what they do. We are risen.

GSCENE 29

SUCHI’S

WORLD

BY SUCHI CHATTERJEE

VOICE

NEW FOUND WISDOM

WHAT IF...

Yollada ‘Nok’ Suanyot was born in 1983 in Thailand. She is a Thai politician who was elected in May 2012 to represent the Mueang Nan District. Prior to entering politics, Suanyot worked as a model, had won numerous beauty pageants, and was even a member of a pop group called Venus Flytrap where she performed under the title ‘Posh Venus’. So what’s this got to do with this us I hear you cry?

Well Suanyot is transgender and she founded and still chairs the TransFemale Association of Thailand, which advocates for transgender rights.

Living in or near Brighton & Hove, it’s easy to get complacent about our queer status. No one bats an eyelid any more at the sight of two guys holding hands, or two women arm in arm. Same-sex couples are out and about and proud, which is as it should be. To be lesbian or gay in our city is considered the norm, even cool, for much of the time anyway. Life here is truly liberating, a totally different experience from the clandestine existence which some of us remember from a few decades back.

Suanyot decided to go into politics after a stint in jail as a teenager. She had entered many beauty pageants but was forced to use fake ID and even though she won many competitions, her ‘crime’ of ‘fakery’ was deemed serious enough to warrant being sent down.

If this was not bad enough, Suanyot was put in a men’s prison even though she was physically a woman and it was this experience that was her wake-up call.

YOLLADA ‘NOK’ SUANYOT

VRON’S

In an interview with the Global Post in May 2012, Suanyot said: “Good laws protecting transexuals have yet to come. We’re still on the fringe. Look at me. My role in society is that of a woman. But the law recognises me as a man. That doesn’t make much sense, does it?

Perhaps we now have greater acceptance in society. But not when it comes to legal rights.

We barely have any rights at all at this point. Our genitalia is not recognised as female (even after surgery) so, if we’re jailed, we’re put in prison with the men. We can’t get proper health insurance. We can’t get married. We have problems travelling outside the country and trouble dealing with banks and government offices.”

I didn’t know Suanyot existed until a couple of weeks ago. I was channel hopping one evening and happened to come across a reality series called Ladyboys which was on SKY HD. Now I knew about ladyboys because I am I have to confess a great fan of the cabaret show Ladyboys of Bangkok which comes to the Brighton Festival every year. Not everyone’s cup of tea, yes, I know, but I like glitz, glamour, music and humour and you get all of this and more with the Ladyboys’ show.

I have to admit I never gave any thought about life in Thailand for people who are transgender so I was shocked at how few legal rights they have despite supposed ‘greater acceptance’ in society.

With this shock came another awful realisation - what on earth did I know about transgender issues/laws/rights etc in my own country, England? How about a big fat zero? I have transgender friends but as I said in a previous Gscene article, my friends are my friends, they are not a sexual orientation, a race, a faith, a gender, a creed, they are just my friends.

So fast track back to 2013, when She Who Shall Be Obeyed said to me after I told her about the large gap in my knowledge base on transgender issues, “You’re telling me it took a reality show to wake you up? Haven’t I been telling you about the Third Sex in India?

About how they are treated by society? Oh my God, someone get me a wall I need to hit it with my head!”

Time to add to my knowledge base is all I can say!

In 2013 we are visible, but we are still vulnerable. Watching the Eurovision Song Contest recently, I was reminded of just how far we have journeyed. No, the contest is not exactly a must-see on my TV viewing schedule, but I happen to be a big fan of Graham Norton. I like his take on Eurovision: it manages to strike just the right balance between gentle satire and genuine bemusement. His commentary is informative and amusing without being patronising or disrespectful.

He knows when to shut up and not intrude.

An added bonus this year was a marked improvement in the quality of several of the songs. Others may beg to differ but, for me, there were at least three entries which I reckoned to be possible winners. And, sad to say, Bonnie Tyler’s Believe In Me was not one of them, although she clearly sang her Welsh heart out.

My own personal favourites were: Azerbaijan (Hold Me), who were just pipped to the top spot by Denmark; The Netherlands with Birds, surely one of the contest’s quirkiest songs ever - a class act; and Russia (What If). All had the ‘tingle factor’, but it was the Russian entry which, for some reason, hit the spot for me. It came fifth.

Hearing this particular song, performed so movingly, was the best kind of antidote to a rather disturbing news report I had read only a few days previously. It focused on a Russian TV presenter who had been sacked for coming out on camera. As The Independent’s Shaun Walker reported from Moscow (15/05/13): “All of Anton Krasovsky’s friends and colleagues knew he was gay. But when he announced it on live television, it caused a sensation… In the context of Russian life, it was a revolutionary statement. He was fired.”

“Politics is a part of life and not a separate entity” Apparently, the Russian Parliament is about to pass a Bill that would outlaw “homosexual propaganda”, which has triggered fears of a rise in homophobic violence. There are, Walker points out, virtually no openly gay people in the (Russian) worlds of politics, sport and entertainment. But according to Igor Kochetkov, a leading gay rights activist, the proposed new law could prompt a mass coming out of public figures – and this would have a huge impact on Russian society.

So, looking at the bigger picture, the Eurovision Song Contest may not be such a benign experience after all. Politics is a part of life and not a separate entity. You only have to notice the way some countries vote in Eurovision to realise that fact.

30 GSCENE

OUT OF TOUCH LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER

BY DR KEITH SHARPE, CHANGING ATTITUDE SUSSEX When the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill was debated in the House of Commons it was given a third reading by 366 to 161, a majority of 205.

On the Conservative benches 133 voted against the Bill compared with 126 Tory MPs who voted in favour. This was bad news for the Prime Minister, who finds himself in a minority within his own party. Whatever one may think about David Cameron there is no question that on this issue he has been courageous in sticking to his guns in the teeth of huge concerted opposition.

It is not only conservative politicians who are upset by the prospect of gay marriage. Many Conservative christians also feel distressed. They think that the foundations of their faith and the traditional constructs of marriage are being dismantled. For them, the essence of marriage is being changed. For them that is the union of one man and one woman.

They do not accept the idea that marriage is the union of two people of whichever gender who love each other.

This is the fundamental battle line. Conservative christians claim that their case is supported by God, the Bible and the Church. I find it difficult to understand this since the essence of the whole religion is love. The Bible says this is the essential nature of God, and Christ taught that it was the only commandment which ultimately matters at all.

As for the Church, well the best you can say is that it is divided. As a result of the parliamentary vote Church of England teaching about the status of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is now thoroughly confused.

THE TEACHING AS CURRENTLY IN FORCE IS: • It’s OK for a priest in a celibate civil partnership to be appointed as a bishop; • The majority of bishops accept the presence of clergy in civil partnerships with no questions asked; • A minority of bishops refuse to accept the presence of clergy in civil partnerships; • Few if any bishops question the right of lay people to enter a civil partnership; • Same-sex marriage is not officially accepted, although the Archbishop of Canterbury recognises that some gay couples have relationships of 'stunning quality'!

The Church is formally opposed to equal marriage. The Church is against the love between same-sex couples being recognised in the highest human social form, Holy Matrimony, a covenant relationship modelled on God’s faithful love for creation and for us his creatures, who according to Biblical and church teaching are made in the image of God. The Church of England refuses to accept the highest good for lesbian and gay couples. Not for the first time in history (and undoubtedly not for the last) the hierarchy of the Church has lost the plot on something which over the last 20 years has become obvious to the majority as a good thing which should be welcomed by church and society.

As gay people have felt freer to be themselves and not have to hide their true feelings and identities, ordinary people everywhere have come to realise that we are just like them. Very ordinary. As ordinary as they are. We too have hopes and fears, we too long to be understood and accepted for who we are, and above all we long to love and be loved.

Just like everybody else. We are not freaks, we are not perverts, we are

not sinners. We are human beings just like heterosexuals. We seek happiness and fulfilment just like heterosexuals. Cut us and we bleed just like they do.

People have now realised that the nasty stereotypes about gay people which demonised and dehumanised us were based on ignorance. Years ago most people would say they did not know any homosexuals personally. This is because the homosexuals they did know were intimidated into pretending not to be. Now everybody knows homosexual people - in their families, in the workplace, amongst their friendship networks - because for the most part we are no longer terrorised into pretending opposite sex attraction.

The hierarchy of the Church of England has not yet come to terms with this reality. Too many still subscribe, even if only implicitly, to Christian teaching based on the assumption that homosexuality is wicked and sinful. There is a continuing refusal to accept the fundamental diversity of God's creation.

In the past, the Church, and society more generally, took the same view of left handed people. Those made in the image of God were supposed to be right handed. So people who 'chose' to write with their left hand were obviously evil. Like us, they were treated very badly and attempts were made to 'cure' them. I can remember as a child in class seeing left handed children shouted at and punished by teachers for following their natural inclination. Thank God that does not happen now.

The Bishops of the Church of England have got some catching up to do. They need to wise up to the fact that we are God's children every bit as much as heterosexuals and that we have the same entitlement to the recognition of our love as they do.

“We are God’s children every bit as much as heterosexuals and that we have the same entitlement to the recognition of our love as they do” I write this as the Same-Sex Marriage Bill goes up to the House of Lords. By the time you read this you will know what happened there.

Whatever happens I want to issue a severe warning to the Bishops in the House of Lords: be very careful what you do in using your privileged position to block the Bill's progress. This Bill has been passed with a huge majority by MPs. It is not your place as unelected individuals to frustrate the will of the people's representatives.

On the radio today I heard the Bishop of Chester arguing that because same-sex marriage had not been included in the party manifestos at the last General Election there was no proper mandate for it. And he intended to do all he could to encourage their lordships to vote against it. This is outrageous. There is no proper mandate for the Bishop of Chester to legislate on our behalf, and he should exercise humility.

BISHOP NICK HOLTHAM

KEITH SHARPE

Furthermore the House of Bishops is not unanimously of the view that Christian values oppose gay marriage. The Bishop of Salisbury, Nick Holtham, told his fellow peers that on the contrary he thought the introduction of same-sex marriage would be a “very strong endorsement of the institution of marriage.” Hear, hear, say I!

OPEN AND WELCOMING CHURCHES Changing Attitude Sussex is committed to telling the truth about Christian teaching on homosexuality, and works for the full inclusion of LGBT people in every province of the Anglican Communion and more widely in all Christian Churches. For more information, view: www.changingattitudesussex.com and www.thegaygospels.com

GSCENE 31

NETTY’S

QUEERYING

WORLD

QUEENIE

BY QUEEN JOSEPHINE

TRANSYLVANIA BY THE SEA

YOUNG AT HEART

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of knowing many brave, inspirational people who have traversed the gender boundary.

I seem to be moving on towards a new phase in my life, and I’m not sure it’s one I expected. Two nights ago I attended the private view of the missus’ graduation show. Already glowing with pride at the gloriousness of her display boards, I felt I had suitably attired myself to fit in with the surroundings and I mingled around with everyone clutching my plastic wine glass, nodding approvingly at everything and generally feeling quite young and carefree.

Many were once butch lesbians whom I mistakenly believed I had to come to terms with ‘losing’ from the ‘sistahood’. I was wrong. They’re still concerned about lesbian welfare, only now they’re happy men.

Indeed, I value them as advocates in the male domain in much the same way the suffragettes needed good men who so loved their mothers, wives sisters and daughters they fought alongside for justice.

The same is true of many white South Africans risking all in the struggle for black freedom.

Sometimes it seems the human race is hell bent on quelling happiness in others, dashing their hopes and denying them rights. It’s so easy to confuse principles with prejudice. A recovering alcoholic friend (and no that’s not me) who is a straight woman, chooses to attend AA meetings run primarily for the trans community because she finds them the most honest and accepting of all groups. Plus she looks like a tranny, which I told her when I was drunk... perhaps I should join her.

“Sometimes it seems the human race is hell bent on quelling happiness in others... and denying them rights. It’s so easy to confuse principles with prejudice” Trans people are routinely ‘monstered’ in the press. Take the tragic case of Lucy Meadows, a male to female transsexual teacher who committed suicide. She felt vilified by the press over her decision to return to teaching following gender reassignment surgery. Richard Littlejohn wrote an article about her entitled ‘He’s not in the wrong body, he’s in the wrong job!’ Do hate-mongers like Richard (if they circumcised him they threw away the best bit) Littlejohn really represent the views of the ‘moral majority?’ I think not. But they do prey upon ignorance.

My parents thought they didn’t even know any gay people. However, as draconian anti-gay laws were repealed, public opinion almost imperceptibly shifted to the left… and to the music of Vivaldi’s Rights of Spring… the gay people emerged from the undergrowth, they were their neighbours their best friends… their daughter.

Unbelievably, it was only in 1990 that homosexuality was struck from the World Health Organisation’s list of mental disorders. Trans people are ordinary people who before going through NHS sexual identity treatment must be certified by a psychiatrist as sane. Seeing as they’ve all been vetted by beyond doubt, they must be the sanest social group of all. Who’s laughing now Littlejohn?

When we moved to Brighton, we befriended a male to female transsexual called ‘Biscuit’ who was the local babysitter. Children are remarkably cool with difference until they’re told otherwise. My little nephew never blinked an eye when a striking woman ran past our house every day, her pendulous breasts bouncing beneath an impossibly tight sweater… and her dick swinging from side to side beneath her mini-skirt.

The way I see it, Brighton is a city full of ‘others’. I’ve met males identifying as lesbian, I’ve met people who think they are vampires, some of my friends are even Tory. In the words of Patti Smith “As far as I’m concerned, being any gender is a drag.”

One highlight of my night was meeting a particular tutor who Kate had been very supported by, and whom she’d told me so much about that I was most thrilled to finally get to meet him. But he wasn’t there initially, and after a while I forgot all about him what with the plastic cups of wine and all. So I was merrily chatting away with one of Kate’s lovely fellow students about his magnificent Welsh museums piece when suddenly we were joined by a very nice man, and before I knew what was happening he said; “Oh you must be Rhys’ mum”.

This was the tutor who’d been my lady’s rock for three years, who’d been so looking forward to meeting me, yet our initial introduction was his mistaking me to be the mother of one of his other students. I thought this was hilarious, and of course he was mortified, said it obviously looked as if I’d had Rhys at a very youthful age, but it got me thinking that despite feeling like a kid inside I’ve now entered the phase of my life when I look old enough to be a grown up’s mother.

Although, this isn’t the first time this has occurred. The other day, a fully adult man rushed over to me as I got out of my car outside work and gushingly asked for a photo. Initially I thought (and this was only for a very fleeting moment) that a Queen Josephine fan had appeared in Patcham; but hell no. Apparently he couldn’t believe “how much you look like my girlfriend’s mother” and wanted to take the photo as proof!

“Our initial introduction was his mistaking me to be the mother of one of his other students” But should I really care? Obviously I’m not going to be mistaken for a whippersnapper any more – a few years ago a young man asked if I was our then foster daughter’s ‘young lady’ at a gig which was wrong on so many counts I don’t know where to start (it was a very dark gig), and given my appearance it’s probably quite a queer breakthrough that members of the general public even consider that I’d ever had it in me to become a mum. However, given the fact that the hands of time really are being sped up by someone with a sense of humour, how long is it before somebody comes up to me when I’m DJing and asks if my granddaughter can “put something on they can dance to” when they get back from the toilet?

Love and anti-wrinkle cream xxxxxx

32 GSCENE

CHARLIE SAYS NOT IN MY NAME DON’T BE A FOOL SAYS CHARLIE BAUER PhD Okay, I admit it, I have more than one problem with the English Defence League (EDL).

