The New Penny, Call Lane, Leeds - DSC07544

The New Penny is a gay pub in The Calls area of

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...

. It is reported to be the oldest continually running gay pub in the UK.

History

The pub started as the Hope and Anchor in 1953. Although difficulty with the law meant it was a secretive place, it was the first gay venue to open outside

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. In March 1968, the Hope and Anchor was featured in an exposé-style article in the local ''Union News'' and possibly as a result of this article, the content of which was soon reprinted in a national newspaper, ''The People'', the pub was targeted and "completely wrecked" by football fans following the Leeds United v. Glasgow Rangers match at Elland Road on 9 April 1968. A period of closure followed, and after a change of ownership it reopened as The New Penny. The pub has hosted various well-known

drag queens A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

on its stage, including

Lily Savage Paul James O'Grady MBE DL (born 14 June 1955) is an English comedian, broadcaster, actor, writer and former drag queen. He achieved notability in the London gay scene during the 1980s with his drag queen persona Lily Savage, very popular in ...

, Anna Glypta, Fats and Small, Sisters Slim, Amber Dextrous, Miss Orry, and Ricky Glass. The New Penny is hosted 7 nights a week by its talented resident drag queens such as Glitz Von Winkle, Nova Gina & Miss Sordid Secret. The New Penny is one of the most popular venues in Leeds, attracting a diverse crowd of gay and straight patrons. It regained its popularity when drinking laws were relaxed to allow a later licence, usually meaning it is the last venue to close its doors at weekends on the Leeds gay scene. It is also involved in the annual Leeds Pride event. On 19 October 2016, Leeds Civic Trust awarded it a blue plaque "for providing a safe venue for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Penny Pubs in Leeds 1953 establishments in England LGBT culture in Leeds Leeds Blue Plaques LGBT pubs in the United Kingdom