For 37 years, The Backstreet was an iconic part of London’s leather and gay bar scene.
For 37 years, The Backstreet was an iconic part of London’s leather and gay bar scene.
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At 32, John Edwards negotiated with Benjy’s nightclub in Mile End, gaining permission to transform its failing downstairs bar, Benjy’s 2, into The Backstreet, London's longest-running men-only leather bar.
At 32, John Edwards negotiated with Benjy’s nightclub in Mile End, gaining permission to transform its failing downstairs bar, Benjy’s 2, into The Backstreet, London's longest-running men-only leather bar.
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The dress code at The Backstreet was strictly enforced, with patrons required to be at least 50% dressed in leather or rubber. Those falling short could borrow clothes from the Box, a mix of donated and unclaimed items, provided they were the right size.
The dress code at The Backstreet was strictly enforced, with patrons required to be at least 50% dressed in leather or rubber. Those falling short could borrow clothes from the Box, a mix of donated and unclaimed items, provided they were the right size.
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In the late 80s, John Edwards commissioned two drawings from the Finnish artist Touch Valio Laaksonen (1920–1991), better known under the pseudonym ‘Tom of Finland’, to help promote The Backstreet.
In the late 80s, John Edwards commissioned two drawings from the Finnish artist Touch Valio Laaksonen (1920–1991), better known under the pseudonym ‘Tom of Finland’, to help promote The Backstreet.
The Tom of Finland drawings on The Backstreet T-shirt became extremely popular amongst the patrons and we are still selling them online to customers around the world.
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