G-A-Y venue cannot be saved says Ken

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • March 12, 2008 - 16:30

The Astoria was opened in 1927 as a cinema and was converted into a theatre in 1976. photo: antmoose

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A report from the Mayor of London released today has confirmed that London venue The Astoria will close as part of a redevelopment of the Tottenham Court Road area.

The Astoria is best known as a live music venue and the home of popular club night G-A-Y.

Despite protests from famous musicians and petitions signed by tens of thousands of people, the building will be pulled down as part of the construction of the new Crossrail project.

"I understand the historics (sic) but it wasn't at the cutting edge of modern comfort," Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said today.

"Where you demolish something, you have to replace it with something better.

"We're basically putting in a vast train station but the developers that have actually drawn up the scheme for the area are replacing it with a larger live music venue."

Promoted by Jeremy Joseph, the G-A-Y night has played host to Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, the Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, Suga Babes and with X-Factor winner Shayne Ward.

The Astoria was opened in 1927 as a cinema and was converted into a theatre in 1976.

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