One is that they’re a rebranding of the old and tired racist groups that pop up now and again throughout time under another moniker. But these days, things are taking a more dangerous turn. You also know that I’ve bleated on for some time about thinly veiled homophobia and political issues on same-sex marriage. But boy, have I been busy recently.

You probably also know that fundamentally I’m against any sort of ‘branded’ imagining of who the gayers are - particularly the 2.2 children/Prius driving version, which are nearly always untrue. At least they are with the prickly scumbags I hang around with. Apart from the marketing and money opportunities attached to this imagery, it’s also there because the straight world needs a normalised image to mask the ‘icky’ things we do to each other in bed. This sanitised version of what we apparently are, has become known as homo-normativity - the presentation of some marketing idiot’s version of the new homo version of some far-off domestic life.

But this homo-genisation (sic, lol, rofl with a DILF) has a dangerous undercurrent.

On the global dawning of same-sex marriage becoming legal, the EDL proudly state that they now also have gay members. They also state that they now have black members too. Who are they against? Hang on a minute – I was crap at subtraction at school, but it doesn’t take a statistician to see what’s going on here…

I was unfortunate to have lived through the rein of terror by the predecessor of the EDL – the National Front (NF). Back then we joined the Anti-Nazi League and had rallies and huge festivals where The Clash sometimes played. The NF was similar to the EDL in that they were very disorganised and fragmented and crush them we did.

But at least with the NF, you knew where you stood. They were against everyone who was not white and heterosexual. The unspoken requirement of a low IQ was an (obviously unwritten) necessity. Even the police were deemed to have racist elements in those dark times elements that were eventually weeded out in the post-Stephen Lawrence ‘institutional racism’ scandal. We’re not perfect today, but as a society we’re in a better place than those God awful days, and nobody can use the strong-arm tactics of the NF (seemingly with the law on their side), anymore. This was progression.

“But at least with the National Front, you knew where you stood. They were against everyone who was not white and heterosexual”

It’s been sold to heterosexual people for decades and I’ve yet to meet anyone who has stemmed, emotionally intact, from this polished, faux happy model. The family snapshots in my own head never resemble a Littlewoods catalogue. We have to admit that we all know it’s a fallacy and there is no 100% happy-ever-after version of domesticity in any form: gay, straight, trans, inter, monogo, We also have to remind ourselves that the global, same-sex marriage debate is not just about this. Any legislation in place at the moment is about freedom and the human right to legally chose whichever partner you want.

“Of course, when it’s all finally legal THEN you will have the ability to go Ikea mad, buy cars together and have joint mortgages” Of course, when it’s all finally legal THEN you will have the ability to go Ikea mad, buy cars together and have joint mortgages and the like.

You can even invite same-sex married couples around for dinner and exclude the sad, singleton ex-friends you no longer have anything in common with. You’ll be able to have ‘couples’ drinks parties. Then, when you finally have children, by whatever means, you can narrow your social scene down to just the other same-sex children owners and rant about how anyone who has no children has no idea how hard life is.

And when one of the couples split up and someone becomes a single parent, you can then cross them off the social calendar because they have nothing left to offer than their miserable daily stories of their struggle to bring up a child single-handed.

Yes, you too will have these and more choices to live a ‘normal’ life.

Same-sex marriage is a big ‘up’ for the global normal.

Nowadays, the global uber-right has to suppress their desire to stamp on people’s heads and approach everything in a very different and more inclusive manner. Since the Macpherson report (Stephen Lawrence) and the soon to be gay marriage rulings, they now need to appeal to the very people they once oppressed and publically tortured.

They need to caress the darker side of their own pigeon-holing of the gay and black communities to give the impression of inclusive support of a hateful end.

Inclusivity within the gay community, after the fight for same-sex marriage, could begin to fracture as the laws are passed and everyone settles down into their newly emancipated lives. Then, our minority status will no longer be challenged and if we’re not careful, we’ll become so ‘normalised’ that we’ll forget what an equality fight actually is - and the EDL take hold and demonise the only minority left on their hit-list. And if you don’t know who that is by now, you’re already halfway into believing their poison rhetoric and already becoming ‘Normal’.

GSCENE 33

VINTAGE VACATIONS AIRSTREAM

Where Craig Hanlon-Smith longs to be...

Yes the island proudly boasts some of the United Kingdom’s most spectacular coastline and blue flag beaches, but in recent years has been at the centre of award-winning ecologically sound tourism and a perfect blend of both bijou relaxing accommodation and restful sun soaked afternoons following a more adventurous early start enjoying spectacular panoramic views across the island's north coast, Solent and mainland's distant bustle.

Who would ever have thought the words 'caravan' and 'cool' would be natural bedfellows, but with Vintage Vacations the unthinkable has been perfectly established.

Located just outside the popular resort of Ryde, it's hard to believe your eyes when first taking in the sight of a trailer park with a twist, all gleaming silver Americana, rather than tatty white plastic vans. You would be forgiven for feeling as though you were enjoying the Californian sunshine back in the 1960s. Vintage Vacations were amongst the very first businesses offering ‘Glamping’ holidays in the UK… and the original Glamping holiday on the Isle of Wight.

All Airstream trailers have been restored to great original condition – their owners preferring to restore rather than refurbish – which really helps to keeps the ‘soul’ of the caravan and continues the tradition of many happy holidays past. What this means is that if the original formica and door handles (for example) are a bit worn but still working perfectly these remain intact, but the cookers, soft furnishings and beds etc have been replaced with sympathetic alternatives.

Vintage fabrics and accessories allow your mind to play fantastical tricks upon your sense of time and place as your sleepy afternoon in a striped deckchair plays host to the expanse of your imagination. Pop Mamas & the Papas onto your iPod and you're away.

Well worth a staycation.

Unique to the island is the treetop adventure with the award-winning Goodleaf Tree Climbing. Speaking from personal experience, we were given plenty of time to learn the ropes with a friendly, qualified and experienced instructor before taking to the canopy. Using the latest climbing and safety gear, we had a great time ascending into the branches and trying out our new tree climbing skills; and at the top, time to enjoy the beautiful countryside and sea views from the birds' nest adjacent tree hammock. The session was fantastic fun, adventurous but safe, eco-friendly to boot and left us with a great sense of achievement.

The tree climbing package is a cracking way to spend half a day with friends and even if an active holiday is not your usual bent, the climb is achievable, comfortable, stretches you as much as you want to be stretched (or not if you don't), and the views from the top are truly breathtaking. If there's a group of you, you'll get exclusive use of Goodleaf's experienced and friendly team and all climbs

To really take advantage of everything the island has to offer we recommend a diverse stay on the island that takes in both the charm and action of the Vintage Vacation and Goodleaf experience, with the relaxation opportunities provided by some of the more exclusive hotels and off the beaten track locations. Adjacent to Ryde and a stone’s throw from the Goodleaf base is the attractive hamlet of Seaview (the name says it all) and the Seaview Hotel. We much prefer the (slightly) faded glamour but theatrical grandiose surroundings of the Priory Bay hotel which sits on the edge of both Seaview and the island itself above its own private and truly beautiful beach. Should you be more than happy, appropriately so, with your week in an Airstream, The Priory Bay is also worth dropping into for a suitably grand afternoon tea or morning coffee in its Victorian drawing room before strolling around its lush grounds (a glass of fizz overlooking The Solent is also recommended).

Longer visits must take in Steep Hill Cove just south of Ventnor, which is only accessible on foot but plays host to excellent sea food eateries thriving on local produce. Even the island’s contribution to the UK’s list of 'faded glory' seaside towns hold a much more romantic atmosphere than their mainland cousins, and for the more daring amongst you the naturist beaches of Blackgang and Yaverland near Culver, knock the salt aired socks of that rubbish pile of stones in Brighton.

Looking for an island hop this summer? One hop and you'll want to stop. Wight Link ferries sail from Portsmouth and offer short (30 minute) crossings to Fishbourne on the island, although Red Funnel from Southampton is only an hour’s sail, more financially reasonable and an all round more pleasant start to your visit. More details including rates and availability are available on the websites: www.wightlink.co.uk www.redfunnel.co.uk www.vintagevacations.co.uk

GOOD LEAF CLIMBING

The Isle of Wight evokes many memories of childhood school holidays exploring its familyfriendly beaches and amusement centres, but as an adult, for many the island had lost out to its staycation Cornish and Devonshire competitors. Not so anymore. The reintroduction of the Isle of Wight Festival, for decades a legendary memory of Woodstock proportions, has injected a deep shot of cool into one of the south coast’s most aesthetically pleasing locations which transcends the age barriers of many festivals and which has mainlanders in their thousands flooding back, and you should too.

include light but welcome refreshments upon your descent. Goodleaf also offer a three-day course for the more committed climbers, details of which are available on their website.

STEEP HILL COVE

LA ISLA BONITA

Goodleaf will offer groups of four or more a 10% discount for quoting: Gscene Summer 2013. (Please note this offer is not available in July or August). www.goodleaf.co.uk

34 GSCENE

UP4aMEET, DREAMBOY? There’s no doubting Big Brother hunk Benedict Garrett is a dreamboy. No, really, he IS actually a Dreamboy, with a capital D, although stripping and contorting for a group of drunken hens is only one of his many jobs, most of which involve sex in one way or another. Kat Pope investigates!

Two men with very different outlooks on dating and the London gay scene, try to find love and/or a good shag through an app called The Cock Shop. They're joined by their older gay neighbour who thinks he's too past it to find the love he's looking for, and their faghag friend who lives upstairs. Soon, everyone is messaging everyone else under pseudonyms, and confusion and hilarity ensue.

“There's an awful lot of nudity in it,“ says Benedict, cheerfully. “I'm actually naked in every scene but one. My character Costas loves to walk around the house naked. He's very open about sex, like me.“ Which is where the self-styled 'sexual activist' title comes in. So what's that all about?

“I went into Big Brother for two reasons.

Firstly, and selfishly, I wanted to raise my own profile, and secondly I wanted to raise important issues. We should be more frank and open about sex in this country. I used to be a teacher and really feel we need to talk about sex a lot more to our young people.“ Tonight, after a stripagram and a Dreamboys gig, Ben is off to Manchester for tomorrow's BBC show The Big Question where he'll be advocating that discussions on porn should be a formal part of the school curriculum. He's nothing if not passionate about his cause.

He's a porn star, an escort, a dancer, a TV rent-a-gob, an actor, a one-time Guardian columnist, and a sexual activist. A sexual activist? What's that when it's at home? Well, more of that later...

When he walks into the large Islington pub we've arranged to meet in, no one bats an eye despite his high-profile Big Brother appearance last year, but that may be because we're right next to Arsenal footie ground and it's full of Germans here for a match. Despite having his finger in many an entertainment pie, I don't think Benedict is internationally famous just yet. Give him time, though. The guy's definitely got the drive and ambition.

Benedict's upcoming project, Up4aMeet? at the Marlborough Theatre, is billed as 'the naked gay comedy,' and also stars fellow Big Bro housemate Nikki Grahame ('Who IS she?') and X Factor Welsh hottie Lloyd Daniels.

Written by Jeff Moody and Simon Peek, Up4aMeet? is about the trials and joys of Internet dating. It had a successful short run in London last year and is now touring the country, stopping off at Brighton on the way.

“We should be more frank and open about sex in this country” Benedict is the only one of the three celebs starring in the tour who was in the original London run. I ask if he's met the other two.

“No, but I've had some interesting chats on Twitter with Nikki. And Lloyd's that cute X Factor guy isn't he? He didn't win it though?“ No, I say, he came 5th in what I fondly call 'The Jedward Year'.

“I'm really looking forward to meeting Lloyd.

Is he gay or straight?“ he asks assistant producer Luke who's sitting next to him on the sofa and who has been a model of diplomacy throughout the interview. “He doesn't like to say,“ he mutters, although I point out he does play G.A.Y. an awful lot. “And he does a lot of naked shoots for gay mags,“ mumbles Luke. We all get the picture, all fall silent.

Benedict is, of course, not quite so coy. “I'm predominantly straight, but I've tried other things. I've only done straight porn but that's only because I feel more comfortable with it.

The things I've tried with men I wouldn't feel confident doing in front of a camera and asking people to pay for it.“

A 'not very confident' Benedict doesn't fit in with what I've seen of him so far.

“I like to cuddle and kiss a man but to actually get sexual, I'm not that comfy, so to portray that on film, well, I wouldn't feel comfortable because I don't want to offer a shoddy service.“ This is the odd thing about Benedict and where, I think, his 'sexual activism' comes in. Yes, he may be a stripper, yes, he may be a porn star, but he takes sex in all its manifestations very seriously. He's got scruples, morals, standards, call it what you will, but he's not blindly working his way through a career in sex. He is the definition of the thinking man's/woman's crumpet if the thinking involves the philosophy of sex itself.

“I’m predominantly straight, but I’ve tried other things...”

Has he spent any quality time in Brighton?

“Only days working. I like Brighton. Who doesn't? If I could pick a place to live in the UK it'd be Brighton. It's the most liberal and openminded place in the country, although most of my memories of the place are of a race to find parking before a Dreamboys show while being chased by screaming fans. And parking being ridiculously, horrendously expensive.“ So is he settled down with someone? His website says he's a single dad, but is there a someone special in his life? “Only myself,“ he laughs. “Nah, actually I'm quite content. I've got my 19 year-old foster son living with me and my two dogs. I've got my little family.“ We return to Big Brother and the hot topic of wanking. I didn't watch Benedict on last year's show, but he assures me that he got into some very hot water because of it. “When I went in, the producers asked 'would you have sex in the house?' I said, ‘for God's sake, I've done porn, what do you think?’ I told that if I felt like it of course I was going to have a wank. We were in there a bloody long time! But I assured them that I wouldn't do it, as it were, in anyone's face, but I might do it in places that I thought were appropriate and I'd clean up after myself.“ His mistake, however, was not just having a Sherman, but talking openly about it to other housemates. “There was an uptight girl, boarding school and all, who was appalled. Not that I've got anything against boarding school girls,“ he quickly adds. And this, I think, sums him up. He's a lovely boy really. One that you could easily take home to your mother. He's polite, he's considerate, he's thoughtful. But the stuff he's polite, considerate and thoughtful about is sex – and we're British. I don't envy this 'sexual activist' fight one bit...

UP4AMEET

n Marlborough Theatre, 4 Princes St, Brighton n July 16-20: 8pm Tues–Thurs;

7pm & 9pm Fri & Sat

n Tickets: £16 available from:

www.brownpapertickets.com/event/381144

GSCENE 35 “Because he wasn’t a full man, Keith. Not a full man.”

Keith shook his mother’s hand from his own and faced the window. All week he’d stayed in his room avoiding the family members as they mourned loudly in Cantonese downstairs. His thinking had wandered between thoughts of his father and the anger he now felt towards his mother.

A few days before his father’s death, Keith had found a diverted email in his junk folder seeking out the donor child of Alice Chan of Edinburgh. He had then confronted his father, who had eventually come clean. If Keith had known this was to be the last straw, he’d have confronted his mother instead. Now he wanted her confession.

“How far do we need to get from the cemetery before you open up the other family closets, Mother?” Keith said.

MONTHLY SERIAL BY CARL OPREY: CHAPTER 10 Obituary column, Edinburgh Daily News: ‘John Arthur Roebuck. Beloved husband of Alice and father of Keith. Passed, aged 49.

