One of London’s most iconic LGBTQ+ cabaret venues, The Black Cap, on Camden High Street, reopened its doors on 21 March 2026, marking the return of the historic Camden pub after more than a decade.
Closed since 2015, the landmark venue on Camden High Street has been lovingly restored following a long campaign by LGBTQ+ activists, local residents and Camden Council to protect the site and preserve its cultural heritage.
Now under new ownership and operated by LT Management, the venue has undergone a £2 million refurbishment and will relaunch as a vibrant queer performance space celebrating drag, cabaret and live entertainment.
Billed as the “Palladium of Drag”, The Black Cap will once again take its place in Camden’s alternative cultural scene. In the 1950s and 1960s, when gay life was still socially difficult in Britain, the pub provided a haven where people could gather and express themselves freely.
The venue hosted trailblazing drag stars such as Mrs Shufflewick, Regina Fong and Lily Savage, the late Paul O’Grady, whose widower has loaned treasured artefacts from the performer’s career to the new venue, and the original Black Cap sign will also be on display in the bar.
The Black Cap itself dates back more than 250 years. While some believe its name came from a witch named Jenny Bingham, others suggest it refers to the black cap traditionally worn by judges when passing the death sentence.
We have been very mindful of the venue’s history and have worked hard to preserve its character while giving it a new lease of life.
Jean-Charles Sibille, LT Management
The refurbishment includes a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system inspired by leading Ibiza venues, and the building will feature vibrant external lighting designed to make it a landmark once again on Camden High Street.
A number of star acts will feature in a line-up of drag performers over the coming months, including the “Demonic David Bowie”, Aidan Sandler; UK drag performer known for high-energy comedy, Sophia Stardust; and South London drag artist with musical theatre flair, Tiana Biscuit.
We are so happy that The Black Cap has been saved and sympathetically restored to celebrate its LGBTQ+ and drag performance history. It will finally reopen as a safe and fabulous venue for our community.
Alex Green, drag performer and campaigner
The venue will be managed by Rafa Motycki, who is part of the LGBTQ+ community and a former performer with long-standing connections to Camden’s music and entertainment scene.
For more details and a sneak peek at the restoration, go to https://blackcapcamden.co.uk/. You can even book a room to stay in inspired by drag’s greatest performers like Danny La Rue and Maisie Trollette. Every Monday is Drag Bingo; every Tuesday is Open Mic.
Now, at long last, the Cap is OPEN once more. It’s been saved not just by law, but by love, by the thousands who stood up for it, sang for it, and believed in it. The Cap has always been more than bricks and mortar. It’s drag and glitter, it’s protest and power, it’s the place where outsiders became insiders.