There’s a battle brewing in London, where developers are attempting to turn historic gay-owned hotel, The Philbeach Hotel, into a bunch of straight-washed flats. Now a coalition of queers are rallying to save their homo habitation. They’ve even composed a form letter:
The hotel has been open for over 20 years, and it is the only gay hotel in London which is privately owned by gays and run by gays.
It was recently announced that the hotel has been sold to an unknown developer to turn into flats.
The current staff there have been given 3 weeks to find new employment and new housing.
The hotel closes on 31st January 2008.
Apparently the Princess restaurant will also be destroyed, which would be a real tragedy.
If you’re inclined to save this gay edifice, join the Save the Philbeach campaign. It’s more fashionable than Ron Paul and twice as fun as Edwards.
Ron Hudson
I am saddened to hear this news. I have eaten at the Princess Restaurant on a number of occasions and found the staff there to be wonderful people. The hostess has been instrumental in supporting AIDS patients in Thailand for years. I send my best wishes to everyone at the Philbeach Hotel and Princess Restaurant.
hells kitchen guy
20 years is “history”?
Jack Jett
I love that hotel and the location of it. The rooms were a bit crappy but then again, I’m a bit bitchy.
This is sort of like the Boom Boom Room closing down. It makes me feel like an old gay grandfather talking about the good old days.
Michael Perri
I’m sad to hear about the potential demise of the Philbeach. It was my home base in London when I visited a few years ago and I found the staff very courteous and helpful, and overall it was a very comfortable place to stay. The location was very convenient and it made my visit from Los Angeles that much more comfortable.
True, the rooms were a little worn around the edges, but hey! Who isn’t?
Gigi
The Philly was my home too when I visited London two or three times per year. Mainly the Monday evenings was a great institution. Were should I go now ? Please help if you can. Is there any new place with a lovely bar to meet other tranies ? Let me know your recommndation / advise
Thank you
Gigi
Samuel
Good riddance to this dump.
David Mudkips
Meh.
The people working at the Philbeach were genuinely nice, and I’m sorry they’ll have to look for new employment, but that’s about as far as I go when it comes to lamenting the closure of this place.
The rooms were crap. It was a complete dice-roll every time I stayed there: are you going to get a crappy room or a REALLY crappy room.
Heat not working? Sorry. No hot water for three days in a row? Sorry.
The beds sucked. The showers sucked (unless you’ve got a mold fetish and claustrophilia). The rooms hadn’t seen a lick of work in years — and not in that charming “old world” way either.
In short, it was a dive. I gave them my business on a couple of occasions because I really liked the idea of supporting a small, independent, gay hotel instead of a faceless corporation.
Then I finally got tired of, “the hot water is cold, and the cold water is brown” bullshit. There are much nicer places to stay at the same price point. My desire to support a gay business only goes so far.
george
i am sad to see it gone, it may have been seedy, but i lost my virginity there (many times)
David
Glad to see the back of this fleapit
Ive staysed in some sleazy hotels and its part of the fun but I booked in here last year and on arrival a prissy french queen on reception threw a key at me for a room on the top floor with no bathroom after id lugged my bag up the rickety old staircase and realised his mistake I came back down to tell him he said that was all id paid for and that was all i was getting even though I showed him the email from the hotel
I demanded and got a refund straight away and went to the Forum round the corner where for £6 a night more I had a clean modern room with breakfast thrown in.
As a travel agent I never sent anyone to the hotel after that so it just goes to show your staff really are the most important part of your business
Lets see how long this french queen lasts in a real job (if he can find one) and no ive nothing against the french been with my french partner for years
George
I ovenighted nearer the Tube earlier but coming home from an Atlantis Events cruise in ’05 the Philbeach was irresistible and incomparable. What a pity there’s not space for this what should’ve been theme roomed gay B ‘n B. The management tho devoted apparently disregarded more than cosmetic signs of impending disintegration, alas. An investment property venture? But this and the Coleherne gone looks like the fall of sybaritic gentry.