No flowers please. All donations to the Murrayfield Foundlings’ Association by kind request of the family.’

Keith Chan glanced up at the bridge from the back seat of the limousine as he and his mother, Alice, left the gates of the Dalmeny Cemetery. Why his father was buried within viewing distance of where he’d died, Keith still couldn’t fathom. For his mother, it was a matter of convenience.

“You do know,” he said to his mother, “that whenever you put a flower on the grave, he’ll be looking right down at you from the bridge?”

“He’ll get no flowers from me, Keith,” she replied.

Since his father’s jump, Keith had begun to notice the bridge more. Before, it had just been there, someplace in the background.

Even a year ago this was just the bay, the bridge on the drive back to university. Now it haunted him and he couldn’t make a turn without seeing it reflected somewhere.

Alice patted, then gripped, Keith’s hand.

“When do you think you’ll head back?”

She squeezed his hand tighter.

“Why not stay at the house with me tonight, just to talk?”

The last thing he wanted to do was ramble about a big old house with only his mother for company. All he felt like was getting hammered in a bar on his own.

“I won’t be staying at the house, Mother.”

“What, not ever?”

“Not ever.”

The car swerved from the M8 and onto the last run to the city.

Keith Chan’s family was an enigma, especially to him. Alice and Joshua were an unlikely union, she being Cantonese and Joshua, black West Indian, they both spoke full brogue.

Alice came from a family of Asian food importers for whom Joshua had once stacked shelves. Although Keith often doubted it, he supposed they must have been in love at some point. Alice insisted, upon Keith’s arrival, that for inheritance reasons he took her surname, Chan. It was a contractual clause that it would take 21 years to unravel.

On the journey back from the cemetery Alice babbled on with a list of vague and uninteresting past incidents. By the time they reached Corstorphine Field, where Joshua had watched Keith play Sunday league as a child, Keith had managed to finally get a word in.

“I’m going to head back up to St Andrews, after the reception.”

Alice looked out of the window as Keith reeled off his suspicions.

“You know, Mother, I suspect that you drove him off the bridge in one way or another.”

“He walked himself off that bridge,” she said. “Nobody pushed him. We all struggle, Keith.”

“So why did he sign all his shares over to me at the last minute?”

“Because you’re 21, Keith.”

“So why did you hate him so much?”

Alice squeezed his hand again but this time harder, as if to hurt him.

“Is this the part where you tell me he wasn’t even my father?”

Keith pulled down the vanity mirror from the ceiling of the Limo and a light illuminated their faces. “Take another look, Mom — Jesus.”

Alice gazed up at her son’s handsome face, then at her own reflection.

“You want the truth?” she asked.

“The truth is he couldn’t produce a child.

Mumps, apparently.”

“Mumps?”

“Apparently. He became sterile long before we were married. It apparently just slipped his mind.”

“He didn’t just marry the boss’s daughter; he became the company chairman, for Christ’s sake.”

Alice unfolded a tissue. “He was a shelfstacker, Keith. Someone who would take any chance they could to marry up.”

She fixed her make-up in the mirror and gazed beyond into her son’s reflected eyes glaring back at her.

“There was an email from London, England, Mother. I think it’s time you cut the crap.”

“Well then, you know as much as I do.”

“Just tell me about him, will you? I only want to know about him.”

Alice faced Keith. “I already told you, he was just a shelf filler...”

“No, Mother – him. Who is he?”

“He?” Alice snapped the mirror back to the ceiling. “There never was a he, Keith.”

“Well, there is now, Mother.” © Carl Oprey

36 GSCENE Keith Haring Picnic Coolbag, £37.50 (Pussy, 3a Kensington Gardens, Brighton, 01273 604861

SHOPPING WITH MICHAEL HOOTMAN

Tie £6; Braces £7; Mug £8.50; Small Flag £1.40, Large (3' by 5') Flag £6.90 (Prowler, 112 St James' St, Brighton, 01273 683680).

Robot Tea Infuser, £7.99 (Junkfunk, 27 Gloucester Road, Brighton, 01273 680555)

Picnic Basket with four place settings, £62.99 (England at Home, 59 Ship St, Brighton, 01273 738270)

Biscuit Assortment Cushions from £29.50 each (Edited, 3 Gardner St, Brighton, editedbrighton.com)

Alessi Dry Chilli Scruncher, £14.50 (Caz Systems, 17 Church St, Brighton, 01273 326471)

BLOW OUT (Arrow blu-ray). Brian DePalma's best thriller has a plot inspired

by Antonioni, a sense of tension worthy of Hitchcock, a few visual flourishes from Charles Laughton's Night Of The Hunter, and a superbly nihilistic ending all the director's own. John Travolta plays a sound recordist for schlocky horror films who accidentally tapes the assassination of a presidential hopeful. Nancy Allen is the woman who gets mixed up in the plot through her work in a blackmailing scam, and John Lithgow is chillingly effective as a merciless psychopath who will do whatever it takes to help his political masters' plans.

Blow Out is a brilliant conspiracy thriller which, whilst absolutely gripping, has a brutally cynical core which makes it one of the key American films of the 1980s.

38 GSCENE

GEEK

SCENE

BY CRAIG STORRIE

COMICS After the abysmal movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine something drastic needed to happen if they ever made a sequel to that God awful film!

Thankfully, care and consideration seem to have been taken with the sequel that really isn’t a sequel. Taking place after the X-Men Trilogy instead of before, The Wolverine (such a simple yet great title!) finds Logan lost after the closing of Xavier’s School for the Gifted. Journeying to Japan, Logan finds himself confronted with a mysterious figure from his forgotten past and will have to use all of his brain and brawn to overcome this new enemy as he is truly pushed to his limits. Based upon the fantastic 1982 storyline found in his self-titled limited series comic book by Chris Claremont, Logan will face samurai, ninjas and an all manner of villains that he must overcome. As we finally have a film based on one of the best Wolverine stories, I wanted to highlight a few other storylines that should be checked out even if you’re not a Wolverine fan.

If you are, then what are you waiting for? Get stuck in!

WEAPON X Written and illustrated by the very talented Barry Windsor-Smith, Weapon X tells the story of Logan’s time with the Canadian Government and how he came to have the unbreakable metal Adamantium bonded to his skeleton, turning him into a soulless killing machine. It is this process that causes Logan to lose most of his memories as well as having false ones forced into his mind. Whilst it is a story that is hard to read due to the raw and upsetting subject matter as well as the graphic nature of the art, it is an essential tale for any Wolverine fan as it shows Logan’s true fear; that he will one day give up and become a feral animal devoid of humanity.

HOUSE OF M If the Weapon X programme is what causes Wolverine to lose his memories, then it is thanks to the Scarlet Witch that he regains knowledge of his true past. After the world is changed into a mutant utopia thanks to the Scarlet Witch using her reality altering powers, she finally comes to her senses and utters three small words: No More Mutants.

All at once the Marvel Universe is set back to how it was, only now the mutant population has diminished from millions to only 200 worldwide. An odd side effect is that Logan now knows which memories are real and implanted and sets out to seek revenge on those who wronged him in his past.

ORIGIN Ever since his introduction in the 1970s, comic book geeks have wondered and debated who this Canadian wild card was and where he came from. Origin is a sixpart story that finally lifts the lid on Logan’s history and family life. I won’t divulge or ruin the events of the story and what happens, but it is a book that any self-respecting comic fan needs to read!

GAYMING As it is the month of Wolverine, let’s take a look at some of the wicked games he has appeared in since his creation back in the late 1970s.

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE All any self-respecting fan of Wolverine ever wants from a video game starring the Canadian berserker is violence. Where Logan gets to cut loose and waste his enemies in the most painful way possible. Taking what little worked from the abysmal film of the same name and mixing in a better story loaded with major fan service including sentinels, wendigos and even an appearance by Mystique, X-Men Origins is exactly what a Wolverine game should be; a blood soaked rollercoaster ride through his sordid past. Featuring stunning graphics, including an intuitive healing system with damage shown in real time on Logan’s body and voiced by Mr Wolverine himself Hugh Jackman, X-Men Origins raises the bench mark for not only how comics book games but also movie adaptations should be made. It’s up there with Batman: Arkham City as one of the greatest comic book games ever created.

X-MEN LEGENDS 1 & 2 It is hard to juggle many different XMen characters within a game that works and feels like each character is done justice. Thankfully not one but two games managed to get the balance just right. Taking place within their own continuity, the X-Men Legends series of games are dungeon crawlers with a Marvel Comics skin over the top allowing you to control up to four mutants at once with the flick of the d-pad. Even though Wolverine isn’t the main character within the series he is represented perfectly with just the right balance between samurai, super hero and berserker. If you only pick up one make sure it’s the sequel as the developers Raven Software have managed to perfect just what works after ironing out the kinks of the previous title.

X2: WOLVERINE’S REVENGE Being the first home console game to feature Wolverine in a starring role since 1994, Wolverine’s Revenge is a strange mix. Taking place within the comics world but featuring a likeness of Hugh Jackman and the movie stylings, the game is an action orientated adventure within the Weapon X facility. Logan has 48 hours to find the cure to a deadly virus within his blood stream or he will die.

X2 does a good job at making you feel like you’re Wolverine due to his ability to see in different spectrums and sniff out clues as well as a button to extend or sheath your claws at will. This one little addition goes a long way to making you feel like a dangerous killer who has the ability to kill or spare his enemies on a whim. Whilst it might look dated, Wolverine fans should definitely check it out as it has so many good ideas and features.

ALSO OUT THIS MONTH...

Out this month: Time and Eternity, Civilization 5: Brave New World, New Super Luigi U More reviews on Craig’s blog: www.redbarrels.net

GSCENE 39

COME DINE

WITH MORHAM

BY MORHAM WHITE

THE CROWN & ANCHOR 213 Preston Road, Preston Village, Tel: 01273 559494 Homemade food served noon-10pm This month there’s an invite to eat out, so no dilemma of choice, no bill and no angst, unlike last month! Generally I’m a ‘glass half full’ person, so found myself off balance when things went awry. I suppose there will always be the discussion as to ‘fine dining’ or ‘pub grub’ but increasingly the latter is raising the bar, to the extent that one has to seriously examine one’s predilection for one or the other and why.

following (chocolate chip, praline, cherry, cream and vanilla), and I had the sticky option! Unlike a previous ice cream disaster of years gone by, the flavours did not overwhelm one another and the platter was stylishly drizzled with chocolate for a finger dip… pheeew!

The wine list was extremely keenly priced with little over £20, which is a pleasing change as it’s quite unnecessary, in these days of higher standards, to require breaking the bank for a pleasant bottle of something. I was intrigued that the only red over £20 was Lebanese, at a tenner more, so I might just have to try it on my next trip if I’m feeling particularly flush.

And back to the original premise: fine dining or pub grub? Well, if there’s a balanced and interesting menu, and all the dishes are available then perhaps fine dining, but increasingly the goods are not delivered, so when the wine can be a good £5 to 10 a bottle cheaper, variety is offered and there are some staple dishes upon which to fall back, then ‘pub grub’ can seriously hit the mark. Our foray to the C&A worked out at just under £30 a head for our choices, a good deal in pleasing and spacious surroundings. I just wish the trumpeter had found his ‘mute’ at the beginning of the jazz experience!

On Pride Saturday, the manager Will Bird tells me they are opening at 9am for breakfast till noon; from 1pm there is an all day BBQ on the sun terrace till 9pm; Miss Jason will perform live inside straight after the park finishes at 9pm; and they will be open till midnight.

It’s a trip to The Crown & Anchor in Preston Village, on the west side of what I call the London Road just opposite the lights, and now run

by Andy Dunton formerly of the Tavern at Telscombe Cliffs and The Yeoman, just up the hill from Brighton Station. There’s a modest car park round the back, which is helpful and a smartly fenced outdoor area for smokers or an al fresco experience. The venue within is quite expansive with several identifiable areas.

With the Editor in tow, we were there on the dot for a table booked for 8pm on a Friday evening; several other groups were dining out on an evening offering traditional jazz, with ‘live music’ promised for Saturday and a pianist for Sunday. If you arrive later you may have to consider your positioning if conversation is part of your dietary requirement.

Drinks were chosen, a bottle of Pinot Grigio (£13.25) and a jug of soda for those having spritzer, the designated driver perhaps!

The double-sided menu is split into ‘to start’, ‘to share’, ‘mains’ and over-page, ‘steaks’, ‘C&A specialities’ not forgetting ‘sandwiches, baguettes & bar snacks’ and finally the ‘puddings’. These days I have to admit to enjoying both sharing and the more al fresco option of finger food. For starters we ordered a Mediterranean sampler (£6.50), which included cured and smoked meats with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oil and balsamic vinegar, served on a wooden platter. I was persuaded to share the larger fish platter (£16.90) with homemade fish fingers, salt and pepper squid, Long Man ale battered cod, and mackerel paté accompanied by sliced artisan roll and dips, quite sensational.

For the mains, there was a Thai duck salad (£11.90): pomegranate, spring onion, rocket and chilli salad topped with a whole duck breast and a Thai vinaigrette; and a 9oz rib-eye steak (£15.90) with portobello mushroom, roasted cherry tomatoes and homemade chips. For me, struggling after a 3pm quiche at a petting farm, I went with a succulent pork steak (£10.90) served with whole-grain mustard mash and caramelised apple, simple and sustaining.

Puddings were simple, tarte au citron, chocolate brownie, sticky toffee, pistachio parfait, honey-comb and vanilla baked cheesecake and ice creams. Needless to say mine was the tart, hitting the spot with a dollop of ice cream. Sir had a collation of ice cream, being totally unable to decide which formula to follow, any three from the

CARIBBEAN FRANCHISE OPENS AT A-BAR MOOI FOOD, A-Bar, 11-12 Marine Parade, Brighton The A-Bar are trying something different in the food department from Wednesday, July 3 with the introduction of a Caribbean dining menu. Mooi Foods are taking over the evening franchise and food will be available from Sunday to Friday from 5–11pm at night. A-bar staff will will continue to cook in the kitchen on Saturday evening.

The name Mooi (pronounced Moo-ee) comes from Dutch meaning ‘beautiful’. Mooi Foods blend an eclectic mix of spices and cooking styles from Aruba, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica and Surinam.

Dishes include: bean Caribbean specialties including curried mutton, jerk chicken and pork, which are national classics. Homemade burgers are available served with sweet potato fries and homemade coleslaw.

They will also be making Rotis which are flat breads made with yellow lentils and filled with a curried meat or veggie option of your choice. Dahls, salads, escovisch fish, seafood dishes and a growing range of vegetarian options will all be available also.

Classic desserts with a Caribbean twist include pina colada homemade ice cream, lemon, lime and mango cheesecake or sticky Jamaican ginger toffee pudding will also be available.

Owners Dorian and Raphael both have years of experience catering for everything from large functions to smaller parties such as birthdays, BBQs and civil partnerships.

40 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM A-BAR, BAR 7 CRAWLEY + BULLDOG

JULY

LISTINGS

A-BAR

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Wed (17) is the official launch of the Mooi Foods Caribbean restaurant and take away at 6pm with a range of national classics served Sun–Fri 5–9pm from Wed (3), inc: curried mutton, jerk chicken & pork; homemade burgers with sweet potato fries & coleslaw; homemade veggie/meat riotas, dahls, salads, escovisch fish, seafood, veggie options and classic desserts with a Caribbean twist - Pina Colada ice cream, lemon, lime and mango cheesecake or sticky Jamaican ginger toffee pudding. n REGULARS: Fri (5 & 19) is DECADES DISCO with DJ Mikalos at 9pm, free entry.

