My general overview of the England Scene versus the San Francisco scene!(For all of you veterans tha

[AaronWestin]

I have heard people speak of London as being laden with competition in the escorting field. I have researched and reviewed both sites that were pinpointed as being the two main sites in the London region. One of them is Rentboy (A personal Favourite) and the other is Gaydar. I can't believe I had never discovered Gaydar until only a week ago. Gaydar has some very user friendly functions.

There are only 40 guys advertising in Rentboy and a little more than that advertising in Gaydar. Compared to NY, SF or LA I didn't see many "hot picks". I saw a couple of hot guys and I am sure they know exactly who they are.

I din't see it as being heavy with quality competition as several people described the market. I will admit that there are probably more sites than I had checked, but it seems to be a issue of quantity rather than quality.

I know that according to one of the employees at Rentboy I was told that London gets approximately the same number of hits per day that San Francisco generates. If I am not mistaken don't both cities not have nearly identical populations? If this is the case then I would be safe to assume that England would have a very similar market to San Francisco. Although I'd imagine that the sheer number of gay males in San Francisco probably dwarfs the number in London. Anyone have any opinions on this?

People probably want to know why I compare the two, why is it so important to me. Well, I am leaving for England on Sunday and am nervous as hell. I don't know a single soul, don't know the city and have no clue on how to get from one end of the city to the other via public transportation. Yes, I am scared. As for San Francisco, I worked there for a long period of time an really know the market, it's trends and of course I got to know the city well. It became very easy to navigate.

I really enjoyed working in San Francisco and I met many good people while escorting there. I know it is in the past and this is a new chapter of my career as an escort, but I will also say that I truly miss California and hope one day to return on a more PERMANENT basis.

Sorry if I offended anyone in the competition portion of this post. I meant no disrespect.

[Flower]

Aaron, You'll do just fine. You have a great personality, are really nice guy, and have a very hot bod--even more so in person and you will make friends and clients very quickly. Your pics will bring in the clients at first, but your persona (is that what they call it over there }( will keep 'em coming back. Wish you all the best my friend.:7

[Luv2play]

Aaron, I can't really comment first hand since it has been AGES since I worked in London on a regular basis and back then I was getting it for free (sigh). But London is a VERY large city, probably 10 times larger than San Francisco, if not even larger. It's up there with Paris, Rome and not much smaller than New York. As for gay men, it is a large market as well, since many gay men from other parts of England will relocate to London to be near the center of action (just like New York attracts many boys from the boonies).

 

My impression is that there are many male escorts in London and you should look further than Rentboy, which is more NYC centered. Although Gaydar has an escort section, it is more oriented to gaymen seeking non-monetary based interaction. Look also at Escupido or Gayromeo.com. There are others also but they don't come to mind. If you check the London page on this site (M4M) you will see references to the London oriented web sites for male escorts. Good luck!

[duke37]

Hello Aaron,

 

I'm no expert on the London escort scene, but have quickly become a fan. Umm where's EXPAT when we need him, grin. I'm glad you like gaydar. To make a minor correction to what you wrote, there are approximately 350 escorts listed in the London area alone. The 4O some you saw might be just the ones online when you checked. In addition there are a good number of guys working gaydar who don't go to the expense of a commerical ad. Also in a lot of ways the UK is a small place and many escorts around the country will come to London for a booking with very little difficulty. So all the escorts in the UK are potential competition. You might also check out londonlads.com and absolute-male.com. for rentboy style ads (and quality). There are two major gay bar rags that you might want to advertise in as well.

 

As for the quality of the guys, I think there are lots to appeal to any taste. But you're pretty hot according to jackhammer so there is always a desire for a new face. You should do fine.

 

You may be surprised that escorts charge more for outcalls than incalls. It appears to be pretty standard. Also guys will ask for cab fare particularly after 11 pm or so. Since its harder to get around after the tube shuts down (well except for the night buses) you have to take cabs then. And taxis are VERY expensive in London so perhaps you better ask for cabfare as well after the tube shuts down for the night.

