Joiner’s Heart Opens: Hackney’s New LGBTQIA+ Community Hub
A Decade-Long Fight Comes to Fruition
When The Joiners Arms closed its doors on Hackney Road in 2015, the LGBTQIA+ community lost more than just a pub—it lost a gathering space that had served generations of locals. That closure sparked a remarkable decade-long campaign by Friends of the Joiners Arms (FOTJA), a community benefit society that refused to let the venue’s legacy fade. Now, after years of fundraising, planning, and community engagement, The Joiner’s Heart is set to welcome its first guests on Friday, 28th August at Arch 18, Bohemia Place. This isn’t simply a replacement venue; it’s been reimagined as a community hub from the ground up. With over 2,000 community shareholders backing the project, this 120-capacity space represents genuine grassroots ownership. The venue has been designed to serve multiple purposes: a welcoming pub and social space, a stage for live performances and cultural events, and flexible areas for workshops and community gatherings. For those familiar with nearby areas like Whitton and Richmond, where LGBTQIA+ spaces have similarly diminished, The Joiner’s Heart represents hope that communities can reclaim and rebuild their own venues through collective action.
Accessibility and Inclusion Built In From Day One
What sets The Joiner’s Heart apart from typical venue openings is its deliberate, thoughtful approach to accessibility. Rather than treating disabled access as an afterthought, FOTJA worked alongside an Access Advisory Group and co-designed the space directly with disabled LGBTQIA+ community members. This collaborative approach has shaped everything from physical layout to policy decisions. The venue will host existing FOTJA events like Lèse Majesté, the celebrated cabaret night renowned for its d/Deaf accessibility features and its commitment to offering free tickets for attendees on lower incomes. This ethos of genuine inclusion—not tokenistic gestures, but meaningful accommodation—will define the space’s character. Local community organisations, artists, and grassroots groups will have opportunities to use the venue for their own events and workshops. For residents across Hackney and surrounding areas who’ve felt the loss of accessible queer spaces, this opening signals that the community can influence its own future. The Joiner’s Heart proves that with sustained effort, creative problem-solving, and genuine partnership with marginalised voices, communities can build the venues they deserve rather than simply accepting their disappearance.
What This Means for London’s Queer Community
The opening arrives at a critical moment. London has lost approximately 60% of its LGBTQIA+ venues since 2006—a staggering decline that reflects broader challenges facing community spaces across the capital. Rising rents, changing licensing regulations, and shifting demographics have created a perfect storm, leaving fewer places where queer Londoners can gather safely and authentically. The Joiner’s Heart’s opening on Hackney Road represents tangible resistance to this trend. As Amy Roberts, Chair of FOTJA, notes, this has been far more than a simple business venture—it’s a ten-year community campaign that demonstrates what’s possible when residents organise collectively. For those in surrounding neighbourhoods, the venue offers a model of community-led regeneration worth studying. Whether you’re in Hounslow considering local business support strategies or elsewhere in London concerned about vanishing cultural spaces, The Joiner’s Heart’s success story shows that change requires patience, organisation, and investment in governance structures like the community benefit society model. Keep an eye on opening week events and consider supporting this vital space. Local residents should watch how the venue develops and actively participate—these community spaces thrive when used and championed by the people they serve.
Source: The Joiners Arms Has A New LGBTQIA+ Venue In Hackney
