Gay bathhouses in the United Kingdom

Last updated

Gay bathhouses in the United Kingdom are referred to as "gay saunas", as opposed to gay bathhouses, the term more commonly used in North America. There are gay saunas throughout the UK in most major cities, including eight in London.

Contents

Gay saunas

Current

Gay saunas in the UK: [1] [2] [3]

Closed

Former (now closed) gay saunas in the UK: [1]

Chariots

Chariots Leisure Ltd at one point operated six gay saunas in London; as of 2020, all are closed, with another open under a different name. These venues were:

In terms of floor-space and capacity, Chariots Shoreditch was the largest gay sauna in the UK. [10] [11]

Description

Chariots Shoreditch was on three floors, decorated in the style of Roman baths. [12]

On the ground floor was the main entrance with several areas of customer lockers, main shower room, TV lounge with bar/cafe, vending machines, internet area and an inclusive gym with several work-out machines.

The first floor housed a maze of free private cabins of various sizes including orgy rooms and an extensive dark maze (pitch black orgy room and set of cabins).

The second floor had a swimming pool, poolside loungers, two whirlpools (Jacuzzis), two steam-rooms, two hot dry saunas, showers, glory-hole cubicles, a second smaller dark room, outside private smoking area and a porn video/orgy room. [13]

There were free STD testing sessions held at the bathhouse. [14]

Chariots Roman Spa opened in 1997. The management previously ran Rio's, a Kentish Town naturist spa. Originally a warehouse, the Shoreditch redevelopment cost £2.5 million. [15] In 2000 the venue was significantly expanded with the addition of the restaurant, 30 more cubicles, video lounge and internet room. It was announced in February 2016 that the venue would be closing down, and the building would be demolished for a redevelopment of the site. [16]

Chariots Waterloo was on one level on the first floor of the building. It comprised an entrance lobby, locker room, cafe, showers, a steam room, a large sauna later divided in two, dark rooms, glory holes, private rooms and relaxation area.

Etiquette

Customers were given two towels, a locker key and condoms on entrance. Further condoms were available from wall dispensers. Most people kept the second towel as a dry spare in their locker. The convention was to walk around the bathhouse wearing a towel, though nudity in the dry or steam sauna was normal. [17] Apart from the lounge, cafe area, lockable cabins and within the Jacuzzi, sexual activity occurred anywhere, with anyone free to watch or attempt to join in. [18]

Media attention

On 2 May 1998, former footballer Justin Fashanu spent the evening in Chariots Shoreditch before committing suicide nearby that night. [19] [20]

There was significant press interest and internet speculation in 2006 when Chariots Shoreditch was closed for Easter Weekend, after a 24-year-old man's body was found. The police investigation found that death was due to a drugs overdose but there were no suspicious circumstances. [21]

On Sunday 20 March 2011 the London Fire Brigade were called to attend a fire which was reported to have destroyed most of the ground floor of Chariots Shoreditch. 150 patrons were evacuated, and there were no injuries. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Group sex</span> Sexual behavior involving more than two participants

Group sex is sexual activity involving more than two people. Participants in group sex can be of any sexual orientation or gender. Any form of sexual activity can be adopted to involve more than two participants, but some forms have their own names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sauna</span> Type of bathhouse

A sauna is a room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. A thermometer in a sauna is typically used to measure temperature; a hygrometer can be used to measure levels of humidity or steam. Infrared therapy is often referred to as a type of sauna, but according to the Finnish sauna organizations, infrared is not a sauna.

<i>Sentō</i> Type of Japanese communal bathhouse

Sentō (銭湯) is a type of Japanese communal bathhouse where customers pay for entrance. Traditionally these bathhouses have been quite utilitarian, with a tall barrier separating the sexes within one large room, a minimum of lined-up faucets on both sides, and a single large bath for the already washed bathers to sit in among others. Since the second half of the 20th century, these communal bathhouses have been decreasing in numbers as more and more Japanese residences now have baths. Some Japanese find social importance in going to public baths, out of the theory that physical proximity/intimacy brings emotional intimacy, which is termed skinship in pseudo-English Japanese. Others go to a sentō because they live in a small housing facility without a private bath or to enjoy bathing in a spacious room and to relax in saunas or jet baths that often accompany new or renovated sentōs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay bathhouse</span> Commercial space for male-male sex

A gay bathhouse, also known as a gay sauna or a gay steambath, is a public bath targeted towards gay and bisexual men. In gay slang, a bathhouse may be called just "the baths", "the sauna", or "the tubs". Historically, they have been used for sexual activity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public bathing</span> Buildings with swimming pools or other facilities for bathing

Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other criteria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spa</span> Location where mineral-rich spring water is used to give medicinal baths

A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are especially widespread in Europe and Japan. Day spas and medspas are also quite popular, and offer various personal care treatments.

<i>Banya</i> (sauna) Russian steam bath with a wood stove

The banya is a traditional Russian steam bath that utilizes a wood stove. It is a significant part of Russian culture, and is typically conducted in a small room or building designed for dry or wet heat sessions. The high heat and steam cause bathers to perspire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough railway station</span> Railway station in North Yorkshire, England

Scarborough, formerly Scarborough Central, is a Grade II listed railway station serving the seaside town of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. It lies 42 miles (68 km) east of York and is one of the eastern termini on the North TransPennine route; it is managed by TransPennine Express. and is also served by Northern Trains. The station is also at the northern end of the Yorkshire Coast line and is reputed to have the longest station seat in the world at 456-foot (139 m).