 

I think you will really like London. It is easy to get around. Just get one of those London A to Z guides and study the tube maps. Oh yeah, when they say "Mind the Gap" watch your step. Its not a place to put your sizable cock

 

Good luck! Stay in touch here. A lot of the guys on this board get to London every now and then. I didn't get to meet you in LA so perhaps London?

 

Jeff

[Boston Guy]

>But London is a VERY large

>city, probably 10 times larger than San Francisco, if not even

>larger. It's up there with Paris, Rome and not much smaller

>than New York.

 

You're right, no matter how you measure it.

 

If you look at a list of the world's largest cities, you get very different results if you sort by the actual population of each city (meaning the number of people living within the city's borders) instead of the urban area population.

 

Boston's a good example. The city's population doesn't include people living in Cambridge or Brookline or any other neighboring place. But people living in Cambridge are actually, in many cases, much closer to downtown Boston than "real" Bostonians living in outlying parts of the city. So urban area statistics make a lot of sense.

 

San Francisco's actual population is roughly 800,000, but 7.1 million live in it's urban area. By comparison:

 

London: 7.9 million / 11.2 million

New York: 8.2 million / 29.8 million

Sao Paulo: 10 million / 18.5 million

Tokyo: 8.0 million / 31 million

Mumbai (Bombay): 12.1 million / 12.1 million

Mexico City: 8.5 million/ 21.0 million

 

Any way you cut it, London's quite a bit bigger than San Francisco. You're correct in saying that it's 10 times larger, roughly, by actual city population, but a comparison of urban area populations would suggest only 1.5 times larger. Of course, that .5 additional comes by adding another 4.1 million people -- which is roughly the number of people living in Sydney, Australia (4.1 million for both measures).

 

So even just adding Sydney to San Francisco certainly makes London a much larger city. Finally, the comment that England is quite a small place is on point. One could argue that, for some things, London's "urban area" is really the entire country of England, which would bump it up to 60 million, give or take.

 

Which brings us to an interesting population tidbit I noticed a few months ago while doing some research. In the EU, prior to expansion, Germany and France have often been considered the two "big" countries. But population trends are bringing the UK and France close together. From the 2002 population estimates:

 

United Kingdom: 59,778,002

France: 59,765,983

 

That's a difference of only about 12,000 people out of 60 million. And Italy is very close, with 57,715,625 people. Of course, Germany, with it's 83 million, is still much larger. But population trends in many EU countries are alarming, at least to those who tend to favor Europe.

 

Over the next 50 years, the population of the US is expected to grow strongly, through births and immigration, which alone is forecast at over one million people per year. We're at 285 million now, but UN demographers expect the US to reach 400 million by 2050. That's a lot more people in the US and we'll see big changes in some areas as a result of the growth. During the same period, India is expected to grow from 1.1 billion to 1.6 billion, surpassing China to become the world's most populous nation.

 

But it's a very different story when you look at Europe. As of 1 January 2004, the population of the expanded EU was roughly 380 million -- quite a lot larger than the US (although the economy of the US is roughly the same size as the economy of the expanded EU). The population of the UK is expected to continue to rise, slowly, to 68 million by 2050. But the UK is an exception, in both the original EU member states as well as the new ones.

 

For example, the population of Latvia dropped 10% -- from 2.5 million to 2.3 million -- from 1995 to 2003. That's a huge change in a short period. Between now and 2050, many of the EU's constituent nations are forecast to lose between 10% and 25% of their populations. Italy is expected to lose 22% of its population, Poland 15%, Greece and Portugal 10% each.

 

Europe is likely to represent a much smaller part of the world in a very short time, with what may well be smaller influence in world affairs. In 1950, 12% of the world's population live in the current European states. In 2050, only 4% will do so. Over the same time, the Russian Federation is projected to lose over 30% of it's population, reducing it in size to close to 100M -- roughy one-quarter of the expected size of the US, unless it gains citizens through expansion by peaceful or other means.

 

In 1950, 304 million people lived in Western Europe; 152 million lived in the US. Today, we see about 400 million in Europe and 285 million in Europe. By 2040, the US will overtake Europe. By 2050, the EU population is projected to be less than 350 million with the US at slightly more than 400 million.

