The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, also known as the RVT, is South London’s oldest surviving gay venue. It was built in 1863 at Spring Gardens, Kennington Lane, on land which was originally part of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. It started life as a Victorian music hall. After the war, returning servicemen and local gay men were attracted to the venue, which held shows of female impersonators, the forerunner of drag shows.

The RVT survived local redevelopment throughout the seventies and eighties and has managed to maintain its independence as a gay venue. Many of London’s top drag artists have appeared at the RVT, the most famous being Paul O’Grady’s Lily Savage.

The RVT won the Fringe Report best venue in 2010.

www.theroyalvauxhalltavern.co.uk