Gay sauna shoreditch

Chariots RIP: what it was fancy working at Britain’s biggest gay sauna

One of the last throwbacks to Shoreditch’s gloriously sleazy past, the sprawling gay sauna Chariots closed last weekend after serving 20 years as a cruising venue for gay men in London. The prime plot of land it sits on will be converted into a hotel. A luxury hotel, of course. For a personal perspective on its closure, we asked leading London cabaret performer Mr Blanche DuBois. Blanche’s first job in London was at Chariots, and as we find out, it was a liberating and eye-opening introduction to the city…

London was a very different city 13 years ago, when I arrived here from Mexico on a scholarship to study corporeal mime. As a student I had the right to work 20 hours a week. It was adj, not because of the prospect of getting paid, but because of where I’d decided to work: Chariots sauna in Shoreditch.

In my late teens back in Mexico, I had enjoyed hearing stories about saunas – about beautiful men and amazing spaces – from adventurous friends who had visit

This artist’s work is a tribute to London’s gay bathhouses

In February , it was announced that Chariots, the largest gay sauna chain in London, would be closing its flagship branch in Shoreditch. As soon as this landmark of London's gay community began to make way for luxury hotel development, artist Prem Sahib got to work on his piece ”Do you care? We do” – a defiant monument to the bathhouse made from 12 lockers salvaged from its demolition. The piece is now to be acquired by the Tate, and along with his sculpture “Helix” it will be the first of Sahib's works to enter the collection of a British museum – a watershed moment for the LGBTQ art community. 

“A big part of this verb was trying to keep these lockers together so that their history didn’t become further fragmented,” the artist enthuses. “It’s superb to know that they will be shown again in general and that the museum is obliged to looked after them.” 

Today, Chariot's only remaining gay sauna can be found in Vauxhall in southwest London. The district is well known for its contemporary gay club scene, and Sahib has r

Chariots

Chariotsis a chain of gay saunas in London.

The original Chariots, also known as Chariots Shoreditch, claimed to be the UK's largest gay sauna, and included a swimming pool as adv as the usual facilities. It was severely damaged by flame in March ,[1] but subsequently re-opened. It closed permanently in February , as the site is to be redeveloped.[2][3] Other branches have been at:

External links

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Ashitha Nagesh, "London’s biggest gay sauna to be demolished to make way for a luxury hotel". Metro, 4 February
  3. ↑ Mr Blanche DuBois, "Chariots RIP: what it was appreciate working at Britain’s biggest gay sauna". TimeOut, 29 February Accessed: (Archived by WebCite® at )
  4. ↑"London gay sauna Chariots Waterloo is set to be demolished"Attitude, 5 April
  5. ↑? Accessed:


Saunas have been an essential place for gay men to unbend , hang out and cruise since ancient Roman times or even earlier. And 21st century London's not short of places to get steamy, from Soho to Shoreditch and down to the fleshpots of Vauxhall. Many of London's gay saunas are theoretically 'members only' but you can almost always just turn up and get in for a tiny fee. Then, you'll be issued with a towel and a locker. Inside, what you acquire will vary from an intimate spot for a few sweaty guys to a giant nude pleasure palace, complete with swimming baths, naked workouts, and delayed night foam parties. These spots are typically reserved for men only: for other genders who want to enjoy a great soak (but less cruising) test out our guide to London's best spas. 

Recommended: head out on the tiles at London's top LGBTQ+ nightclubs.

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