 

In economic terms, the change is even more startling. The newly-expanded EU likes to think of itself as the largest market in the world and, by some measures, that's correct. But US citizens have been for quite some time and remain about one-third richer per head than Europeans. If this remains the case over the next 50 years, the US economy will end up being more than twice the size of the EU's, even if you assume that by 2050, most of central and eastern Europe will have joined the EU. (But not Turkey: the addition of Turkey's current 70+ million citizens will change the story -- as well as dramatically changing Europe by instantly making 20% of its population Muslim.)

 

Of course, the US will be changing, too: we're expected to be much browner, much more Hispanic by 2050 than we are today, especially in those areas with strongest attraction to new immigrants. Historically, the US has had very strong ties to Europe, largely because of historical political connections and shared values and cultures. But that is changing and could change more dramatically, as we gain more and more population from other areas of the world, especially Latin America.

 

What's the overall impact? That's hard to say. But Europe's population is aging and shrinking. Unless EU nations take steps to change that dramatically -- something that's a bit hard to see -- the current relative equality in strength between Europe and the US is likely to change very dramatically over the coming decades. Adding a very rapidly shrinking Russia and very, very rapidly growing India simply adds to the uncertainty.

 

BG

[Steven_Draker]

>I have heard people speak of London as being laden with

>competition in the escorting field. I have researched and

>reviewed both sites that were pinpointed as being the two main

>sites in the London region. One of them is Rentboy (A personal

>Favourite) and the other is Gaydar.

 

Aaron ~

A few months ago I’ve sent you an explicit email (at your request) with all the details about escorting in Europe. Have you checked it? In my opinion and from personal experience the two major escort websites which can bring you good business in London are:

 

Absolute Male Escorts (formerly London-Lads) http://www.absolute-male-escorts.com/

Gaydar (Escort/Masseur Section) http://www.gaydar.co.uk/

 

>There are only 40 guys advertising in Rentboy and a little

>more than that advertising in Gaydar.

 

Don't forget about the time difference when you're checking Gaydar London online. There are hundreds of escorts in London on Gaydar. Rentboy will bring you some business but not significant.

 

>I know that according to one of the employees at Rentboy I

>was told that London gets approximately the same number of

>hits per day that San Francisco generates.

 

The number of hits doesn't mean anything to me. This is not a "click-contest". More important is the business it generates.

 

>If I am not mistaken don't both cities not have nearly identical populations?

 

The City and County of San Francisco has a population of 776,773 people, the City of London has a population of over 7.5 million people.

 

>If this is the case then I would be safe to

>assume that England would have a very similar market to San

>Francisco.

 

I wouldn't compare London to San Francisco in terms of market. It's just different. This will make sense once you get there and you'll discover by yourself.

 

Also make a search here in the Message Center about online escort advertising in London. Go ahead and register with the two websites I mentioned above. Good luck !

 

Steven Draker ~

[+ Charlie]

Rather than add to the surfeit of factual information on this thread, I'll just tell you that getting around London by public transport is a lot easier than getting around anyplace in California, so don't worry about it. Just get a multiday tourist pass as soon as you arrive at Heathrow, since individual tickets are quite expensive. Don't even think about renting a car on your first visit--it will be more aggro (useful bit of British slang) than it's worth. The tube does stop running around midnight, so try to schedule appointments early in the evening, or do overnights. If you go to gay pubs or bars, you will find they tend to operate late, just as they do here, but there are usually taxis hanging around at closing time. London taxi drivers are much more professiional than they are in America, but the rates are high.

 

Your main problem will be understanding the language, since most real Brits don't sound like BBC announcers.

[+ Charlie]

BG, I enjoyed your riff on population trends, even though it's far from the point of the thread. What you neglected to look at is the shifts of population within Europe as the EU gets larger and citizens of all its constituents are able to move freely from one country to another; just as Nebraskans can move to Texas, now those Latvians can move to Germany. I think it's inevitable that in the early stages of EU consolidation there will be big movements from the poorer nations in the east and south to the richer ones; the question is whether they will go back home as the economic differences level out--if they do. The main reason that other EU countries are afraid to admit Turkey is the fear that all those Muslims will be free to move to Denmark or Belgium, etc. Most of the western European countries already have large numbers of resident aliens from Africa and Asia who do not get counted in the population figures, just as the illegal aliens in the US go uncounted, and the current turmoil in the Netherlands is symptomatic of the fears in most of those countries that their homogeneous cultures are being threatened by "outsiders".

