LONDON: Gay Couple Ejected From Soho Pub After Kissing

The UK's Guardian reports that two gay men were ejected by the landlady of a Soho pub after she complained that they had kissed.

Jonathan Williams, a journalist for a financial trade magazine, and James Bull, a charity volunteer, say they were ejected from the John Snow on Broadwick Street, Soho, by a woman who claimed to be the landlady and said they were being "obscene". Bull said he was physically sick after the incident, which happened at about 10.45pm on Wednesday, after the couple had earlier been for dinner on their first date together in Covent Garden. Bull said: "I felt so belittled, and to be made to feel so dirty and cheap over something like that – it's just wrong." The pair say that objections were first raised to their displays of affection shortly after they arrived at 8.30pm by a fellow drinker claiming to be the landlord, who was off duty. They refused what they described as his "polite request" to stop kissing. Williams, 26, and Bull, 23, insist they were not indulging in a "huge display of affection", but were merely kissing on the lips.

This Friday night local activists plan to stage a "massive same-sex snog-a-thon" at the pub, which is not a gay bar but is located in Soho's popular gay village.

(Tipped by JMG reader Oliver)

TONIGHT: Save The SF Eagle Meeting

As I noted yesterday, San Francisco's venerable Eagle Tavern is scheduled to close at the end of the month. Tonight community activists will meet to discuss "strategies for fighting the Eagle's closure, as well as the ongoing crisis of loss of gay property ownership in San Francisco and the continuing erosion of our iconic gay bar scene." Facebook event page here.

SF's Eagle Tavern To Close

Readers are emailing this weekend to report that staffers at San Francisco's Eagle Tavern are telling patrons that the iconic Sunday beer bust hangout will be closing in two weeks. Last January a local website reported that the building was for sale and provided the below rendering of what may be built at that location. Man, I'm gonna miss that dump.

SATURDAY: Furball NYC @ LGBT Center

Doors open 8PM, $10. Always a hot sweaty good time.

FRIDAY: Blowoff NYC @ Highline Ballroom

Doors open 11:30PM, advance tickets are $15. One of these days, I'm going to get around to framing one of their great posters. By the way, Bob Mould's memoir, See A Little Light: The Trail Of Rage And Melody, comes out on June 15th.