One of London’s most treasured gay pubs is closing.
The Queen’s Head in Tyron Street, Chelsea will serve its final drink next month after managers failed to agree on terms of a new lease.
A final farewell party has been arranged on September 3 to the give the pub, known as the Old Lady of Tryon Street, a final and memorable send-off before its last pint is pulled on on September 7.
Manager Freddy Sipson confirmed the closure came about due to the lease not being renewed.
He said: “It’s a complete bombshell for us all. The customers are completely and utterly shocked, everybody is stunned.”
A message on its Facebook confirmed the closure: “Unfortunately it’s true, the Old Lady of Tryon Street will be closing her doors for the last time on September 6.
“The Queens Head will be back in some form or another but the place that we all know and love will cease to be.
'We're bloody gutted as well'
“Freddy, Hadi, Michael, Suzana, Bob, Amine, Sylvia, Hazel, Carol, Frankie and Alex would like to thank all of our wonderful friends and customers for your support over all the years and hope that you’ll join us on Saturday September 3 to give the old girl a send off to make her proud.
“We’re bloody gutted as well by the way.”
The pub, which is situated off King’s Road, was well liked by people across the community. Its website reads: “The Queens Head was once one of London’s key gay drinking destinations, harking back to the middle of the last century in fact.
“The Queens Head is also known as a haven for local workers, residents and shoppers - a warm, comfortable and friendly place where people from all walks of life can have a welcome drink and a delicious bite to eat; an oasis of calm just seconds away from Chelsea’s famous King’s Road.”
A later post on Facebook reads: “If any of our friends, customers and staff from over the last 176 years have photos of the Old Lady of Tryon Street would you please post them up here and tag us in the pics so we can make a gorgeous little scrapbook to show on the screens for our final farewell party on Saturday 3 September.”
'Much duller and less colourful without her'
News of the closure was not welcomed among Queen’s Head drinkers. Heloise Brooke said: “Chelsea will be much duller and less colourful without her, she was a game old bird, welcomed everyone and kept her sense of fun. Very very sad news.”
And Ray Reynolds added: “So sorry to see this pub go with so much history and many great memories. A real boozer! XX.”
According to Mr Sipson, planning regulations means the property must remain a pub. He said: “The pub will close while they work on apartments above but the building can only be used as a pub, it can’t be of any other use.
“Whether it’s the same pub and the same format as we have now is the key question.”
Earlier in the month The Truscott Arms in Maida Vale closed suddenly , after a massive increase in rent.
