The Glory: Haggerston pub that shaped a decade of inventive queer nightlife

The Glory, a Haggerston pub in east London that ran from 2014 to 2024, became known for a decade of inventive queer nightlife and offbeat performances.

The writer recalls scenes such as drag performer John Sizzle entering as Diana, Princess of Wales to lip‑sync Beyoncé’s “Halo”, themed nights like “Gayzpacho” with underwear‑wrestling in a passata‑filled paddling pool, and a period when the pub’s exterior was papered in gold foil. The venue hosted the Lipsync1000 drag contest, where “many of the UK’s most infamous queens began, including Drag Race UK star Bimini Bon Boulash,” the piece says, and during Covid it served £1 microwaved pasta called “Diana’s Delish Dish”.

The article says regulars did not stand out for outlandish clothes or behaviour; straight couples sometimes turned up by accident and were welcomed, albeit with gentle teasing about sensible jumpers or footwear. The writer adds that you could be surprised by the characters who passed through the place.

Although the writer acknowledges the pub “had some nefarious characters” and describes the east London queer scene as competitive and well connected, they say the Glory taught resilience: it left them “ready for life” and made them unshockable, a trait they call indispensable.

Key Topics

Culture, The Glory, Haggerston, Bimini Bon Boulash, Gayzpacho, Queer Nightlife