 

By the way, although the UK is small geographically, I don't think there is much justification for considering the whole country as part of the London urban area--economically, perhaps, but not psychologically. Escorts from Manchester don't consider London part of their service area, any more than escorts from Boston routinely service clients in New York City.

[Boston Guy]

>BG, I enjoyed your riff on population trends, even though

>it's far from the point of the thread. What you neglected to

>look at is the shifts of population within Europe as the EU

>gets larger and citizens of all its constituents are able to

>move freely from one country to another; just as Nebraskans

>can move to Texas, now those Latvians can move to Germany. I

>think it's inevitable that in the early stages of EU

>consolidation there will be big movements from the poorer

>nations in the east and south to the richer ones; the question

>is whether they will go back home as the economic differences

>level out--if they do.

 

I agree; we're already seeing big differences in how young Europeans view their careers, with multi-country careers becoming far more common than was true for prior generations. For a long time, Europeans were French or British or Spanish first and European second. That may be changing and, if so, it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the evolving roles of the original nation-states.

 

However, I don't think the internal movement of populations will greatly affect the overall population of Europe itself; more likely will be movement toward desirable areas and away from areas deemed less desirable. This is different from the situation in Russia, where severe social, cultural and health issues (like rampant alcoholism and HIV) are taking a rapid toll on the population itself.

 

>The main reason that other EU countries

>are afraid to admit Turkey is the fear that all those Muslims

>will be free to move to Denmark or Belgium, etc. Most of the

>western European countries already have large numbers of

>resident aliens from Africa and Asia who do not get counted in

>the population figures, just as the illegal aliens in the US

>go uncounted, and the current turmoil in the Netherlands is

>symptomatic of the fears in most of those countries that their

>homogeneous cultures are being threatened by "outsiders".

>

 

Yep. You hit the nail on the head. Funny how "liberal" socities often react conservatively when their own identities are threatened.

 

>By the way, although the UK is small geographically, I don't

>think there is much justification for considering the whole

>country as part of the London urban area--economically,

>perhaps, but not psychologically. Escorts from Manchester

>don't consider London part of their service area, any more

>than escorts from Boston routinely service clients in New York

>City.

 

You're right. But I do think that an escort working outside of London might easily consider coming into town for an extended session, especially an overnighter. In fact, with nothing whatsoever to back it up, I wouldn't be surprised if the boys from Edinburgh didn't regularly take the overnight train to London to do some business.

 

Interesting comments. Thanks for replying. And you're right: it is a bit far from the subject of the thread. :-)

 

BG

[MscleLovr]

The information that Steven and Charlie have given you is excellent.

 

I just checked on gaydar: there are 365 escorts registered in London. They have a commercial profile and pay a monthly fee. Quite a few other guys try to avoid paying the fee and work discreetly as escorts part-time.

 

I also checked Absolute Male: there are 103 escorts registered, but there may be some overlap with those on gaydar.

 

I recall from your reviews that you were not very interactive. I would say that there are a lot of guys working in London who, like you, are good-looking and have well-muscled bodies BUT they are VERY interactive.

 

You also asked about rates. Typically incalls vary between £80-100 with outcalls at £100-120; overnights are between £300-400. These are actual rates based on my experience hiring top-class guys. Often the rates quoted on gaydar are higher, but there is such competition that I have never been refused when I have politely offered a lower amount.

[Michael]

>

> The City and County of San Francisco has a population of

> 776,773 people, the City of London has a population of over

> 7.5 million people.

>

 

No.

 

Greater London (which is probably what you think of as the "City of London") has a population of 7.5 million.

 

The "City of London" refers to a very specific and quite small area in the very center of London which stretches along the north bank of the Thames from Victoria to Tower Hill and extends as far north as the Barbican.

