High rents and changing tastes have left queer nightspots floundering. A lesbian couple has decided to take matters into their own hands.
Never before has a building site had such palpable charm and personality. And this only a taste of what is next to come for La Camionera – London’s hottest and highly anticipated lesbian bar.
The capital has recently said goodbye to two of its most celebrated queer bars – The Glory in Haggerston and Soho’s G-A-Y Late.
Now, La Camionera vows to help fill a void that cannot solely be occupied by London’s only other lesbian bar – She Soho.
On my visit, it still felt like I had infiltrated an episode of Grand Designs, but a vivid description from the owners summoned an intimate, sultry, European-style space from the plaster and debris. I was instantly sold. Not least by the name ‘La Camionera’ – it translates as female truck driver, doubling as slang for butch lesbian.
Couple behind the bar met in ‘the most classic gay way’
The couple behind the sensation are Alex Loveless, who has worked in nightlife for the best part of a decade, and Clara Solis, an artist and jewellery designer.
They met in “the most classic gay way” laughed Clara, “Alex was dating my best friend”.
Last month, La Camionera opened for a one-night residency on Broadway Market. Although the event was eagerly awaited, the founders were still shocked by the sheer hordes of sapphics in attendance.
Punters overflowed the venue; massive queues spilled into the street and packed the whole width of the market. The occasion, dubbed ‘winter pride’, stressed the formidable thirst for these spaces.
Friends and family piled in to help out: Clara was working behind the bar with two of Alex’s ex-girlfriends (which is unsurprising for the lesbian community).
Following this success, the pair announced La Camionera will soon open its permanent home on Hackney’s Well Street. If you met your potential soulmate on opening night, make sure to get your second date in the book.
“I think it was testament to the fact that there’s such a hunger for what we’re working on and what this project is about,” said Hannah Connolly, just one of the abundance of friends who have flocked together to make Alex and Clara’s dream come true.
“Alex & I have very different skills and personalities. We balance each other out in lots of beautiful ways”
Clara
“It would have been amazing to have a space like this growing up,” agreed Clara.
“When I was younger questioning my sexuality, I’d go to gay bars and clubs. It was having that space that allowed me to explore that.”
“People really, really want it,” said Hannah. “It can feel like a big responsibility but one that we are all comfortable working with because of this massive sense of community.”
The venue is keen to become part of the fabric of its community, promising a safe, inclusive space for all generations – a laid-back alternative to a busy club night.
The perfect date night spot
Café by day, La Camionera will provide a hangout spot without the expectation of drinking. By night, an intimate bar promises to be perfect for date night, with vermouth on tap, negronis, natural wine, and tapas. Whatever the weather, La Camionera should have the queer community covered.
Others in Alex and Clara’s circle have also offered up their skills: from barista, to builder, to bartender. It’s part of the magic of the place – you will never be far from a friendly face.
“[Alex & I] have very different skills and personalities, we balance each other out in lots of beautiful ways,” said Clara.
It really does take a village to raise a child, or in Alex and Clara’s case, a lesbian bar. But what is certain: La Camionera is the friendship group you will be begging to be part of.
And if you’re not already sold, they are even planning to adopt a cat!
La Camionera is set to open in April.