All other Fri & Sat is PRE-CLUB with drink promos. n Wed is the OPEN MIC night with Mark Hodge; sing your favourite tune with Mark or just listen at 8.30pm. n FOOD: bar food served Mon–Fri noon–5pm; Sat noon–7pm; Sunday roasts served noon–5pm, to book call 01273 696691. From Wed (3) Mooi Foods Caribbean restaurant and take away served Sun–Fri 5–10pm. n DRINK DEALS: double-up on spirits for an extra £1.50, all day, every day. Wed & Thur are cocktail nights from 9pm; buy one get the other half price. n OPEN: Sun–Thur noon–midnight; Fri & Sat noon–2am. Unrivalled sea view, large heated smoking terrace and all big sport events.

MONDAY 1 n A-BAR bar food noon-7pm; open noon n BAR REVENGE Quiz with Liz: cash prizes 8.30pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ Marcia’s Glitter Ball 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTON’S Medication Mon; open 3pm n ENVY Studio 150: Student night 10.30pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason Does Legends 9.30pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Spice’s 80s night; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS karaoke party; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n ZONE classic films/vids 8.30pm; open 10am TUESDAY 2 n A-BAR food noon-7pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Magic 9pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE VIP: Harry’s Karaoke, DJs Kelly & Fifi, win drinks/VIP cards/bar tabs 8pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon

n BEDFORD TAVERN Theatre Bar; open noon n BULLDOG Poptastic: DJ Lee 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Twisted Tue; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN Nat’s Quiz 9pm; open 12 n POISON IVY Bar 150 karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS sing-along with Peter & friends 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n REVENGE Naughty Pop: DJs Trick & Alex Baker 11pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live music: The Pickin’ Circle 8pm n ZONE comedy club 8.30pm; open 10am WEDNESDAY 3 n A-BAR open mic with Mark Hodge 8.30pm; bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 510pm; cocktail night; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Mary Hinge & Lady Ty’s Drag Bingo 7.30pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Crush: DJ

Missy B 10pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BRIGHTON SAUNA Bears Night: a night for bears, cubs & their admirers 7pm n BULLDOG Diva Rush; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS seniors lunch 23.30pm; reg food 12-3pm & 6-9pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST Cabaret Carousel: Myra Dubois 9.30pm; food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Cocktail Clinic; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Gloria Hole’s karaoke: win £100 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Pride’s Got Talent Heat: win free ticket to Pride, £100 & guest spot on Pride cabaret stage 9.15pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Backlash: retro night 9pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Big Cash Quiz 7.30pm; open noon n ZONE Rachel’s A Question of Music: music

BAR 7 CRAWLEY

quiz & cash prize 8.30pm; open 10am THURSDAY 4 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; cocktail night; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Proud to Party 6pm n BAR REVENGE Girls On Top warm-up: DJ Kelly L 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN Thur Social; open noon n BULLDOG Release: DJ Grant 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm; food noon-3pm & 6-9pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms Joan Bond, cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, fab decor, tunes & win bar tabs 8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Thirsty Thur; open 3pm n ENVY Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Joan Bond, cocktails, shots, decor, win bar tabs 8pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN It’s Pants: free drinks if your pants match the picture 8.30pm; open 12

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Fri (19) is the ROCKY HORROR party with DJ Magenta spinning horror tunes; free entry before 8pm, £3 after. n REGULARS: Fri is LUST with DJ Magic & drink offers; (26) is CABARET with Baga Chipz. n Sat (6) is CABARET with Miss Jason, plus drink specials & DJ WaynsieRudeboy. Every other Sat is PARTY NIGHT with drink specials and DJs: Rob Davis (13), Waynsie-Rudeboy (20) and Cozmo-Ben (27). n Sun is KARAOKE, sing to win a shot at 8pm. n Tue is PARTY NIGHT with DJ Magic and happy hour 6–9pm. n Wed is Mary Hinge & Lady Ty's DRAG BINGO at 7.30pm. n Thur is PROUD TO PARTY with DJ Magic and drink promos. n OPEN: Sun, Tue & Wed 6pm–12.30am; Thur–Sat 6pm–2.30am. Closed Mon. n www.7crawley.co.uk

PICS FROM THE BULLDOG

GSCENE OUT & ABOUT 41

BULLDOG

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Thur (11) is THE BIG 34TH BIRTHDAY BASH with DJ Grant and all drinks £1.60 till midnight. n REGULARS: Mon is DJ Marcia’s GLITTER BALL with 1970s & 80s tunes at 10pm. n Tue is POPTASTIC with DJ Lee at 10pm. Tue (30) is monthly REGGAE night with DJ Micklos at 9pm. n Wed is DIVA RUSH, all drinks £1.60 when selected artist is played and the traffic light turns to green, 10pm–2am. n Thur is RELEASE with DJ Grant Knowles at 10pm. n Fri CABARET is in the top bar at midnight: Dolly Diamond (5), Drag With No Name (12), Miss Jason (19), Dave Lynn (26); DJ Grant Knowles is downstairs at 10pm. n Sat is with DJ V John at 10pm, DJ Lil Alex at 3am, and KARAOKE upstairs at 10pm. n Sun is DJ Grant Knowles at 8pm, KARAOKE is upstairs at 8pm. n DRINK DEALS: Mon & Tue 3–7pm & 11pm–midnight; Wed 3–7pm; Thur 3–7pm & 10pm–midnight; Fri 3–7pm & drinks £1.60 10pm–midnight; Sat 10pm–midnight; Sun all day–midnight. Drinks include: pints from £1.95, double spirit & mixer from £2.30, bottles from £1.85 (Terms & conditions apply). n OPEN: daily from 11am–very late. n www.bulldogbrighton.com n POISON IVY cabaret 9.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Hi-De-Hi Holiday Camp Cabaret: Kitty Litter 9.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n REVENGE Girls On Top Frat Party: DJs over 2 floors 10.30pm n SUBLINE Leathered 9pm n ZONE Tammy Twinkle’s Gameshow Fever; open 10am FRIDAY 5 n A-BAR Decades Disco: DJ Mikalos 9pm; bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 510pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Lust: DJ Magic 6pm n BAR REVENGE Shameless warm-up 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue: 2 floor party, DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Krazy Kamikaze Karaoke 8.30pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant Knowles 10pm; cabaret: Dolly Diamond midnight; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; Friday Club 6pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Fruity Fri Fix: DJ Leeroy 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST cabaret: Double Trouble feat Maisie Trollette & Pooh La May 9pm; food noon-late; open noon

n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Funky Fri: DJ Nick Hirst 9.30pm; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Thank Funk It’s Fri: DJ Antony 10.30pm n LEGENDS BAR Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue, 2 floor party 9pm; DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Camp Attack & Flashback with karaoke 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open 11am n REVENGE Shameless: DJs Lee Harris & Trick 10.30pm n SUBLINE Dry Clean Only: suited & booted night 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE Stone & Street 9.30pm; open 10am SATURDAY 6 n A-BAR Pre-club; food 12-7pm; open 12 n BAR 7@CRAWLEY cabaret: Miss Jason + DJ Waynsie-Rude-Boy 6pm n BAR REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Free warmup: DJ Fifilicious 9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ Lee Harris 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ V John 10pm; DJ Lil Alex 3am; karaoke 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food 12-7pm; open 12

42 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM CAMELFORD ARMS

JULY

LISTINGS

GEMS HAVE LUNCH @ THE CAMELFORD

CAMELFORD ARMS

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Sun (7 & 21) is the BEAR BASH at 5pm. n REGULARS: Thur it’s the £300 BIG CASH QUIZ at 9pm. n The FRIDAY CLUB is at 6pm. n FOOD: Wed is SENIORS LUNCH with two courses for £5.50 served 2–3.30pm; home-cooked menu & manager's specials served Mon–Fri noon–3pm & 6–9pm; Sat noon–7pm; Sunday roasts & selected menu served noon–till gone! n OPEN: daily from noon. The Camelford is the most dog-friendly pub in town n CHARLES ST The Boys In The Bar: all-male DJs Jonesy, Lil Alex, Grant Knowles, Leeroy on rotation 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food noon-10pm; cabaret: Jaque Bennett 8pm; open noon n DR BRIGHTONS Sexy Sat: DJ Tony B 9.30pm; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Old Skool Sat: DJ Sean Quinn 10pm n LEGENDS BAR Pre-Fusion 7pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n PARIS HOUSE live jazz 4pm; TC’s Joyful Noise: DJ Kenny 9pm; open noon n POISON IVY afternoon karaoke & Betty Swollocks’ karaoke till midnight; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Les & guests 4.30pm; guest host karaoke 6pm; Kamp Kevin’s karaoke, tunes, games 9pm; open 12 n REGENCY TAVERN food 12-6pm; open 11am n REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Still Free: guest DJ Lee Harris & regs over 2 floors 10.30pm n SUBLINE Men’s Room: DJ Screwpulous 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE cabaret: Sally Vate 9.30pm; open 10am SUNDAY 7 n A-BAR Sunday roasts: bookings 01273 696691 noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-

10pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke 6pm n BAR REVENGE Sunday Funday: retro games; Karaoke Queens: LouBag & Smithy 8pm; open noon n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Sunday roasts 12.305pm; Piano Bingo 5pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant 8pm; karaoke 8pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS Sunday roasts & select menu 12-till gone; Bear Bash 5pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST cabaret: Mrs Moore 7.30pm; Tranny Rock & Roll Bingo: Sally Vate & roll over jackpot 8.30pm; Sunday lunch noon-7pm n 112 CHURCH ST Sunday Roast noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Hangover Therapy; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR cabaret: Lady Imelda 3.15pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open 1pm n POISON IVY cabaret 5.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Tanya Hyde 6pm; Sissy Sucs’ karaoke 7.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN Sunday roasts noon5pm; Piano Bar 1.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Come in Your Pants: DJ N.U.D.E, underwear party 9pm

n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live jazz: The Ian Price Jazz Project 3pm; open noon n ZONE live music: Jennie Castelle 6pm; karaoke; open 10am MONDAY 8 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR REVENGE Quiz with Liz 8.30pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ Marcia’s Glitter Ball 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Medication Mon; open 3pm n ENVY Studio 150: student night 10pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason Does Legends 9.30pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Spice’s 80s night; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS karaoke party; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm &

6-8.30pm; open noon n ZONE classic films/vids 8.30pm; open 10am TUESDAY 9 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Magic 9pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE VIP Tue: Harry’s Karaoke, DJs Kelly & Fifi, win drinks/VIP cards/bar tabs 8pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN Theatre Bar; open noon n BULLDOG Poptastic: DJ Lee 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Twisted Tue; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN Nat’s Quiz 9pm; open 12 n POISON IVY Bar 150 karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS sing-along with Peter & friends 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n REVENGE Naughty Pop: DJs Trick & Alex Baker 11pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS The Pickin’ Circle 8pm; open noon n ZONE comedy club 8.30pm; open 10am WEDNESDAY 10 n A-BAR open mic with Mark Hodge 8.30pm; bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 510pm; cocktail night; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Mary Hinge & Lady Ty’s Drag Bingo 7.30pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Crush: DJ Missy B 10pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BRIGHTON SAUNA Naked Day: no towels 10-1am

GSCENE 43

44 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM CHARLES STREET + ENVY

JULY

LISTINGS

FINALISTS @ DRAG IDOL

CHARLES STREET BAR

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Wed is CABARET CAROUSEL at 9.30pm: Myra Dubois performs (3, 17 & 31) & Trashville Tennessee performs (10 & 24), free entry. n REGULARS: Thur is The MAD COW'S TEA PARTy with Alice in Wonderland décor, tea pot cocktails, 'drink me' shots, pumping tunes & hostess Ms Joan Bond at 8pm, drinks from £1, win a bar tab for the night, entry £1. n FRUITY FRIDAY FIX is with DJ Leeroy spinning the best in dance & funky house at 9pm; plus cocktails from £3.50 for a glass, £8.50 for a jug from 9pm–close, free entry. n Sat is THE BOYS IN THE BAR with an all-male DJ line-up including Jonesy, Lil Alex, Grant Knowles & Leeroy on rotation at 9pm, free entry! n Sun CABARET at 7.30pm: Mrs Moore (7), Nan aka Karen Dalton (14), Lola Lasagne (21), Rose Garden (28); TRANNY ROCK & ROLL BINGO with Sally Vate and a rolling jackpot follows at 8.30pm. n FOOD: Two for £7.95 on selected mains and 2-4-1 on all desserts, all day every day; Sunday Lunch: home roast beef, chicken or veggie served noon–7pm, £6.95. n DRINK DEALS: All drinks 1/3rd off Mon–Sat from 5–9pm, till 8pm on Thurs, on Sun after the show till close. All deals excl sparkling wine & cocktails & not in conjunction with other offers. n OPEN: daily from noon. n www.charles-street.com

n BULLDOG Diva Rush; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS seniors lunch 23.30pm; food 12-3pm & 6-9pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST Cabaret Carousel: Trashville Tennessee 9.30pm; food 12-8pm; open 12 n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food noon-10pm; open noon n DR BRIGHTONS Cocktail Clinic; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Gloria Hole’s karaoke: win £100 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Pride’s Got Talent Heat: win free ticket to Pride, £100 & a guest spot on the Pride cabaret stage 9.15pm; open 12 n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Backlash: retro night 9pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS comedy night 8pm; open noon n ZONE Rachel’s A Question of Music: music quiz & cash prize 8.30pm; open 10am

n BEDFORD TAVERN Thur Social; open noon n BULLDOG The Big Birthday Bash: DJ Grant 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm; food noon-3pm & 6-9pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms Joan Bond, tea pot cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, fab decor, tunes & win bar tabs 8pm; open 12 n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Thirsty Thur; open 3pm n ENVY Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms Joan Bond, tea pot cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, fab decor, tunes & win bar tabs 8pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN It’s Pants: free drinks every hour if your pants match the picture 8.30pm; open noon n POISON IVY cabaret 9.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Hi-De-Hi Holiday Camp Cabaret: Davina Sparkle 9.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon THURSDAY 11 n REVENGE Girls On Top: DJs over 2 floors n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean 10.30pm food 5-10pm; cocktail night; open noon n SUBLINE Leathered 9pm n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Proud to Party 6pm n ZONE Tammy Twinkle’s Gameshow Fever; n BAR REVENGE Girls On Top warm-up: DJ open 10am Kelly L 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon

ENVY @ CHARLES ST

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Thur is The MAD COW'S TEA PARTY with Alice in Wonderland décor, tea pot cocktails, 'drink me' shots, pumping tunes & hostess Ms Joan Bond at 8pm, drinks from £1, win a bar tab for the night, entry £1. n REGULARS: Mon is the STUDIO 150 student night with singles or bottles for £1.50 all night, entry £1.50. n OPEN: www.charles-street.com