 

See: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/

[+ glutes]

>

>Aaron ~

>A few months ago I’ve sent you an explicit email (at your

>request) with all the details about escorting in Europe. Have

>you checked it?

 

Well I think you hit it here Steven, this is all part of the new 'marketing campaign'. Guess the stock brokering gig for Aaron didn't work out...

[GlobalTraveller]

The following site offers you a broader choice:

 

http://gaylondonescort.co.uk/home.htm

 

Good luck!

GT

[bootdad]

As I have said on several occasions on this subject - The BEST Escorts in the world are to be found in London.

I think there are several reasons for this . . .

1 - The overwhelming number of HOT young men who migrate to London for a couple of years just to check out this incredible city / scene.

2 - The cost of living is so high that on many occasions I have enjoyed the company of a young man who is successfully employed but can't make ends meet without escorting 3 or 4 times weekly or having a standing appointment with several gents.

3 - The level of professionalism that most escorts bring to the experience is to be matched by no city in the world.

4 - Young men who migrate to London to live out their wildest, raunchiest sleaziest fantasies often engage in escorting for a year or two. I would say almost half of all escorts are English as a second (or even third) language students in London.

5 - The extraordinary number of escorts prepared to cater to a wide range of fetish and fantasy interests. There is no problem finding escorts who will get FISTED, engage in BB, be photographed or videotaped and who are into boots, leather, rubber, PVC, sports kits, the list is almost endless with opportunity.

Finally - the rates are very GOOD because the market is so competitive that you get both good value and exceptional encounters.

I am thrilled to be in London on business next week and look forward to enjoying several of my favourites and a few new ones as well.

I was also under the impression the Aarron Westin was quite passive, hands off - more into a muscle worship type of scene - well is will enjoy very few appointments in London if that is the extent of his CV.

[HotdadENYC]

I agree with bootdad's assessment in all respects. I've been to London three times in the last year and have never been disappointed by either the overwhelming number of quality escorts, or the general cruisy nature of the city.

 

Speaking of professionalism, London escorts invariably return phone calls and e-mails in a timely fashion, even if they aren't available and if only to acknowledge and thank you for the call.

 

I've also noticed that some escorts, based on conversations with them, are willing (and even eager) to try new things or engage in different experiences; unlike Budapest, for example, where active means active ONLY and there is no other alternative and little room for further discussion.

 

My opinion is that an escort who is not interactive and generally only wants to be worshipped is (1) not going to be happy in London and (2) is not going to be very busy, since he will be quickly overshadowed by the large amount of escorts there that know well the meaning of full service.

 

By the way, London is a fascinating city in its own right, with lots to see and do, catering to a wide variety of tastes and interests.

 

hotD

[Juan Vancouver]

Hey Aaron!

I know nothing about escorting in England, however I decided to reply to your post, just to share my personal experience about travelling to check new markets.

I am travelling to Toronto on the first days of December, and because my work gets kind of hectic in Vancouver, I dont get the chance to travel very often. I always have reservations when I dont know the market, nor the competition, but as you must know by now, people always appreciate a "fresh face". All the times that I have been brave to get my ass somewhere else, lots of work come my way, and I have bee able to create new lasting business relationships with the people I meet then.

You are a gorgeous guys, a great escort, judging by your reviews, and I am sure that you are going to kick ass in London!

 

Just do your thing, shine on and get ready to have a great time!

 

My best wishes to you, man...

 

Enjoy those hot brits!

[cityguy]

Aaron, I also want to wish you the very best for your trip to London and hope that it is a successful stay for you. London is a fabulous city (apart from the climate!). Yes, there are many excellent escorts there, but your looks and personality should put you in the top bracket.

 

I have enjoyed reading your posts on this message center in the past, and hope that you will keep in touch with us and let us know how you are doing. As Juan said, kick ass in London, man!

 

cityguy

[Steven_Draker]

A final note:

This "article" has been forwarded to me by a poster living in London and would be helpful for a first time visitor (sorry I lost his name and handle)

 

 

ADVICE FOR VISITORS TO LONDON

 

I’ve been asked a number of times for advice so I thought I’d put it all together in one sheet. Obviously I can’t take responsibility for the accuracy of the information and I am not liable for any actions you take as a result of reading this. If you think there’s something vital I’ve missed or something’s not right, then please let me know. I’ll try to answer any specific questions you might have but may not be able to reply immediately - so please be patient.

