Prepare yourselves gang, because La Camionera, East London’s newest lesbian bar, is set to open its doors this Saturday 18th May.
If you’ve been keeping up with the buzz on TikTok, you might remember that viral video a couple of months back, showcasing hundreds of lesbians gathering in the streets outside a pop up lesbian bar on Broadway Market in East London. Perhaps you were even there that night, soaking in the queer AF atmosphere? Well, that memorable evening led to something pretty epic from the community: a huge £80k raised through a kickstarter campaign, giving the owners the green light to bring to life a brand-new lesbian bar in the heart of East London. Well done gang.
We caught up with the founder, Alex, to get the inside info on the newly renovated La Camionera, an inclusive space for the FLINTA community.
La Camionera’s New Look
Alex shared with us the journey of transforming the space. “We’ve had to refit the entire place,” they explained. “We changed two bathrooms into one accessible bathroom, which meant tearing down walls, laying new floors, and a whole lot of concrete work. We’ve built a custom bar, benches, and even concrete furniture for the outdoor area. It’s been a labor of love, that’s for sure!”
The road to opening night hasn’t been without its challenges. “We faced a lot of unexpected costs,” Alex revealed. “For instance, we had to completely rewire the place to meet certain standards, which nearly sunk us financially. There’s so much more to setting up a venue than just building things; licensing and insurance costs have been significant hurdles too.”
Behind the project was a great team. Alex and Clara, along with the help of Wet Studio, Pope Studio, Built This Way, and Corky’s Painters, have been the driving force behind bringing La Camionera to life.
What’s the vibe at La Camionera?
We asked what people can expect from the vibe of the new venue?. “We’re aiming for a laid-back, lounge atmosphere,” Alex explained. Sounds like the perfect place to unwind on a first date or with mates. Have we now entered an era of classy lesbian bars? It seems we have, about time!
As for the menu, Alex mentioned that there will be something for everyone. “We’re keeping it simple with a diverse drinks menu,” they said. “Expect a variety of wines by the glass, classic cocktails made with gin, campari, and vermouth, beer on tap, and plenty of non-alcoholic options too!”
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With a license currently limiting capacity to 36 people inside, La Camionera promises to offer an intimate and classy setting for its patrons, and La Camionera boasts a stunning outdoor area that will definitely please.
Opening Night Details
“We’ll be opening to the public next Saturday,” Alex revealed. “However, please note that due to our current license restrictions, booking in advance is essential. We’ve also applied for a license change, but it might take a couple of months to come through. Fingers crossed!”
So get booking people, because La Camionera is about to become your new lesbian and queer hangout spot!
Go to their website to get yourself there on Saturday.
Follow their journey and get the very important updates on their Instagram account @camionera.e9.
Interested in other Queer events? Head over to our todo page to see what else is going on.
Team Nonchalant x
This article was written by one of our creative team writers here at Nonchalant Magazine.