FRIDAY 12 n A-BAR Pre-club music; bar food noon5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open 12 n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Lust: DJ Magic 6pm n BAR REVENGE Shameless warm-up 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue: 2 floor party, DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Krazy Kamikaze Karaoke 8.30pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant Knowles 10pm; cabaret: Drag With No Name midnight; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; Friday Club 6pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Fruity Fri Fix: DJ Leeroy 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST cabaret: Krissie DuCann 9pm; food noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Funky Fri: DJ Nick Hirst 9.30pm; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Thank Funk It’s Friday: DJ Antony 10.30pm n LEGENDS BAR Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue, 2 floor party 9pm; DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY karaoke 7pm; open 11am

n QUEEN’S ARMS party to celebrate Kevin becoming part owner of The QA: DJ Andy B 9pm; cabaret: Miss Jason 10pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open 11am n REVENGE Shameless: DJs Lee Harris & Trick 10.30pm n SUBLINE Skins & Scallies 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE live music: Eva La Diva 9.30pm; open 10am SATURDAY 13 n A-BAR Pre-club; food noon-7pm n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Rob Davis 6pm n BAR REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Free warmup: DJ Fifilicious 9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ Peter Castle 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ V John 10pm; DJ Lil Alex 3am; karaoke 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food 12-7pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST Boys In The Bar: all-male DJs Jonesy, Lil Alex, Grant Knowles, Leeroy on rotation 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food noon-10pm; cabaret dinner: tba 8pm; open noon n DR BRIGHTONS Sexy Sat: DJ Tony B 9.30pm; open 1pm

46 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM CROWN & ANCHOR, CHURCH STREET + DR BRIGHTONS

JULY

LISTINGS

CROWN & ANCHOR

n ONE FOR THE DIARY: Pride Sat (3) August: Pride Breakfast from 9am–noon; Pride BBQ on the sun terrace 1–9pm; right after the park closes CABARET with Miss Jason on stage at 9pm. Open till midnight. n REGULARS: Sat is CABARET DINNER at 8pm with: Jaque Bennett (6), tba (13), Jennie Castelle (20), Jason Lee (27). n FOOD: range of starters, sharers, mains, steaks, specials, sandwiches, snacks and desserts served Mon–Sat noon–10pm; Sun noon–8pm. n OPEN: Sun–Thur noon–11pm; Fri & Sat noon–midnight. n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Old Skool Sat: DJ Sean Quinn 10pm n LEGENDS BAR Pre-Fusion 7pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n PARIS HOUSE live jazz 4pm; TC’s Joyful Noise: DJ Kenny 9pm; open noon n POISON IVY afternoon karaoke & Betty Swollocks’ karaoke till midnight; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Stacey Starr 4.30pm; Mike’s B’day Party, host Peggy Wessex with Nikki French, Rebecca Rudd, Sam Solace, Marcella Woods & DJ Andy B 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food 12-6pm; open 11am n REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Still Free: DJs 10.30pm n SUBLINE Men’s Room: DJ Screwpulous 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE cabaret: Tammy Twinkle 9.30pm; open 10am SUNDAY 14 n A-BAR Sunday roasts: bookings 01273 696691 noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-

10pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke 6pm n BAR REVENGE Sunday Funday: retro games; Karaoke Queens: LouBag & Smithy 8pm; open noon n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Sunday roasts 12.305pm; Piano Bingo 5pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant 8pm; karaoke 8pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS Sunday roasts & selected menu noon-till gone; open noon n CHARLES ST cabaret: Nan aka Karen Dalton 7.30pm; Tranny Rock & Roll Bingo: Sally Vate & roll over jackpot 8.30pm; Sunday lunch noon-7pm n 112 CHURCH ST Sun Roast noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Hangover Therapy; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR cabaret: Lola Lasagne 3.15pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open 1pm

CHURCH STREET

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Fri CABARET at 9pm: Double Trouble featuring Maisie Trollette & Pooh La May (5), Krissie DuCann (12), Davina Sparkle (19) and Jennie Castelle (26). n FOOD: food specials served Mon–Sat noon–late, buy two lunches for £10; Golden Handbag-winning Sunday lunches served noon–late. n VENUE HIRE: Looking for a venue for your civil partnership reception, birthday party or just a knees up with friends? Contact Collin on 01273 606864. n OPEN: Enjoy the summer sunshine (!) in the secret beer garden.

n PARIS HOUSE Bastille Day Celebrations: live music & food all day; open noon n POISON IVY cabaret 5.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Peggy Wessex 6pm; Sissy Sucs’ karaoke 7.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN Sunday roasts noon5pm; Piano Bar 1.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Come in Your Pants: DJ N.U.D.E, underwear party 9pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live jazz: The Ian Price Jazz Project 3pm; open noon n ZONE live music: Collusion 6pm; karaoke; open 10am MONDAY 15 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR REVENGE Quiz with Liz 8.30pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon

n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ Marcia’s GlitterBall 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 6-9pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Medication Mon; open 3pm n ENVY Studio 150: student night 10pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason Does Legends 9.30pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Spice’s 80s night; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS karaoke party; open noon

DR BRIGHTONS

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: FUNKY FRIDAY with DJ Nick Hirst at 9.30pm, free entry. n SEXY SATURDAY with DJ Tony B is at 9.30pm, free entry. n DRINK DEALS: from Sun–Thur all day and Fri & Sat from 1–7pm: Fosters & Carling £3.15 a pint, large Smirnoff & mixer £4, large Smirnoff & energy drink £5. Buy two cocktails for £11 from Sun–Thur. Free game of pool every day with every round of drinks purchased during happy hour. n OPEN: Mon–Thur 3pm–midnight; Fri & Sat 1pm–2am; Sun 1pm–midnight. n www.doctorbrightons.co.uk

FUNKY FISH

n ONE FOR THE DIARY: Fri (26) is DIRTY RETRO, a London club night, with DJs spinning disco, grooves and electro rocking retro club classics at 10.30pm, free entry. n REGULARS: Fri is THANK FUNK IT’S FRIDAY with DJ Antony funk/soul/Motown/ disco at 10.30pm, free entry. n OLD SCHOOL SATURDAY is with DJ Sean Quinn playing funky 70s/70s/80s/90s with a splash of recent tunes at 10pm, entry £5. n OPEN: The Funky Fish Bar is open daily from noon. n www.funkyfishclub.co.uk

48 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM LEGENDS BAR + BASEMENT CLUB

JULY

LISTINGS

LEGENDS BAR

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Sun CABARET at 3.15pm: Lady Imelda (7), Lola Lasagne (14), Lucinda Lashes (21) and La Voix (28). n REGULARS: Mon is MISS JASON DOES LEGENDS at 9.30pm. n FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH LADY LARUE over 2 floors with DJ Peter Castle and drink deals from £1.50. n Sat is Pre-Fusion with DJs at 7pm. n FOOD: summer menu includes gourmet burgers, sharers and cream teas, Mon–Sat noon–5.30pm. Mon–Thur 2 burgers for £10. Check Facebook or website for food promos. n OPEN: daily from 11am–5am. Heated smoking area, free entry and all day sun-terrace. n www.legendsbrighton.com n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n ZONE classic films/vids 8.30pm; open 10am TUESDAY 16 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Magic 9pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE VIP Tue: Harry’s Karaoke, DJs Kelly & Fifi, win drinks/VIP cards/bar tabs 8pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN Theatre Bar; open noon n BULLDOG Poptastic: DJ Lee 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food 12-3pm & 69pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST food 12-8pm; open 12 n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Twisted Tue; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN Nat’s Quiz 9pm; open 12 n POISON IVY Bar 150 karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS sing-along with Peter & friends 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n REVENGE Naughty Pop: DJs Trick & Alex Baker 11pm n ZONE comedy club 8.30pm; open 10am

WEDNESDAY 17 n A-BAR open mic with Mark Hodge 8.30pm; bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food Launch Night 6pm; cocktail night; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Mary Hinge & Lady Ty’s Drag Bingo 7.30pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Crush: DJ Missy B 10pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BRIGHTON SAUNA Naked Day: no towels 10-1am n BULLDOG Diva Rush; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS seniors lunch 23.30pm; food noon-3pm & 6-9pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST Cabaret Carousel: Myra Dubois 9.30pm; food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Cocktail Clinic; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Gloria Hole’s karaoke: win £100 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Pride’s Got Talent Heat: win free ticket to Pride, £100 & a guest spot on the Pride cabaret stage 9.15pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Backlash: retro night 9pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Big Cash Quiz 7.30pm; open noon n ZONE Rachel’s A Question of Music: music quiz & cash prize 8.30pm; open 10am

LEGENDS BASEMENT CLUB

n FREE ENTRY: to the Basement Club every day. n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Wed is CRUSH with DJ Missy B playing tracks to get you jumping and requests, drinks from £2, £1.50 shots. n REGULARS: FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH LADY LARUE over 2 floors with DJ Peter Castle and bottles of Becks £1.50, WKD £1.50 and Corona £2.50 all night. n Sat is FUSION with DJ Peter Castle house/chart. Sat (6) is with DJ Lee Harris. n Sun is POP!CANDY with DJ Claire Fuller recent/classic pop, drinks from £2. n OPEN: Fri–Sun 11pm & Wed 10pm. Closed Mon, Tue & Thur. Legends will host your party from £150, call Matt on 01273 624462 for more info. www.legendsbrighton.com

THURSDAY 18 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; cocktail night; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Proud to Party 6pm n BAR REVENGE Girls On Top warm-up: DJ Kelly L 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN Thur Social; open noon n BULLDOG Release: DJ Grant 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz 9pm; food noon-3pm & 6-9pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms Joan Bond, tea pot cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, tunes & win bar tabs 8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Thirsty Thur; open 3pm n ENVY Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms Joan Bond, tea pot cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, fab decor, tunes & win bar tabs 8pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN It’s Pants: free drinks every hour if your pants match the picture 8.30pm; open noon n POISON IVY cabaret 9.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Hi-De-Hi Holiday Camp Cabaret: Myra Dubois 9.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n REVENGE Girls On Top: DJs over 2 floors 10.30pm n SUBLINE Leathered 9pm n ZONE Tammy Twinkle’s Gameshow Fever; open 10am

FRIDAY 19 n A-BAR Decades Disco: DJ Mikalos 9pm; bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 510pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Rocky Horror Party: DJ Magenta 6pm n BAR REVENGE Shameless warm-up 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue: 2 floor party, DJ Peter Castle 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Krazy Kamikaze Karaoke 8.30pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant Knowles 10pm; cabaret: Miss Jason midnight; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; Friday Club 6pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Fruity Fri Fix: DJ Leeroy 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST cabaret: Davina Sparkle 9pm; food noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Funky Fri: DJ Nick Hirst 9.30pm; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Thank Funk It’s Friday: DJ Antony 10.30pm n LEGENDS BAR Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue, 2 floor party 9pm; DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Camp Attack & Flashback with karaoke 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open 11am

PICS FROM BASEMENT CLUB + MARINE TAVERN

n REVENGE Shameless: DJ Trick & Lee Harris 10.30pm n SUBLINE Big Scrum: sportskit night 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE live music: tba 9.30pm; open 10am

rotation 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food noon-10pm; cabaret dinner: Jennie Castelle 8pm; open noon n DR BRIGHTONS Sexy Sat: DJ Tony B 9.30pm; open 1pm SATURDAY 20 n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n A-BAR Pre-club music; food noon-7pm; n FUNKYFISH CLUB Old Skool Sat: DJ Sean open noon Quinn 10pm n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Waynsie-Rudeboy n LEGENDS BAR Pre-Fusion 7pm; food 6pm n BAR REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Free warm- noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon up: DJ Fifilicious 9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ n PARIS HOUSE live jazz 4pm; TC’s Joyful Noise: DJ Kenny 9pm; open noon Peter Castle 11pm n POISON IVY afternoon karaoke & Betty n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon Swollocks’ karaoke till midnight; open 11am n BULLDOG DJ V John 10pm; DJ Lil Alex n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Auntie Robbie 3am; karaoke 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food 12-7pm; open 12 4.30pm; guest host karaoke 6pm; Kamp Kevin’s n CHARLES ST The Boys In The Bar: all-male karaoke, tunes, games 9pm; open noon DJs Jonesy, Lil Alex, Grant Knowles, Leeroy on

MARINE TAVERN

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Thur IT'S PANTS, a competition to win a free drink if the brand or colour of your pants matches the picture, every hour at 8.30pm, 9.30pm and 10.30pm. n REGULARS: Tue is NAT’S QUIZ at 9pm. n DRINK DEALS: Wed & Thur 7–11pm: pints of Carlsberg & Stowford Press £3, plus buy a single spirit and get the mixer free. n OPEN: Mon–Sat noon, Sun 1pm.

GSCENE OUT & ABOUT 49

50 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM POISON IVY, QUEENS ARMS, PARIS HOUSE + REGENCY TAVERN

JULY

LISTINGS

POISON IVY

n REGULARS: KARAOKE all week with drag hosts, including: Spice, Betty Swollocks, Misty Lee & Gloria Hole. Mon is 80s night with Spice. n Tue is Bar 150 Karaoke. n Wed is Karaoke Competition with Gloria Hole, win £100! n Thur CABARET at 9.30pm. n Sun CABARET at 5.30pm. n HAPPY HOURS: 60 a week, including 11am–7pm Tue–Sat; all day Sun & Mon. n OPEN: daily from 11am. n REGENCY TAVERN food 12-6pm; open11am n REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Still Free: guest DJ DMS & & regs over 2 floors 10.30pm n SUBLINE Men’s Room: DJ Screwpulous 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE cabaret: Sally Vate 9.30pm; open 10am SUNDAY 21 n A-BAR Sunday roasts: book 01273 696691 12-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open 12 n BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke 6pm n BAR REVENGE Sunday Funday: retro games; Karaoke Queens: LouBag & Smithy 8pm; open noon n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Pop!Candy:

DJ Claire Fuller 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Sunday roasts 12.305pm; Piano Bingo 5pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant 8pm; karaoke 8pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS Sunday roast & select menu 12-till gone; Bear Bash 5pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST cabaret: Lola Lasagne 7.30pm; Tranny Rock & Roll Bingo: Sally Vate, roll over jackpot 8.30pm; Sun lunch noon-7pm n 112 CHURCH ST Sun Roast noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Hangover Therapy; open 1pm

n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR cabaret: Lucinda Lashes 3.15pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open 1pm n POISON IVY cabaret 5.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Dave Lynn 6pm; Sissy Sucs’ karaoke 7.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN Sunday roasts noon5pm; Piano Bar 1.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Spume: foam party 9pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live jazz: The Ian Price Jazz Project 3pm; open noon n ZONE live music: Back Beat 6pm; karaoke; open 10am MONDAY 22 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR REVENGE Quiz with Liz 8.30pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ Marcia’s Glitter Ball 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Medication Mon; open 3pm n ENVY Studio 150: student night 10pm

n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason Does Legends 9.30pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Spice’s 80s night; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS karaoke party; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n ZONE classic film/vids 8.30pm; open 10am TUESDAY 23 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Magic 9pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE VIP Tue: Harry’s Karaoke, DJs Kelly & Fifi, win drinks/VIP cards/bar tabs 8pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN Theatre Bar; open noon n BULLDOG Poptastic: DJ Lee 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Twisted Tue; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN Nat’s Quiz 9pm; open 12 n POISON IVY Bar 150 karaoke 7pm; open 11am

PARIS HOUSE

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Sun (14) is BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATIONS with live music and food specials all day. n REGULARS: Sat is free LIVE JAZZ at 4pm; then it's TC's Joyful Noise with DJ Kenny at 9pm, free entry. n FOOD: platter of French food to share & large carafe of wine £15. n OPEN: daily from noon. n www.parishousebrighton.com

REGENCY TAVERN

n FOOD: served Mon–Fri from noon–2.30pm and then 6–8.30pm; Sat noon–6pm; award-winning Sunday roast served noon–5pm with piano bar from 1.30pm. n OPEN: Sun–Wed from noon–11pm; Thur–Sat from noon–midnight.