 

 

ESCORT AGENCIES

 

The two main London agencies are:

• Suited and Booted – http://www.suitedandbooted.com

• Platinum Guys – http://www.platinumguys.com

 

 

WHERE ESCORTS ADVERTISE

 

Publications

 

The three main publications carrying escort ads are:

• Boyz – http://www.boyz.co.uk

• QX International – http://www.qxmagazine.com

• Gay Times – http://www.gaytimes.co.uk

 

For Boyz and QC International you can download their escort listings via the website addresses given above. Both these publications are available free in gay bars and clubs – but several escorts have told me that this does result in a high number of late night calls from drunken and/or abusive prospective clients. Gay Times carries the same kind of ads (in fact, often exactly the same ads) but is a for-sale publication and is available in most High Street newspaper shops. I can’t find their escort listings on the Net so it looks like you can’t download them but their website has some interesting info about being gay in the UK.

 

Online advertising

 

Gaydar (http://www.gaydar.co.uk)

If you don’t know it, Gaydar is an online way of meeting gay men – you can place a personal profile with photos, send instant messages and use the chatrooms. It also has escort listings with a search facility and an escort/client chatroom. You can join free of charge to set up a personal profile for yourself and try out the facilities. Commercial profiles (for those advertising services, such as escorts) cost £45 per month. The drawback with Gaydar is that you have to be logged on for your profile to be displayed in the escort listing. Many escorts stay logged on, but they make it clear that they are not at their computers and should be contacted by phone. Personally, I’d access it through a personal profile to have a look round first, to see if it is worth paying for. I know one Australian escort who used it to make initial contacts with prospective clients before he came to town, even though he wasn’t online when he was in the UK.

 

London Lads (http://www.london-lads.co.uk) (CURRENTLY ABSOLUTE MALE ESCORTS)(note from Steven)

This is an escort listing site where you don’t have to be logged on for your profile to show. It costs £40 a month and one very busy London escort tells me that he gets a lot of work through this site.

 

In addition, there are the following two sites but I have no personal knowledge of them:

• http://www.dotqueer.com

• http://www.easy-escorts.com

 

 

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

 

I was asked about this recently but cannot think there are many differences. Generally, exercise the usual caution and behave like a reasonable human being and everything will be fine. Things that are a ‘red flag’ elsewhere (such as requiring payment upfront) are ‘red flags’ here too.

 

In terms of language, we don’t generally use American terms like “Top” and “Bottom” though most English gays will know what they mean (we say “Active” or “Passive”). Versatile over here means exactly what it means everywhere else. Another term that would be unfamiliar over here is “bodyworker”.

 

 

DOING THE TOURIST BIT…

 

The main tourist information websites are:

• For London - http://www.visitlondon.com

• For Britain generally - http://www.travelbritain.org

 

 

WHERE TO STAY

 

Finding accommodation

 

Accommodation in London is notoriously expensive compared to, say, Paris. There are many mainstream accommodation finding services online. Two examples are http://www.hoteldiscount.com and http://www.hoteldirect.co.uk/london. I have no way of knowing if these are any good – you can find plenty more by entering ‘London accommodation finder’ into any search engine. The tourist information sites named above also have accommodation listings.

 

'Outlet' is an accommodation finding service for gay men and women. For short-stay holiday accommodation, look at http://www.outlet4holidays.com.

 

An alternative source is a weekly newspaper called Loot, which advertises many houses,

apartments, bedsits and rooms for rent – either long or short stay. You can

access Loot online at http://www.loot.com. Another idea – but a long shot – is to use your free personal profile on Gaydar to find someone who can provide you with accommodation.

 

Good/bad areas to stay in

 

This bit assumes no knowledge of London.

 

Londoners think of our city in terms of north and south, depending on which side of the River Thames you are on. Like many big cities London has both its affluent/safe parts and its deprived/rough parts. Generally, the west of the city is more affluent than the east – that holds true both north and south of the river.

