ABOUT THE G
History Of The George
A Queen Is Born!! Long Live The Queen
Originally an ‘old man’s bar’ on the corner of George’s Street, The George was purchased by Cyril O’Brien who loved the atmosphere of the bar but wasn’t quite so sure about the décor and thought the place could do with a revamp…. So he bought the place!
Back then The George was the corner bar downstairs, now known as Jurassic Park which remained a straight bar while the bar upstairs was transformed into a gay disco bar called ‘The Loft’. ‘The Loft’ was decorated with Tivoli lighting, which one customer remarked “Must be what the inside of a hairdresser’s brain looks like!” Eventually The George became a dedicated gay bar.
It was only the second bar in the city to be owned by a gay proprietor and to be opened specifically as a gay bar; the other was ‘The Viking’ on Dame Street. The George provided a safe space where gay people could socialise with their friends without fear and prejudice.
Through the years the bar continued to grow in popularity and post decriminalisation in 1993 there was an explosion of numbers onto the gay scene and for the first time The George expanded. In 1998 The George extended again into the building next door, which had originally been an Indian restaurant. The décor of the venue may have changed down through the years but the layout and clientele has remained the same – just fabulous!