Pink Palace presents a newly made documentary about the legendary East London Leather Club The Backstreet, we are also delighted to welcome the film makers and special guests for this screening, and the basement bar will be suitable decorated!

Sweat, moans, the haze of smoke and the rugged smell of leather. This is The Backstreet – London's secret haven for leathermen. After 37 years in existence, the club stands on the brink of permanent closure. Facing the demolition of their erotic haven, regulars and staff recount their memories – the sweaty darkroom encounters, a master-slave couple’s first kiss, a spiritual encounter during a BDSM session, and the terror and loss of the HIV pandemic. Meanwhile, the owner, the manager and a curator from the Museum of London go through boxes, finding erotic birthday cake designs, leather jockstraps and homophobic tabloid cuttings. As the space awaits demolition, what will The Backstreet’s legacy be?

“At the age of 32, following negotiations with Benjy’s nightclub in Mile End, John Edwards was granted permission to take on the failing Benjy’s 2, the smaller, downstairs bar and transform it into what would become London’s longest-running and strictest, men-only leather bar, The Backstreet. Its opening night took place on Friday, 12 April 1985, with a dress code of both leather and/or rubber, and was an instant success. John was motivated by the belief that he could run such a venue better than anyone, which he ultimately proved.

At the time of our opening, the leather scene in London was only The Coleherne in Earls Court, which wasn’t strict on dress code. The Cellar Bar at the back of the nightclub Heaven (in Charing Cross) had just closed, so there wasn’t really anywhere with a late licence for serious leather guys.

In the late 780’s Edwards wrote to the Finnish artist Touch Valio Laaksonen (1920–1991), better known under the pseudonym ‘Tom of Finland’, with a commission of two drawings to help promote The Backstreet. The drawings, one a leather man and the other a rubber man, replaced the earlier club logo of a pair of boots. They became synonymous with The Backstreet, and appeared on just about all of the club’s future posters, flyers, newsletters and other promotional material.” The London Museum

Please note there are NO ads or trailers, we start on time!

Pink Palace is a super low fi highly relaxed event that takes place in the basement bar, its a safe queer space so come along and catch some queer film and pop culture history, each week the film is introduced by curator Andrew Woodyatt, and feel free to stay and chat afterwards, participation is encouraged!