Bethnal Green: Bid to save iconic east London working men's club

A campaign group has launched a ‘fighting fund’ to help save a beloved working men’s club in East London.

Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club is a community social space, that has operated since 1973.

The club is famous across London for its iconic stage, which is lit up by a heart. It has also garnered a reputation for being an inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community.

It was a filming location for the hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer.

It has hosted some huge music stars and comedians including Liam Gallagher, Bjork, Jarvis Cocker, Paloma Faith, Sean Lock, and more.

Sadly in June last year, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club was handed a 2-month eviction notice. However, after much petitioning the eviction was postponed.

Fast forward to today and the club still needs saving. A crowdfunding campaign has been set up by the Friends of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (foBGWMC) to pave the way for a community purchase.

The fund will pay for a planning bid to persuade Tower Hamlets Council to save the club.

The community group is aiming to raise £12,000 for a complete valuation of the club, and at the time of publishing had already raised nearly half of that.

The group has until April 8th, 2025, to raise the funds.

The aim is to build a viable investment case for one of two preferred outcomes: for Tower Hamlets to purchase the club and then lease it back to FoBGWMC; or for the council to allow FoBGWMC to purchase the club themselves.

Equity’s Variety Organiser, Nick Keegan, says: “A community purchase on this scale will be no small task. We are trying to be absolutely realistic about this. We believe a partnership between the community of BGWMC and Tower Hamlets Council does have the ability to achieve this. We believe it is essential to save this unique cultural facility and give it a chance to continue serving the local community of Tower Hamlets, the LGBTQ+ community, and the wider cultural tapestry of London for future generations.

“We are determined to build that case, and make sure that the cultural and societal value of BGWMC is clear for all to see.

“BGWMC is a crucial and irreplaceable fixture of London’s cultural heritage. It has been a catalyst for the development of new artists and cultural workers in the city, a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and it is a building with more than 100 years of history as a community-owned space. We must protect BGWMC for future generations and allow its legacy to live on.”

You can find out more about the crowdfunding campaign and donate by clicking here.