PICS FROM QUEENS ARMS

GSCENE OUT & ABOUT 51

QUEENS ARMS

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Sat (13) is CABARET with Stacey Star at 4.30pm, then MIKE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY hosted by Peggy Wessex with Nikki French, Sam Solace, Marcella Woods, Rebecca Rudd & DJ Andy B at 9pm, all welcome! n REGULARS: Wed (3, 10, 17 & 24) are the PRIDE'S GOT TALENT HEATS win £100 cash prize & guest spot at Pride Cabaret Tent at 9.15pm, to enter 01273 696873 /email andyqueensarms@yahoo.co.uk . Wed (31) is the PRIDE'S GOT TALENT GRAND FINAL with guest judges Dulcie Danger & record producer Tony Power at 9pm. n Thur is HI DE HI HOLIDAY CAMP with competitions knobbly knees, sack race, drag race and CABARET at 9.30pm: Kitty Litter (4), Davina Sparkle (11), Myra Dubois (18) and Kevin Cruise (25). n Fri is CAMP ATTACK with Flashback and karaoke at 9pm. Fri (12) is a CAMP ATTACK to celebrate Kevin becoming part owner of The QA with DJ Andy B and cabaret Miss Jason at 10pm. n Sat CABARET at 4.30pm: Les & Friends (6), Auntie Robbie (20) & Broadway to Brighton with Cosmic & West End star (27); Kamp Kevin's disco, karaoke & games at 9pm; Corruption with Cosmic at 9pm (27). n Sun CABARETat 6pm: Tanya Hyde (7), Peggy Wessex (14), Dave Lynn (21) and Myra Dubois (28); Sissy Sucs' karaoke at 7.30pm. n Mon is Karaoke Party over 5,000 songs & drink promos. n Tue is SING-ALONG with Peter & Friends & complimentary snacks, bring your own backing track to perform on The QA stage. n OPEN: daily from noon. n QUEEN’S ARMS sing-along with Peter & friends 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noonn REVENGE Naughty Pop: DJs Trick & Alex Baker 11pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS The Pickin’ Circle 8pm; open noon n ZONE comedy club 8.30pm; open 10am

n ZONE Rachel’s A Question of Music: music quiz & cash prize 8.30pm; open 10am

THURSDAY 25 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; cocktail night; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Proud to Party 6pm n BAR REVENGE Girls On Top warm-up: DJ WEDNESDAY 24 Kelly L 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n A-BAR open mic with Mark Hodge 8.30pm; n BEDFORD TAVERN Thur Social; open 12 bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5n BULLDOG Release: DJ Grant 10pm; open 10pm; cocktail night; open noon 11am n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Mary Hinge & Lady n CAMELFORD ARMS £300 Big Cash Quiz Ty’s Drag Bingo 7.30pm; open 6pm 9pm; food noon-3pm & 6-9pm; open noon n BAR REVENGE pizza 5-9pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Crush: DJ Joan Bond, tea pot cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, Missy B 10pm fab decor, tunes & win bar tabs 8pm; open 12 n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food noon-late; open n BRIGHTON SAUNA underwear night 7pm noon n BULLDOG Diva Rush; open 11am n CROWN & ANCHOR food noon-10pm; n CAMELFORD ARMS seniors lunch 2open noon 3.30pm; reg food 12-3pm & 6-9pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Thirsty Thur; open 3pm n ENVY Mad Cow’s Tea Party: Ms Joan Bond, n CHARLES ST Cabaret Carousel: Trashville tea pot cocktails, ‘drink me’ shots, fab decor, Tennessee 9.30pm; food 12-8pm; open 12 tunes & win bar tabs 8pm n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n DR BRIGHTONS Cocktail Clinic; open 3pm n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n MARINE TAVERN It’s Pants: free drinks n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open every hour if your pants match the picture 11am 8.30pm; open noon n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY cabaret 9.30pm; karaoke; n POISON IVY Gloria Hole’s karaoke: win open 11am £100 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Hi-De-Hi Holiday Camp n QUEEN’S ARMS Pride’s Got Talent Heat: win free ticket to Pride, £100 & a guest spot on Cabaret: Kevin Cruise 9.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & the Pride cabaret stage 9.15pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon 6-8.30pm; open noon n REVENGE Girls On Top: DJs over 2 floors n SUBLINE Backlash: retro night 9pm 10.30pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Big Cash Quiz n SUBLINE Leathered 9pm 7.30pm; open noon n ZONE Tammy Twinkle’s Gameshow Fever; open 10am

52 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM BAR REVENGE + REVENGE

JULY

LISTINGS

BAR REVENGE

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: SUNDAY FUNDAY with retro games at the bar, and Karaoke Queens with LouBag & Smithy at 8pm. n REGULARS: Mon is QUIZ WITH LIZ with cash prizes at 8.30pm. n Tue is VIP KARAOKE with Harry & DJs Kelly & Fifi at 8pm; win drinks, VIP cards and bar tabs in the club. n Thur is the Girls on Top Official Warm-Up with DJ Kelly L at 9pm. n Fri is the Shameless Warm-Up with DJ Alpha at 9pm. n Sat is the F@#ck Me! It’s Free Warm-Up with DJ Fifilicious at 9pm. n FOOD: served Sun–Fri 5–9pm & Fri & Sat midnight–6am; pizzas, sandwiches, burgers & more; buy a pizza & 4 drinks for £9.99 Mon–Fri. n DRINK DEALS: shots £1.50 all day, all night, every day; 2-4-1 cocktails Sun–Fri 5–9pm; drinks from £1.99 & get half price wines noon till late on Wed; from £1.50 Thur after 7pm; from £2.49 Fri & Sat; Jagerbombs £1.99 on Sat. n REVENGE PASSES: Free Revenge discount passes on Thur; buy a drink and get free entry into the club on Fri before midnight & Sat before 1am. n OPEN: daily from noon–2am & till 6am on Fri & Sat. n www.revenge.co.uk

FRIDAY 26 n A-BAR Pre-club tunes; bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open 12 n BAR 7@CRAWLEY cabaret: Baga Chipz + DJ Magic 6pm n BAR REVENGE Shameless warm-up 9pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue: 2 floor party, DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant Knowles 10pm; cabaret: Dave Lynn midnight; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; Friday Club 6pm; open noon n CHARLES ST Fruity Fri Fix: DJ Leeroy 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST cabaret: Jennie Castelle 9pm; food noon-late; open noon n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Funky Fri: DJ Nick Hirst 9.30pm; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Dirty Retro 10.30pm n LEGENDS BAR Friday Night Live with Lady La Rue, 2 floor party 9pm; DJ Peter Castle in club 11pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Camp Attack & Flashback with karaoke 9pm; open noon

n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open 11am n REVENGE Shameless: DJs Trick & Lee Harris 10.30pm n SUBLINE open 5pm n ZONE live music: JP Christian 8pm; open 10am SATURDAY 27 n A-BAR Pre-club music; food noon-7pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Cozmo-Ben 6pm n BAR REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Free warmup: DJ Fifilicious 9pm; open noon-6am n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Fusion: DJ Peter Castle 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ V John 10pm; DJ Lil Alex 3am; karaoke 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food 12-7pm; open 12 n CHARLES ST The Boys In The Bar: all-male DJs Jonesy, Lil Alex, Grant Knowles, Leeroy on rotation 9pm; food noon-7.45pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; cabaret dinner: Jason Lee 8pm; open noon n DR BRIGHTONS Sexy Sat: DJ Tony B 9.30pm; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n FUNKYFISH CLUB Old Skool Sat: DJ Sean Quinn 10pm

REVENGE

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Thur (4) is the GIRLS ON TOP FRAT PARTY with pop on the main floor, house anthems on level 2; entry free/£3/£4. n REGULARS: Tue is NAUGHTY POP with DJs Trick & Alex spinning your favourite tunes from the 90s & 00s; £1.50 shots, all other drinks £2, entry £3, £2 NUS. n Thur is GIRLS ON TOP lesbian night with pop on the main floor, house on level 2; drinks from £1.50, entry £4/£3 NUS. n Fri is SHAMELESS with DJs Trick and Lee Harris playing fresh pop & guilty pleasures; entry free/£5. n Sat is F@#K ME! IT’S STILL FREE with regular DJs playing pop & house alongside Lee Harris (6), DMS (20); all drinks £2.50 b4 midnight, Jagerbombs £2.50 all night, double up for £1.50 all night, free entry b4 1am with a pass, £5 after. n DRINK DEALS: All drink specials exclude champers & doubles (excl doubling up). n FREE PASSES: Free entry passes available through the week from Bar Revenge or from www.revenge.co.uk n OPEN: 11pm on Tue; 10.30pm Thur, Fri & Sat. n LEGENDS BAR Pre-Fusion 7pm; food noon5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n PARIS HOUSE live jazz 4pm; TC’s Joyful Noise: DJ Kenny 9pm; open noon n POISON IVY afternoon karaoke & Betty Swollocks’ karaoke till midnight; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Cosmic & West End star 4.30pm; guest host karaoke 6pm; Corruption with Cosmic & karaoke/ tunes/ games 9pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food 12-6pm; open 11am n REVENGE F@#k Me! It’s Still Free: DJs over 2 floors 10.30pm n SUBLINE Men’s Room: DJ Screwpulous 9pm; open 5pm n ZONE cabaret: Tammy Twinkle 9.30pm; open 10am

SUNDAY 28 n A-BAR Sunday roasts: bookings 01273 696691 noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 510pm; open noon n BAR 7@CRAWLEY karaoke 6pm n BAR REVENGE Sunday Funday: retro games; Karaoke Queens: LouBag & Smithy 8pm; open 12 n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Pop!Candy: DJ Claire Fuller 11pm n BEDFORD TAVERN Sunday roasts 12.305pm; Piano Bingo 5pm; open noon n BULLDOG DJ Grant 8pm; karaoke 8pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS Sunday roasts & selected menu noon-till gone; open noon n CHARLES ST cabaret: Rose Garden 7.30pm; Tranny Rock & Roll Bingo: Sally Vate, roll over jackpot 8.30pm; Sun lunch noon-7pm n 112 CHURCH ST Sun Roast 12-late; open 12

GSCENE OUT & ABOUT 53

n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-8pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Hangover Therapy; open 1pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR cabaret: La Voix 3.15pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open 1pm n POISON IVY cabaret 5.30pm; karaoke; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS cabaret: Myra Dubois 6pm; Sissy Sucs’ karaoke 7.30pm; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN Sunday roasts noon5pm; Piano Bar 1.30pm; open noon n SUBLINE Come in Your Pants: DJ N.U.D.E, underwear party 9pm n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS live jazz: The Ian Price Jazz Project 3pm; open noon n ZONE live music: JJ & Co 6pm; karaoke; open 10am MONDAY 29 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5-10pm; open noon n BAR REVENGE Quiz with Liz 8.30pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon

54 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM SUBLINE, THE THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS + THE ZONE

JULY

LISTINGS

SUBLINE

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Sun (21) is SPUME Foam Party, £5 members, £7 guests. n REGULARS: Fri (5) is DRY CLEAN ONLY suited & booted party; (12) is SKINS & SCALLIES at 9pm, dresscode applies, £6 entry; (19) is THE BIG SCRUM sportkit night at 10pm, £4 in kit/£6 otherwise. n Sat is THE MEN'S ROOM with DJ Screwpulous, members get cheap drinks and free entry till 11pm. n Sun is COME IN YOUR PANTS underwear party with DJ N.U.D.E. n Wed is BACKLASH retro tunes and prices, including selected drinks £3 all night for members. n Thur is LEATHERED with free lockers. n OPEN: Fri & Sat from 5pm–4am, Sun from 8pm–2am, Wed & Thur from 9pm–1.30am. Closed Mon & Tue. n www.sublinebrighton.com n BAR 7@CRAWLEY DJ Magic 9pm; open 6pm n BAR REVENGE VIP Tue: Harry’s Karaoke, DJs Kelly & Fifi, win drinks/VIP cards/bar tabs 8pm; pizza 5-9pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN Theatre Bar; open noon n BULLDOG Reggae: DJ Micklos 9pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Twisted Tue; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR food 12-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN Nat’s Quiz 9pm; open 12 n POISON IVY Bar 150 karaoke 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS sing-along with Peter & friends 9pm; open noon TUESDAY 30 n A-BAR bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon food 5-10pm; open noon n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon n BULLDOG DJ Marcia’s Glitter Ball 10pm; open 11am n CAMELFORD ARMS food noon-3pm & 69pm; open noon n CHARLES ST food noon-8pm; open noon n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Medication Mon; open 3pm n ENVY Studio 150: student night 10pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon n LEGENDS BAR Miss Jason Does Legends 9.30pm; food noon-5.30pm; open 11am n MARINE TAVERN open noon n POISON IVY Spice’s 80s night; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS karaoke party; open noon n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & 6-8.30pm; open noon n ZONE classic film/vids 8.30pm; open 10am

n REVENGE Naughty Pop: DJs Trick & Alex Baker 11pm n ZONE comedy club 8.30pm; open 10am

n 112 CHURCH ST food 12-late; open 12 n CROWN & ANCHOR food 12-10pm; open 12 n DR BRIGHTONS Cocktail Clinic; open 3pm n FUNKYFISH BAR open noon WEDNESDAY 31 n LEGENDS BAR food noon-5.30pm; open n A-BAR open mic with Mark Hodge 8.30pm; 11am bar food noon-5pm; Mooi Caribbean food 5n MARINE TAVERN open noon 10pm; cocktail night; open noon n POISON IVY Gloria Hole’s karaoke: win £100 n BAR 7@CRAWLEY Mary Hinge & Lady Ty’s 7pm; open 11am n QUEEN’S ARMS Pride’s Got Talent Final: Drag Bingo 7.30pm; open 6pm guest judges Dulcie Danger & Tony Power + n BAR REVENGE pizza 5-9pm; open noon prizes: free ticket to Pride, £100 & a guest spot n BASEMENT CLUB@LEGENDS Crush: DJ on the Pride cabaret stage 9pm; open noon Missy B 10pm n REGENCY TAVERN food noon-2.30pm & n BEDFORD TAVERN open noon 6-8.30pm; open noon n BRIGHTON SAUNA Naked Day: no towels 10-1am n SUBLINE Backlash: retro night 9pm n BULLDOG Diva Rush; open 11am n THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS Big Cash Quiz n CAMELFORD ARMS seniors lunch 27.30pm; open noon 3.30pm; food 12-3pm & 6-9pm; open 12 n ZONE Rachel’s A Question of Music: music n CHARLES ST Cabaret Carousel: Myra Dubois quiz & cash prize 8.30pm; open 10am 9.30pm; food noon-8pm; open noon

ZONE

THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Wed (10) is COMEDY night at 8pm, free entry. n REGULARS: Wed (3, 17 & 24) is BIG CASH QUIZ at 7.30pm. n Sun is LIVE JAZZ with The Ian Price Jazz Project at 3pm, free entry. n Tue (9 & 23) is live bluegrass and old-time country with The Pickin' Circle at 8pm, free entry. n FOOD: served noon–3pm & 6–9pm; two burger meals £15. n OPEN: noon every day. Private function room available for parties 01273 608571. n www.3jollybutchers.com

n ONE FOR THE DAIRY: Fri is LIVE MUSIC at 9.30pm: Stone & Street (5), Eva La Diva (12), tba (19); JP Christian (26) is at 8pm. n REGULARS: Sat CABARET at 9.30pm: Sally Vate (6 & 20), Tammy Twinkle (13 & 27). n Sun is LIVE MUSIC at 6pm: Jennie Castelle (7), Collusion (14), Back Beat (21), JJ & Co (28); KARAOKE is then immediately after. n Mon is classic film and video night at 8.30pm. n Tue is COMEDY night with a line-up of 7 comedians at 8.30pm. n Wed is Rachel's A Question of MUSIC QUIZ with prize money at 8.30pm. n Thur is Tammy Twinkle’s GAMESHOW FEVER. n DRINK DEALS: Happy hours all night Mon & Wed. n OPEN: daily from 10am.

