: London Astoria was situated at 157 Charing Cross Rd, London, which was and is a busier city area of London. The venue would see 2,000 spill out onto the streets after a show had finished, flooding the already bustling city with people. 

Astoria was originally a Crosse and Blackwell Warehouse for their food products, and was rebuilt as a movie theater in the 1920’s. 

Astoria 2, which was smaller, was practically next door to Astoria at 165 Charing Cross Rd, London. Both of these venues were centered in a busy, queer part of London. Astoria, holding an early Gay nightclub itself, made this a safe space for queer people in the city. This created a sort of gay neighborhood that was unofficially known to be safer for queer people than other parts of the city. 

London’s Astoria was sold and shut down in 2009 for Crossrail which still stands today. 

Works Cited 

“Festival Republic Archive.” Festival Republic, 2007, https://web.archive.org/web/20071220070927/http://www.festivalrepublic.c.... Accessed 18 Feb. 2023. 

Gibson, Owen. “The Astoria Will Be Knocked down to Accommodate Crossrail Station.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 14 Jan. 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jan/15/astoria-final-gigs. Accessed 18 Feb. 2023. 

Winwood, Ian. “The Astoria: Share Your Beer-Stained Memories.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Jan. 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/jan/13/astoria-share-yo... Accessed 18 Feb. 2023.