Few gay venues - few venues of any stripe, in fact - can claim to be so popular that their punters would stage a protest march if it were threatened with closure. But that's exactly what happened in the 1990s when Lambeth Council announced plans for a shopping centre on the site of the Royal Vauxhall Tavern or as it's more widely-known, the RVT. The fact that the unusual wedge-shaped building still stands proudly on its corner site at the entrance to Vauxhall Park is testament to the protesters' success.

It's easy to see why people care so much. RVT is the scene's (in fact London's) most eclectic and innovative venue, hosting different cabaret and performance-led events every night of the week. Linchpins of the calendar are Saturday's high-energy polysexual mash-up Duckie and Sunday's late-afternoon chill-out S.L.A.G.S. Other regulars include gay bingo and performance night Wotever Sex; the RVT also hosts an annual night of 'Gay Shame and Lesbian Weakness' to coincide with Pride. It's loud, it's usually packed, it's sweaty and can get very messy - and that's why BarCock absolutely loves it

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