58 GSCENE

DANCE

MUSIC

BY QUEEN JOSEPHINE & KATE WILDBLOOD

REVIEWS Well we would say something about the sun is shining and the weather is sweet but having gatecrashed the Met Office forecasts department we’re just gonna have to button up and heat up the summer with some right decent music instead. n First up is the

glorious Southport Weekender Volume 10: mixed by Miguel Migs & Atjazz on Miroma Music. If you like it deep, jazz or boogie fuelled this will do the business for ya. n As will the brilliance of Nathan Adams’ Audio Therapy on Tribe Records UK. With the legendary Louie Vega, Josh Milan, DJ Spinna and Sean McCabe gracing the producer credits, this venture in house is seriously sound. n For those of us needing a little Balearic sunshine it has to be Gecko Beach Club Formentera: Volume Two compiled and mixed

by Chris Coco and Pete Gooding for Seamless Recordings. A confirmation of the wonder of island life, it brings much needed

heat to Blighty and adds a sparkle to your day, regardless of the view outside your window. n Must-haves of the month: first Cocoon Compilation on Cocoon Recordings, which delivers the kind of techno that has its head in Frankfurt and its heart in Ibiza.

Lovely. n Second is Welcome To Ibiza (First Day Of Summer Sampler) on Jaywalker Recordings. If you ever needed a reason to hit the terrace this is it. n Finally this

month’s ‘blow me that’s mighty fine’ award goes to Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Get Lost VI on Crosstown Rebels. As Hot Chip would say we’ve been listening to this over and over and over as its mix of rarities, stunners and exclusives from Jamie Jones, Subban, Eats Everything and Seth Troxler look set to keep us hooked all summer long. Happiness is a compilation from Crosstown. Enjoy.

Catch Wildblood and Queenie (yep Kate has finally left the library!) at DSD, Sunday Sundae, the Wild Fruit Dance Tent and on Sauce FM. www.perfectdistractions.com

JULY JOLLY LOVELY ONES n DEMARZO Connect Yourself Hot Creations A deep house stunner that will soundtrack your summer just right. n JAMES DEXTER True Lost My Dog A perfect bassline and sample that harks back to the future. n CLIMBERS Criminal Love (Prince Club & Huerta Breakfast mix) Culprit The melody, the voice, the groove. Each perfection. Each adored. n HALL & OATES I Can't Go For That (CellarDoor Bootleg) White One to get you in the Sunday Sundae mood. n LONELY BOY When I Think About (GIOM remix) Winding Road When other DJs ask you “what’s that tune?” you know it’s a winner. n GREG PIDCOCK Blame Game (Hobo Shamed Mix) Hot Creations A moody disco wonder that demands your attention this summer. n RUSS YALLOP ft AIMEE SOPHIA The Journey Crosstown Rebels Yallop + Huxley + Crosstown = whallop! n PACO WEGMANN House 99 (Original Mix) Catwash Records Full-on proper house that gets you in the short and girlies. n SHARON REDD Can U (LNTG Rework) White If you can’t handle this we suggest you check for a pulse. n ZONA ft VALERIE MOISE I Am Beautiful Good For You Records Queenie must play that’s as saucy as a DSD sandwich!

DJ PROFILE Now that summer’s finally arrived it’s time to party. And who could be better to get you in the mood than Mister Shakedown himself? Look lively people… it’s only flipping Jonesy!

Where can we catch you DJing?

I play some Saturdays at Charles Street, do guest slots at Revenge upstairs in the Box Bar, and you can catch me on Sauce FM. Describe your DJing style?

I guess as festival/mash-up house music. I love finding a massive sounding house track with an old school sample that people haven’t heard in yonks. For me, I want to see people going mad with their hands in the air – huge drops, big beats. I’m basically a terrible warm-up DJ! Favourite song of all time?

Such a tricky one. As a youngster I loved stuff like Linkin Park and even Meat Loaf! In terms of dance music, I have to go back to the tunes that made me want to be a DJ and start a music festival - Darude Sandstorm and David Guetta When Love Takes Over is also a special tune for me.

Tune that always fills/rescues your dancefloor?

I’ve got a couple of awesome mash-ups and remixes of two 90s classics: Show Me Love and You’ve Got The Love. They always get the gays going!

Ultimate dream gig?

Definitely Tomorrowland for me. I’m going this year for the first time but whenever I watch videos – the atmosphere, the crowd, the staging - it makes me want to weep with joy. It just looks utterly magical.

Tune you wish you’d never played?

Back in my early DJing days I did a wedding reception for some extra cash. I’ll never forget the soul-destroying feeling that swept through me as I pressed play and the opening chords of Come On Eileen kicked in. The over 40s loved it though!

Your guilty pleasure?

One Direction. When I’ve had a few jagers and 1D come on, I just can’t help but go a little mad. For those brief minutes I convince myself I’m 18 again… deluded! I might have even bought tickets to see them at Wembley. Cringe!

Best ever gig so far?

Either the Wild Fruit Tent at Brighton Pride one year to 5,000 people or playing at the first Student Pride at Digital to an absolutely rammed club who were so up for it.

Tell us a secret...

I was so nervous DJing in the Big Top at Brighton Pride that I accidentally played the same song twice (within 10 minutes of each other). Never have I so frantically mixed out of a tune so quickly!

CURRENT TOP 5

n KNIFE PARTY EDM Death Machine Earstorm/Big Beat n STYLE OF EYE & TOM STAAR After Dark (Nom de Strip remix) Wall n SEBASTIAN INGROSSO & TOMMY TRASH ft John Martin Reload Refune n CHRIS MALINCHAK So Good To Me (Steve Smart/Westfunk remix) MOS n ULTRABEAT Pretty Green Eyes 2013 All Around The World

To check out all things Jonesy, view: www.officialjonesy.co.uk

GSCENE OUT & ABOUT 59

SOLENT & BOURNEMOUTH BOURNEMOUTH

n BAKERS ARMS 77-79 Commercial Rd, BH2 5RT, Tel: 01202 555506 n BAR VENTANA at CUMBERLAND HOTEL East Overcliff Dr, BH1 3AF, Tel: 01202 556529 www.cumberlandbournemouth.co.uk n BRANKSOME ARMS 152-154 Commercial Rd, BH2 5LU, Tel: 01202 292254 n CUMBERLAND HOTEL East Overcliff Drive, BH1 3AF, Tel: 01202 290722 www.cumberlandbournemouth.co.uk n DYMK 31 Poole Hill, BH2 5PW, www.dymk-bar.com n SAUNABAR 140 Commercial Rd, BH2 5LU, Tel: 01202 552654 www.gaysaunabournemouth.co.uk n 2930 THE TRIANGLE CLUB 29-30 The Triangle, BH2 5SE, Tel: 0845 496 2934 www.2930thetriangle.com n EASY TIGER 27 The Triangle, BH2 5SE; open: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6.30pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Tel: 01202 554195 www.easytigerstore.com n XCHANGE 4 The Triangle, BH2 5RY, Tel: 01202 294321

PORTSMOUTH

n HAMPSHIRE BOULEVARD 1 Hampshire Terr, Southsea, Tel: 02392 297509 Open: Sun 9pm-2am, Mon 9pm-2:30am, Tue closed, Wed & Thur 7pm-2am, Fri & Sat 7pm3am, cabaret bar and club MONDAY 1 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 2am n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; open noon SOUTHAMPTON n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm TUESDAY 2 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n OLD VIC Quiz 8pm; food noon-5pm SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Bomb It!: video jukebox 11pm n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm

n OLD VIC 104 St Paul’s Rd, Southsea Tel: 02392 297013 www.oldvicportsmouth.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri: 11am till late, Sat: 5pm-late, Sun: noon-12,30am. Regular cabaret, food. n TROPICS SAUNA 2 Market Way Tel: 02380 296100 www.tropics-sauna.com Open: 7 days a week, 11am-10pm

SOUTHAMPTON

n ISOBAR 100c St Mary’s Street Tel: 02380 222028 Open: Mon 5–11pm, Tue 3pm-11pm, Wed-Sat 3pm-midnight, Sun 4pm-midnight.

Modern bar, decked garden, popular with younger crowd. n LONDON HOTEL 2 Terminus Terrace Tel: 02380 710652 www.the-london.co.uk Open: Mon-Wed noon-11pm, Thur noon12.30am, Fri & Sat noon-1.30am, Sun noon11.30pm. Friendly cabaret venue, serves food. n EDGE Compton Walk Tel: 02380 366163 www.theedgesouthampton.com Open: Tue, Thur & Sun 11pm-3am; Wed, Fri & Sat 10pm-5am. Stylish club on 2 floors with 3 bars. n PINK BROADWAY SAUNA 797/80 East St Tel: 02380 238804 www.pink-broadway.com Open: Sun-Thur noon-10pm, Fri & Sat noonmidnight

FRIDAY 5 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; party till 2am SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Get Some: DJs Lady Bex, Lohands, Rob Davies + giveaways 10pm n LONDON HOTEL Fairylea: DJ Ruby Roo & Sandra 8.30pm; food noon-3pm

SATURDAY 6 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; DJs all night WEDNESDAY 3 SOUTHAMPTON BOURNEMOUTH n EDGE The Big One: DJs, 2 dancefloors, 3 n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am bars 10pm n DYMK open 2pm n LONDON HOTEL DJ Neil Sackley’s Guilty PORTSMOUTH Pleasures 10pm; food noon-3pm; open noon n HAMPSHIRE BLVD open till 2am n OLD VIC NUS night 7pm; food noon-5pm SUNDAY 7 SOUTHAMPTON BOURNEMOUTH n EDGE Bar 150: DJ Lady Bex, Liam Searle, n CUMBERLAND HOTEL Sun lunch 12.30Cheeky Pete’s karaoke & WKD giveaways 10pm 2.30pm & 7-9pm; open 9am n LONDON HOTEL Quiz 8.30pm; food noon- n DYMK open 2pm 3pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am THURSDAY 4 n OLD VIC Sun lunch 1-5pm; open noon BOURNEMOUTH SOUTHAMPTON n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n EDGE Fundays: DJ Liam Searle 11pm n DYMK open 2pm n LONDON HOTEL Dolly Partem’s Sunday Service 8.30pm; Tiara Thunderpussy 9.30pm; PORTSMOUTH Sun lunch noon-3.30pm; open noon n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am n OLD VIC karaoke 8pm; food noon-5pm MONDAY 8 SOUTHAMPTON BOURNEMOUTH n EDGE Pop Party: DJ Neil Sackley 11pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n LONDON HOTEL Karaoke Cruising: Pat n DYMK open 2pm Cruise 8.30pm; food noon-3pm; open noon PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 2am

60 GSCENE OUT & ABOUT

PICS FROM THE EDGE + THE LONDON HOTEL, SOUTHAMPTON

MITZI MACINTOSH (SUN 21)

DOLLY PARTEM SUNDAY SERVICE

SOLENT & BOURNEMOUTH

LONDON HOTEL SOUTHAMPTON

EDGE SOUTHAMPTON

n ONE FOR THE DIARY: BEACH PARTY weekend: Fri (26) & Sat (27) sees the return of the huge outdoor swimming pool; beach wear encouraged and the best tunes played by guest & regular DJs, entry free–£6. n REGULARS: Sun is FUNDAYS with DJ Liam Searle, drinks from £1.25, entry free b4 11.30pm, £2 after. n Tue is BOMB IT with 3-4-2 Jagerbombs, free video jukebox & entry. n Wed is BAR 150 with DJ Lady Bex, Liam Searle, Cheeky Pete’s Karaoke & win a case of WKD at 10.30pm; entry free b4 10.30pm, £3-£6 after. Wed (10) is the BAR 150 PYJAMA PARTY. n Thur is the POP PARTY with DJ Neil Sackley playing pop tunes, plus mega-sharing cocktails, pop videos, free sweets, entry £1. n Fri is GET SOME with DJs Lohands, Lady Bex, Rob Davies, huge give-aways, entry free–£6. n Sat is THE BIG ONE with resident DJs, guest Lee Harris (20), 3 bars with drink deals & 2 dancefloors, entry free–£6. n OPEN: Tue, Thur & Sun 10pm–3am; Wed, Fri & Sat 10pm–5am. Closed Mon. n www.theedgesouthampton.com

n ONE FOR THE DIARY: Dolly Partem’s SUNDAY SERVICE at 8.30pm, CABARET follows at 9.30pm: Miss Tiara Thunderpussy (7), Cassidy Connors (14), Mitzi Macintosh (21) and Miss Penny (28). n REGULARS: Wed (3) is monthly QUIZ NIGHT at 8.30pm with cash prizes; £1 per person to enter, winner takes all! n Thur is Pat Cruise’s KARAOKE CRUISING at 8.30pm. n Fri is FAIRYLEA with DJ Ruby Roo at 8.30pm and CABARET at 10pm: Sandra (5), La Voix (12), Tammy Twinkle (19) and Sam Solace (26). n Sat is GUILTY PLEASURES with DJs & CABARET at 8.30pm: Neil Sackley (6), Tiny (13), Pat Cruise (20) and Dazza with cabaret from James Bedford (27). n FOOD: traditional pub food served Mon–Sat noon–3pm; Sunday lunch served noon–3.30pm, 2 courses £8.50. n OPEN: daily from noon. Chill out in one of the lounge areas. www.the-london.co.uk

n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am n OLD VIC Sun lunch 1-5pm; open noon SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Fundays: DJ Liam Searle 11pm n LONDON HOTEL Dolly Partem’s Sunday Service 8.30pm; Cassidy Connors 9.30pm; Sun lunch noon-3.30pm; open noon

SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Pop Party: DJ Neil Sackley 11pm n LONDON HOTEL Karaoke Cruising: Pat Cruise 8.30pm; food noon-3pm; open noon

