Call Made To Revive Hounslow Borough's 'Vibrant' LGBT+ Scene

Councillor says vacant high street premises could replace lost gay pubs

The virtual discussion was live streamed on Youtube, hosted by METRO charity

A “vibrant” LGBT+ scene in Hounslow has been “lost” over the years with popular pubs disappearing, but work is now being started to revive support networks in the borough.

Marking LGBT+ History Month, Hounslow Council cabinet member for communities Katherine Dunne and councillor Richard Eason joined a panel discussion to discuss the impact of Covid-19, and recovery, for LGBT+ people in the borough.

It was recognised how the pandemic hit social interaction hard for the group, but Cllr Eason highlighted a longer-term loss for the community to address.

The Osterley and Spring Grove representative said: “I've been a councillor since 2018 and I believe I'm the first out LGBT councillor in the Labour group for at least 15 years, so that's an honour and a pleasure, but also a little bit worrying in terms of numbers and proportionality…

“I've been living in this borough for about 20 years, when I first came to the borough there was quite a vibrant commercial LGBT+ scene. We had I think up to five different gay pubs as we'd call them, at various stages, places like The George, the Queen's Arms…The Bird Cage in Chiswick, now they're all gone.”

He added: “There's no visible LGBT+ scene or identity in the borough. Everyone is online or relying on the scene and commercial venues in central London, or other parts in London…it's important to note what we've lost over the years.”

The event hosted by METRO charity – which provides health, community and youth services for LGBT+ people, was joined by services such as Hounslow Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, West London NHS Trust, sexual health agency for ethnic minorities NAZ on February 11.

The experiences of the organisations which work with LGBT+ people raised concerns over the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on them.

Youth worker Rosanna from METRO charity described how the pandemic has taken its toll on service users for the community at “high risk” of social isolation, anxiety and depression, and has seen through their work “a noticeable increase in self harm and suicide risk”.

They said,“[For] young people for whom being at home isn't actually a safe place, if you're a trans young person perhaps you're not out to your family, or it's not safe for you to come out.

“So historically LGBT+ youth groups are one of the places you can go find mental health support, make friends and develop peer connections that will nurture you and give you a sense of self-confidence and rootedness…

“The online groups are often called a lifeline by service users.”

One positive step flagged in the discussion was the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity questions on this year's Census which is happening on March 21.

The panellists are encouraging people to answer those questions, which are optional, and said for those uncomfortable being out at home there are discreet ways to request filling out a separate Census form online.

NAZ chief executive Parminder Sekhon said: “If you're not counted, how can you target services, how can you lobby for resources if you're invisible? That's why it's really, really important that people are counted in a meaningful way.”

Cllr Eason told the panel the estimated LGBT+ population in Hounslow is around 10 per cent, reflecting the London average, and wants the council to ensure it is collecting data on the LGBT+ community wherever it is relevant to ensure frontline services, such as for domestic abuse and homelessness, are tailored to understand their needs.

And he further called for the revival of cafe bars and performance spaces in the borough for the LGBT+ community, which used to create a sense of community that “did span generations” that is not the case online.

Cllr Eason said,“[There's a] theme about what are we going to do about reinventing our high streets, because we now have lots of shops being closed down, probably sadly more to close, so it is actually an opportunity to be thinking as a community about physical spaces, and perhaps trying something in terms of some of these disused high street premises…

“That could bring in some of the diversity within our own communities, through arts, through performance, through music, through poetry so some of the performing arts for the LGBT community that may be a use for cafe bar type approach for some otherwise unused units in our town centres.”

METRO charity are teaming up with Hounslow Council to facilitate an LGBT+ network for people to come together and make connections.

And Cllr Dunne said she was “definitely open” to talking further about opening up venues.

METRO charity's communications director, Mark Delacour, added: “What we do want to do is get that ball rolling and think how we might engage people in such a forum…and what it could turn into, which I think could be really exciting and really helpful, especially in terms of people commenting how do people know what the LGBTQIA services are?”

Cllr Dunne added: “We can reach more and different people through doing things online, and then there's other people we need to reach through other ways.

“I'm really excited about what Mark's been talking about…[I'll be] following that with interest and hoping to see lots of people getting involved.”

Anyone interested in getting involved can email membership@metrocharity.org.uk or contact METRO charity via social media.

To watch the meeting in full click here.

Anahita Hossein-Pour - Local Democracy Reporter

February 26, 2021