First steps on the gay scene
1992
Paul found a copy of Gay Times, which listed the Jester and Peacock (looked for but couldn’t find it) so he went to The Jester first. “When you go down the stairs everyone can see you going in, it’s very daunting, with fear, trepidation and excitement. I stayed about an hour.” He made a few friends and started going out on scene, e.g. Route 66. “Licencing laws then more restrictive so bars closed at 10.30/11 p.m. The gay crowd moved en masse to Nightingale then on Thorp Street on a Tuesday for the stripper, or Thursday to Subway City. With new laws, there is no longer any need to move on, there’s now more variety to choose from but lost that sense of moving on as a crowd.”
Contributed by: Paul, 45