FRIDAY 19 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH MONDAY 15 n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am BOURNEMOUTH n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; party till 2am n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am SOUTHAMPTON n DYMK open 2pm n EDGE Get Some: DJs Lady Bex, Lohands, Rob PORTSMOUTH Davies + giveaways 10pm SOUTHAMPTON n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; open noon n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 2am n LONDON HOTEL Fairylea: DJ Ruby Roo & n EDGE Pop Party: DJ Neil Sackley 11pm SOUTHAMPTON n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; open noon Tammy Twinkle 10pm; food noon-3pm n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm n LONDON HOTEL Karaoke Cruising: Pat SOUTHAMPTON Cruise 8.30pm; food noon-3pm; open noon n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm SATURDAY 20 TUESDAY 9 BOURNEMOUTH FRIDAY 12 BOURNEMOUTH TUESDAY 16 n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am BOURNEMOUTH BOURNEMOUTH n DYMK open 2pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am PORTSMOUTH n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n DYMK open 2pm n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am n OLD VIC Quiz 8pm; food noon-5pm PORTSMOUTH PORTSMOUTH n OLD VIC food noon-5pm SOUTHAMPTON n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am n OLD VIC Quiz 8pm; food noon-5pm SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Bomb It!: video jukebox 11pm n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; party till 2am SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE The Big One: DJ Lee Harris & regs, 2 n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Bomb It!: video jukebox 11pm dancefloors, 3 bars 10pm n EDGE Get Some: DJs Lady Bex, Lohands, n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm n LONDON HOTEL DJ Pat Cruise’s Guilty WEDNESDAY 10 Rob Davies + giveaways 10pm Pleasures 10pm; food noon-3pm BOURNEMOUTH n LONDON HOTEL Fairylea: DJ Ruby Roo & WEDNESDAY 17 n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am La Voix 10pm; food noon-3pm BOURNEMOUTH SUNDAY 21 n DYMK open 2pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am BOURNEMOUTH PORTSMOUTH SATURDAY 13 n DYMK open 2pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL Sun lunch 12.30n HAMPSHIRE BLVD open till 2am BOURNEMOUTH PORTSMOUTH 2.30pm & 7-9pm; open 9am n OLD VIC NUS night 7pm; food noon-5pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm n HAMPSHIRE BLVD open till 2am SOUTHAMPTON n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n OLD VIC NUS night 7pm; food noon-5pm n EDGE Bar 150 Pyjama Party: DJ Lady Bex, PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am SOUTHAMPTON Liam Searle, Cheeky Pete’s karaoke & WKD n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am n OLD VIC Sun lunch 1-5pm; open noon n EDGE Bar 150: DJ Lady Bex, Liam Searle, giveaways 10pm n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; DJs all night Cheeky Pete’s karaoke & WKD giveaways 10pm SOUTHAMPTON n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Fundays: DJ Liam Searle 11pm n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm n EDGE The Big One: DJs, 2 dancefloors, 3 n LONDON HOTEL Dolly Partem’s Sunday THURSDAY 11 bars 10pm Service 8.30pm; Mitzi Macintosh 9.30pm; Sun THURSDAY 18 BOURNEMOUTH n LONDON HOTEL DJ Tiny’s Guilty Pleasures lunch noon-3.30pm; open noon BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am 10pm; food noon-3pm; open noon n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm MONDAY 22 n DYMK open 2pm SUNDAY 14 PORTSMOUTH BOURNEMOUTH PORTSMOUTH BOURNEMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am n OLD VIC karaoke 8pm; food noon-5pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL Sun lunch 12.30n OLD VIC karaoke 8pm; food noon-5pm 2.30pm & 7-9pm; open 9am

GSCENE OUT & ABOUT 61

SOLENT & BOURNEMOUTH PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; party till 2am SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Get Some Beach Party: DJs Lady Bex, Lohands, Rob Davies + outdoor swimming pool & giveaways 10pm n LONDON HOTEL Fairylea: DJ Ruby Roo & Sam Solace 8.30pm; food noon-3pm SATURDAY 27 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n OLD VIC NUS night 7pm; food noon-5pm n DYMK open 2pm n DYMK open 2pm SOUTHAMPTON PORTSMOUTH PORTSMOUTH n EDGE Bar 150: DJ Lady Bex, Liam Searle, n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 2am n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 3am Cheeky Pete’s karaoke & WKD giveaways 10pm n OLD VIC food noon-5pm n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; open noon n LONDON HOTEL food noon-3pm; open SOUTHAMPTON SOUTHAMPTON n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm noon n EDGE The Big One Beach Party: DJs, 2 dancefloors, 3 bars, outdoor swimming pool THURSDAY 25 TUESDAY 23 10pm BOURNEMOUTH BOURNEMOUTH n LONDON HOTEL DJ Dazza’s Guilty Pleasures n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am 10pm; cabaret: James Bedford; food noon-3pm n DYMK open 2pm n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH PORTSMOUTH SUNDAY 28 n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am n OLD VIC Quiz 8pm; food noon-5pm BOURNEMOUTH n OLD VIC karaoke 8pm; food noon-5pm SOUTHAMPTON n CUMBERLAND HOTEL Sun lunch 12.30SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Bomb It!: video jukebox 11pm 2.30pm & 7-9pm; open 9am n EDGE Pop Party: DJ Neil Sackley 11pm n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm n DYMK open 2pm n LONDON HOTEL Karaoke Cruising: Pat PORTSMOUTH Cruise 8.30pm; food noon-3pm; open noon WEDNESDAY 24 n HAMPSHIRE BLVD karaoke till 2am BOURNEMOUTH n OLD VIC Sun lunch 1-5pm; open noon n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am FRIDAY 26 SOUTHAMPTON BOURNEMOUTH n DYMK open 2pm n EDGE Fundays: DJ Liam Searle 11pm n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am PORTSMOUTH n LONDON HOTEL Dolly Partem’s Sunday n DYMK open 2pm n HAMPSHIRE BLVD open till 2am

Service 8.30pm; Miss Penny 9.30pm; Sun lunch noon-3.30pm; open noon MONDAY 29 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD DJ till 2am n OLD VIC food noon-5pm; open noon SOUTHAMPTON n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm TUESDAY 30 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n OLD VIC Quiz 8pm; food noon-5pm SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Bomb It!: video jukebox 11pm n LONDON HOTEL chillout; food noon-3pm WEDNESDAY 31 BOURNEMOUTH n CUMBERLAND HOTEL food/drink; open 9am n DYMK open 2pm PORTSMOUTH n HAMPSHIRE BLVD open till 2am n OLD VIC NUS night 7pm; food noon-5pm SOUTHAMPTON n EDGE Bar 150: DJ Lady Bex, Liam Searle, Cheeky Pete’s karaoke & WKD giveaways 10pm n LONDON HOTEL food noon-3pm; open noon

62 GSCENE

SERVICES

DIRECTORY LGBT SERVICES t ACCESS 4 ALL

LGBT disabled people’s forum. Safe, welcoming, support, activities, awareness.

Tel: 07981 170071 or access4all@fsmail.net

t ANYTHING BUT…

Youth social support group for LGB or unsure under 26, every other Wed. Tel: 01424 724150 or 01424 447033

t ALLSORTS YOUTH PROJECT

Drop in for LGBT or unsure young people under 26, Tues 5.30-8.30pm. Tel: 01273 721211 or info@allsortsyouth.org.uk, www.allsortsyouth.org.uk

t BRIGHTON & HOVE POLICE

Report all homophobic and transphobic incidents to: • The Sussex Police 101 (for emergencies 999) email: LGBT@sussex.pnn.police.uk tweet: @policeLGBT • LGBT Officer PC Rich Bridger on 101 ext 50727 • LGBT caseworker Rory Smith on 101 ext 50727 • Facebook Brighton LGBT Police

t BRIGHTON & HOVE LGBT SAFETY FORUM Independent LGBT forum working with the Community to address and improve safety issues throughout Brighton & Hove. info@lgbt-safety-forum-brighton.com www.lgbt-safety-forum-brighton.com

t BRIGHTON & HOVE LGBT SWITCHBOARD Tel Helpline, Hate Crime reporting, Counselling service, Proud2connect (relationship counselling in partnership with Brighton Relate). www.switchboard.org.uk/brighton • Helpline from 5pm daily: Tel: 01273 204050 • Services info 01273 234009 • email brighton.manager@switchboard.org.uk • or brighton.admin@switchboard.org.uk

t BRIGHTON OURSTORY PROJECT

Oral history projects including shows, exhibitions, books, support to researchers Tel: 01273 207757 or 01273 328592 or www.brightonourstory.co.uk

t BRIGHTON WOMEN’S CENTRE

Info, counselling, drop-in space, support groups.

Tel: 01273 698036 or www.womenscentre.org.uk

t FTM BRIGHTON

Social/support group for all female-to-male trans people.

Every 3rd Sat of the month, 6-8pm, THT Office, 61 Ship St, Brighton, BN1 1AE. For info visit: www.ftmbrighton.org.uk or contact info@ftmbrighton.org.uk

t GEMS (GAY ELDERLY MEN’S SOCIETY)

Twice monthly meeting for over 50s Tel: 01273 884285 or peterotto337@btinternet.com www.gems-bh.org.uk

t LESBIAN LINK BRIGHTON

Local social group offers friendship, social events, meets 1st Thursday at The Regency Tavern 7.30pm Tel: 07594 578035 (eve) www.lesbianlinkbrighton.co.uk

t LESBIAN & GAY AA

12 step self-help programme for alcohol addictions. Sun 7.30pm, Chapel Royal, North St, Btn (side entrance).

Tel: 01273 203343 (general AA line)

t LGBT NA GROUP

Brighton based LGBT (welcomes others) Narcotics Anonymous group every Tue 6.30–8pm, Millwood Centre, Nelson Row, Kingswood St. Tel: NA Helpline 604604

t LGBT MEDITATION GROUP

Meditation & discussion, every 2nd & 4th Thur, 5.30–7pm, Anahata Clinic, 119 Edward St, Tel: 07789 861367 www.bodhitreebrighton.org.uk

t LUNCH POSITIVE Lunch club for people with HIV to meet, make friends, find peer support in safe environment. Every Fri, noon–2.30pm, Community Room, Dorset Gdns Methodist Church, Dorset Gardens, Brighton. Lunch £1.50.

Tel: 07846 464384 or www.lunchpositive.org

t MINDOUT

Independent, impartial info, guidance for LGBT people with mental health problems. 24 hr confidential answerphone: Tel: o1273 234839 or info@mindout.org.uk www.mindout.org.uk

t RAINBOW FAMILIES

Support group for lesbian and/or gay parents Tel: 07951 082013 or info@rainbowfamilies.org.uk www.rainbowfamilies.org.uk

t VICTIM SUPPORT

Practical, emotional support for victims of crime.

Tel: Brighton 01273 234009 or Hove 01273 439942

HIV PREVENTION TREATMENT & CARE SERVICES t AVERT

Sussex HIV & AIDS info service, available by phone Tel: 01403 210202 or email confidential@avert.org

t BRIGHTON & HOVE CAB HIV PROJECT

Money, benefits, employment, housing, info, advocacy.

Appointments: Tue-Thur 9am-4pm, Wed 9am-12.30pm Brighton & Hove Citizens Advice Bureau, 1 Tisbury Rd, Hove, Tel: 0845 1203710 www.brightonhovecab.org.uk

t CLAUDE NICOL CENTRE/ WILDE CLINIC

Free confidential testing & treatment for STIs including HIV. Hep A & B vaccinations. Out Patients Dept of Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Rd. Tel: 01273 664721 www.brightonsexualhealth.com

t LAWSON UNIT

Medical advice, treatment for HIV+, specialist clinics, diet & welfare advice, drug trials. Tel: 01273 664722

t SUBSTANCE MISUSE SERVICE

CRI / Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust. Open access drop in, assessment, support, advice, info on drug & alcohol issues Tel 01273 607575. LGB&T worker provides confidential, non judgemental outreach service. Support for people over 18 wishing to address substance misuse Tel 07717 774 658

t SUSSEX BEACON

24 hour nursing & medical care, day care.

Tel: 01273 694222 or www.sussexbeacon.org.uk

t TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST SERVICES

• Venue Outreach: info on HIV, sexual health, personal safety, safer drug/alcohol use, free condoms/lubricant for men who have sex with men.

• The Bushes Outreach Service @ Dukes Mound: advice, support, info on HIV, sexual health, personal safety. Free condoms, lube, tea/coffee from Outreach van parked next to ‘The Patio’ at the Bushes.

• Netreach (online Outreach in Brighton & Hove): info/advice on HIV/sexual health/local services.

THT Brighton Outreach workers online @ Gaydar: Thur 7–10pm, Sat 1–4pm, chatroom HEALTH INFO THT • Condom Male: discreet, confidential service posts free condoms/lube/sexual health info to men who have sex with men without access to commercial gay scene in East & West Sussex.

• Positive Voices: volunteers who go to organisations to talk about personal experiences of living with HIV. • Fastest (HIV Testing): walk-in, (no appointment) rapid HIV testing service for men who have sex with men. Pre & post test discussion with clinical staff. Results in an hour.

10 men max tested per session. Mon: 6.30–8.30pm (waiting room open: 6pm)

• Face2Face: confidential info & advice on sexual health & HIV for men who have sex with men. Face-2-face or phone. Up to 3 one hour appointments.

• Specialist Training: wide range of courses for groups/ individuals. Specific courses to suit needs.

• Counselling: from qualified counsellors for up to 12 sessions for people living with/affected by HIV • HIV Health Trainer: Face-2-face/phone/email support to help understand diagnosis & meds, manage side effects, sex & relationships, talk to doctor, diet & nutrition.

• Informed Passions: Expert Volunteers project to identify & support sexual health needs of local men who have sex with men and carry out wide-ranging field research in B&H on issues affecting men’s sexual health. Extensive training provided.

• Lounge (Group for Gay Men Living with HIV): fortnightly peer support group for gay men diagnosed with HIV for at least 1 year, on HIV medication or not.

• What Next? Thurs eve, 6 week peer support group work programme for newly diagnosed HIV+ gay men.

• Co Infection group: 6 week peer support group work programme for gay men with HIV & HEP C. • Telling it Straight: monthly Tues eve support group for straight HIV+ men/women. Guest speakers.

• HIV Support Services: info, support & practical advice for people living with/affected by HIV. • Volunteer Support Services: 1-2-1 community support for people living with or affected by HIV. • HIV Welfare Rights Advice: help & advice line Wed: 10am–1pm 01273 764205. 1-2-1/group support to claim DLA. Guidance on return to work & in-work benefits For more info about these FREE services go to the THT office, 61 Ship St, Btn, Mon–Fri, 9.30am–5.30pm Tel: 01273 764200 or info.brighton@tht.org.uk

t TERRENCE HIGGINS EASTBOURNE

Covering East Sussex, Services: Health Promotion Outreach, free condoms, lube, sexual health info & advice; HIV Health Coach, short term support for people living with HIV; counselling; Positive Grants; Face-2-Face 1-2-1 support & advice on sexual health, HIV; Condom Male: free condoms by post; Fastest: 1 hour HIV tests; Positively Social: group for people living with HIV; Volunteering.

Dyke House, 110 South St, Eastbourne, BN21 4LZ, Tel: 01323 649927 or info.eastbourne@tht.org.uk

t WARREN BROWNE UNIT

Free confidential tests & treatment for STIs inc HIV. Hep A & B vaccinations. Shoreham based. Tel: 01273 461453

t WILDE CLINIC

Gay men’s sexual health clinic. Wed 5-6.30pm. Opposite Royal Sussex County Hospital entrance Abbey Rd. Tel: 01273 664721

NATIONAL HELPLINES t BROKEN RAINBOW

LGBT Domestic Violence Helpline, Mon 2-8pm, Wed 101pm, Thur 2-8pm Tel: 08452 604460

t LONDON LESBIAN & GAY SWITCHBOARD Tel: 02078 377324

t POSITIVELINE (EDDIE SURMAN TRUST) Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat & Sun 4-10pm Tel: 0800 1696806

t MAINLINERS Tel: 02075 825226

t NATIONAL AIDS HELPLINE 08005 67123

t NATIONAL DRUGS HELPLINE 08007 76600 t THT AIDS TREATMENT PHONELINE Tel: 08459 470047

t THT DIRECT Tel: 0845 1221200

GSCENE 63

JUL 2013

CLASSIFIEDS

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