The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is a Grade II listed Gay entertainment venue in Vauxhall, London. It is also known as the RVT.

Venue: Royal Vauxhall Tavern
Address: 372 Kennington Lane, London, SE11 5HY
Town: Vauxhall, GB

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is a Grade II listed Gay entertainment venue in Vauxhall, London. It is also known as the RVT. It is South London's oldest surviving queer venue. The RVT was built between 1860 and 1862 at Spring Gardens, Kennington Lane, on land which was originally part of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. Although sometimes reported to have started life as a music hall, the venue was in fact constructed as a public house and has always served that function. After the Second World War, returning servicemen and local gay men were reportedly attracted to the venue, which held shows by female impersonators (drag shows). By 1975, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern had two bars around a kidney-shaped bar which doubled as a stage for the drag artists to dance along in their stilettos from the tiny apron stage at one end. Prior to the cabaret starting the bar would be cleared of glasses and drinks and the staff would clean the bar ready for the drag to dance along with it in their heels. The public bar attracted local workers and had a dartboard whilst the lounge attracted the local gay community. Notable acts from this era include "Carla" with her Barbra Streisand impersonation, "Jackie Sh*t" with her political tombola and "The Great Lee Paris" on a Saturday night with Land of Hope and Glory. The RVT survived local redevelopment throughout the 1970s and 1980s and maintained its independence as a gay venue. Many of London's top drag artists performed there, including Hinge and Bracket and Regina Fong. Diana Dors also appeared there. Lily Savage, the drag persona of Paul O'Grady, was a regular performer for eight years, with shows four times per week. The RVT was also the venue where O'Grady's long-time friend and contemporary, Alan Amsby (known as Mr. Pussy), began his drag career in 1968. Amsby moved to Ireland the following year, becoming the country's pioneering drag and cabaret performer in a career now spanning fifty-seven years. In 1987, the premises were raided by of