 

The best way to describe the various areas is to use postal districts (these are roughly equivalent to zip codes). These districts – NW3, SE5, EC1 etc – are made up of letters that denote points on the compass (north, south, east, west and central) and a number which generally indicates proximity to the centre of town – the lower the number, the more central the district will be. Here are my assessments of what each part of London is like – obviously these are generalisations, but I have lived here all my life:

• The very centre of London is called the “West End” (W1, WC1, WC2). This includes the theatre district which is full of restaurants, bars and tourists. Think Broadway and Time Square. It also includes slightly seedier/Bohemian areas like Soho (straight strip clubs, sex shops and high levels of female prostitution). Good transport links. A good lively place to stay if you want to be in the centre of things.

• The districts EC1 to EC4 cover the City of London – the financial district. Lots of banks, insurance firms, finance houses. Lots of office workers and some tourists. Tends to quieten down in the evenings and is very, very quiet at the weekends as all the office workers go home to suburbia. Good transport links.

• The east of the city (districts E1 to E18) is known as the “East End”. Save for very few areas, almost universally poor/rough districts. You might not want to walk home alone after dark in many parts of the East End.

• The northern districts (N1 to N11) are mainly residential/suburban. The one exception is N1 which is Islington: good transport links and an area that has become very lively with street cafes, bars and restaurants, antique shops and markets. The north-west districts (NW1 to NW11) are again increasingly residential/suburban as you move away from the centre – some of these are very affluent areas. Stick to NW1 (which includes Regent’s Park) and NW3 (which includes Hampstead, a very quaint “village” – the heath at Hampstead is also a famous gay cruising area).

• The southern districts can be divided into the more affluent SW districts and the more mixed SE districts. In the south-west, I’d recommend SW1 (Westminster, Belgravia, Pimlico, Victoria), SW3 (Chelsea, Brompton – very smart areas), SW5 (Earl's Court – a very gay area, high proportion of gay bars, clubs and shops) and SW7 (South Kensington – again, a very well-healed area). The access to transport is very good in south-west London.

• The south-east (SE1 to SE28) is more economically mixed and the transport links are bad. The subway (which we call the Underground or the “tube”) does not extend very far into south-east London. Travelling across the south of London is difficult – often you have to come into the centre and then travel out again. I’d avoid the south-east districts with the possible exception of SE1. In SE1 the areas around Waterloo and London Bridge railway stations, and the area known as the South Bank, are all OK but areas further away from the river are rougher. Further out (around SE19 to SE28) are middle-class suburban residential areas – and pretty far flung. There are pockets of “good” areas (SE10 Greenwich and SE21 Dulwich) but the transport links aren’t good.

• The west of London is again residential and the districts nearer the centre are mainly affluent. As well as W1 (the West End), the respectable areas are W2 (Paddington, Bayswater, Hyde Park), W8 (Kensington), W10 (Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington) and W11 (Notting Hill, Holland Park).

 

Finally, the areas immediately around most railway stations (Victoria, Charing Cross, London Bridge, Paddington, and Euston) are OK. The area around Waterloo railway station is a little rougher. I’d avoid the area around King’s Cross railway station – lots of drug-taking, down-and-outs etc.

 

If you are thinking of staying somewhere specific, you can check out the area by going to http://www.upmystreet.co.uk and entering the full postcode (full postcodes begin with the postal district and have 3 or 4 additional digits, e.g. EC1 2TU or SW1A 1AA.) This site will then provide you with a map, and details of nearest transport links, shops and restaurants. Also it will provide a description of the type of people who live there (look for the “ACORN profile”) which will sum up the immediate area, e.g. “elderly residential”, “inner city deprived” etc.

 

Help and further information

 

If you are in London and need advice or help, try Gay Switchboard – a 24 hour, free confidential helpline. Their number is 020 7837 7324. They can give you advice/support with legal, financial, medical and emotional problems. They also have an online database on the gay scene in London – http://www.queery.co.uk

[+ glutes]

And don't forget Villagianni in Earls Court, where you can actually look at the 'goods' before purchase. IMHO, they are the top rated bordello in all of Europe.

http://www.villagianni.com