Sex on premises venue (SOPV) is the term used primarily in British and Australian medical literature for the various commercial venues expressly for engaging in public sex, as opposed to spaces such as parks which may be used for sexual behavior but are intended for general public use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bathhouse Row</span> United States historic place

Bathhouse Row is a collection of bathhouses, associated buildings, and gardens located at Hot Springs National Park in the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The bathhouses were included in 1832 when the Federal Government took over four parcels of land to preserve 47 natural hot springs, their mineral waters which lack the sulphur odor of most hot springs, and their area of origin on the lower slopes of Hot Springs Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everard Baths</span> Bathhouse in New York City

The Everard Baths or Everard Spa Turkish Bathhouse was a gay bathhouse at 28 West 28th Street in New York City that operated from 1888 to 1986. The venue occupied an adaptively reused church building and was the site of a deadly fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Gay Rugby</span> Umbrella organisation for rugby clubs

International Gay Rugby (IGR), formerly known as the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB), is the umbrella organisation for the world's gay and inclusive rugby clubs. Based in London, UK, IGR is recognised by World Rugby as the representative organisation of the LGBT and inclusive rugby community, up to the point they both have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining a commitment between the two organisations to work together to educate and eliminate homophobia in rugby.

Finnila's Finnish Baths—a.k.a. Finnila's—was a Finnish bathhouse and a health club in San Francisco, California. It served the general public from circa 1910 to September, 2000. Finnila's was located in the Castro District of San Francisco for its first 75 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanien Public Baths</span> Building in Aarhus, Denmark

Spanien Public Baths, colloquially known simply as Spanien, is a public bath house and a listed building in Aarhus, Denmark. The bath house was completed in 1931 and was listed on the Danish national registry of protected buildings and places by the Danish Heritage Agency on 15 February 1989 as a fine example of the Nordic funkis style. The building was thoroughly renovated in 2010–12.

Squirt.org, launched by Pink Triangle Press in 1999, is a Canadian website which describes itself as a place "where men meet other men for sex, cruising, hookups, dating, fun and friendship". The website, based in Toronto, is available worldwide. It includes user-generated listings of parks, saunas, public toilets and popular sexual locations for men who have sex with men (MSM). It was called "unique and ideal for cruising world-wide" by the 2006 Spartacus International Gay Guide.

The United Kingdom has a number of gay villages. Bigger cities and metropolitan areas are most popular as they are deemed to be more tolerant and tend to have "a history of progressive local government policy towards supporting and financing LGBTQ-friendly initiatives." There is also a noted circular pattern of migration, whereby once areas have established a reputation as somewhere LGBT people live, more LGBT people are drawn there. LGBT-inclusive areas of UK towns and cities tend to be defined by "a distinct geographic focal point, a unique culture, a cluster of commercial spaces" and sometimes a concentration of residences. It is thought that LGBT-inclusive areas help towns and cities in the UK to prosper economically, but some believe the building of such areas creates an isolating effect on some LGBT people who want to blend in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Man's Country (bathhouse)</span> Gay bathhouse chain

Man's Country was a chain of bathhouses and private clubs for gay men in Chicago and New York City.

References

  1. 1 2 "UK Gay Sauna Index" . Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  2. ↑ "Queer Saunas UK" . Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "Spartacus Gay Guide" . Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  4. ↑ "Marco's Hull - Home". www.marcos-hull.uk. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  5. ↑ Now a swingers club https://www.partnersswingersclub.co.uk/
  6. ↑ "Hackney Gazette". Hackney Gazette. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Archive page of Chariots Farringdon in 2007.
  8. ↑ "London gay sauna Chariots Waterloo is set to be demolished". Attitude. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  9. ↑ Wakefield, Lily (26 January 2021). "Historic gay sauna Chariots Spa announces permanent closure prompting outpouring of sticky memories". Pink News. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  10. ↑ Humphreys, Rob; Bamber, Judith (2003). The Rough Guide to London (5 ed.). Rough Guides. p.  507. ISBN   978-1-84353-093-0.
  11. ↑ "Chariots Review". Time Out London. 2009.
  12. ↑ Edward, Olivia; Cortinovis, Genevieve; Eggleton, James; Lee, Youyoung; Hermitage, Ashley (2007). MTV England. Frommer's. p. 122. ISBN   978-0-7645-8773-3.
  13. ↑ "QX Magazine London Issue 767". QX Magazine London (767). QX: 88. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
  14. ↑ Staff Writer (2007-10-15). "NHS to hold STI testing in gay sauna". PinkNews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  15. ↑ Chariots History, archive from official site
  16. ↑ "London's biggest gay sauna to be demolished to make way for hotel". 4 February 2016.
  17. ↑ Couture, Joseph (2008). Peek: inside the private world of public sex. Haworth Press. ISBN   978-1-56023-646-7.
  18. ↑ Woods, William J.; Binson, Diane (2003). William J. Woods; Diane Binson (eds.). Gay Bathhouses and Public Health Policy. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-56023-273-5.
  19. ↑ Powell, Vicky (June 1998). "Suicide note increases speculation over death of Justin Fashanu". Gay Times (237). Millivres.
  20. ↑ "It's the national game but it is a sport which has a bad reputation for tolerance. Football started to tackle racism when black players became stars. But why is being gay still a taboo on the football field?". BBC. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  21. ↑ Shoffman, Marc (2006-04-21). "Man found dead in gay sauna". PinkNews.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  22. ↑ Park, James (20 March 2011). "Chariots on fire: East London gay sauna severely damaged in fire". PinkNews.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.