Chariots Shoreditch
Encyclopedia
There are multiple gay saunas, or bathhouses, in the United Kingdom
. Among the more noteworthy are Chariots Shoreditch, in Shoreditch
, London, and Pleasuredrome in South London.
There are free STD
testing sessions held at the bathhouse.
spent the evening in Chariots before committing suicide nearby that night.
There was significant press interest and internet speculation in 2006 when the sauna was closed for Easter Weekend, after a 24-year-old man's body was found. The police investigation found that death was due to a drugs overdose but there were no suspicious circumstances.
development.
were called to attend a fire which was reported to have destroyed most of the ground floor. 150 patrons were evacuated, and there were no injuries. The cause of fire is under investigation.
on the corner of Cornwall Rd and Alaska Street. It markets itself as "We never close".
in 1998 whilst the HIV rate amongst Gay men in London was 10%, some but not all gay bath houses promote safe sex. In the same year at another venue in London, Chariots the first openly gay British footballer Justin Fashanu
spent his last night taking his own life due to blackmail. and this is the year of the Bolton 7
case, at that time it was a criminal offence for more than two men to engage in sexual activity, even if above the age of consent. The charge would have been gross indecency and resulted in person being made to sign the sex offenders register. Although the law had relaxed since the raids on Gay Bath houses in the 80's Gay men still faced prosecution for consensual sex if another person was present, it was in this turbulent time that this venue opened. The offences of gross indecency and buggery were repealed in The Sexual Offences Act 2003
.
From 2002 the Waterloo area had benefited from £50 million worth of regeneration works being completed by 2007, a focus was reusing old railway arches.
In 2006 there was claim by an 18 year old male that he had been raped at the sauna by a 24 year old man while visiting the sauna. "With the full co-operation of the management and patrons, the suspect was subsequently identified and arrested" the official statement further stated that "A 24-year-old man was taken into custody at Kennington police station where he remains." Police thanked staff at the sauna for their co-operation.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Among the more noteworthy are Chariots Shoreditch, in Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, London, and Pleasuredrome in South London.
Chariots Shoreditch
In terms of floor-space and capacity, Chariots Shoreditch is the largest gay sauna in the UK.Description
The bathhouse is on three floors decorated in the style of a Roman baths.- On the ground floor is the main entrance with several areas of customer lockers, main shower room, TV lounge with bar/cafe, vending machines, internet area and an inclusive gym with several work-out machines.
- The first floor houses a maze of free private cabins of various sizes including orgy rooms and an extensive dark maze (pitch black orgy room and set of cabins).
- The second floor has a swimming pool, poolside loungers, two whirlpools (jacuzzis), two steam-rooms, a hot dry sauna, showers, glory-hole cubicles, a second smaller dark room, outside private smoking area and a porn video/orgy room.
There are free STD
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
testing sessions held at the bathhouse.
Etiquette
Customers are given two towels, a locker key and condoms on entrance. Further condoms are available from wall dispensers. Most people keep the second towel as a dry spare in their locker. The convention is to walk around the bathhouse wearing a towel, though nudity in the dry or steam sauna is normal. Apart from the lounge, cafe area, lockable cabins and within the jacuzzi, sexual activity may occur anywhere, with anyone free to watch or attempt to join in.History
Chariots Roman Spa opened in 1997. The management previously ran Rio's, a Kentish Town naturist club. Originally a warehouse, the Shoreditch redevelopment cost £2.5 million. In 2000 the venue was significantly expanded with the addition of the restaurant, 30 more cubicles, video lounge and internet room.Media attention
On 2 May 1998, former footballer Justin FashanuJustin Fashanu
Justinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997. He was known by his early clubs to be homosexual, and came out to the press later in his career, to become the first professional footballer to be openly gay...
spent the evening in Chariots before committing suicide nearby that night.
There was significant press interest and internet speculation in 2006 when the sauna was closed for Easter Weekend, after a 24-year-old man's body was found. The police investigation found that death was due to a drugs overdose but there were no suspicious circumstances.
Chain
In addition to the first Chariots at Shoreditch, Chariots Leisure Ltd has opened the following gay saunas: Chariots Streatham (1999), Chariots Limehouse (2002, previously Sailor's Sauna), Chariots Waterloo (2003, previously Wellingtons Health Club) and Chariots Vauxhall (2005). Chariots Farringdon (opened 1999) closed in 2010 due to the CrossrailCrossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
development.
Fire
At 0605 on Sunday 20th March 2011 the London Fire BrigadeLondon Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire...
were called to attend a fire which was reported to have destroyed most of the ground floor. 150 patrons were evacuated, and there were no injuries. The cause of fire is under investigation.
Pleasuredrome
Pleasuredrome is a gay sauna in south London, in the arches below Waterloo East railway stationWaterloo East railway station
Waterloo East station, also known as London Waterloo East, is a railway station in central London on the line from through London Bridge to Kent. It is managed by Southeastern and is in Travelcard Zone 1...
on the corner of Cornwall Rd and Alaska Street. It markets itself as "We never close".
Etiquette
Customers are given two towels, a locker key and condoms on entrance. It is etiquette to wrap in a towel, nudity in the dry or steam sauna is normal. Inside the sauna area sexual activity may be present and others may wish to watch or try to join in. Privacy at this venue is afforded by private rooms., This venue actively promotes condom use reinforced by staff in their interactions with the clientele to promote safe sex. The venue has a drugs free, smoke free policy.History
The sauna is set in railway arches, a building method employed as land prices in large English cities increased. The sauna opened as a gay bathhouseGay bathhouse
Gay bathhouses, also known as gay saunas or steam baths, are commercial bathhouses for men to have sex with other men. In gay slang in some regions these venues are also known colloquially as "the baths" or "the tubs," and should not be confused with public bathing.Not all men who visit gay...
in 1998 whilst the HIV rate amongst Gay men in London was 10%, some but not all gay bath houses promote safe sex. In the same year at another venue in London, Chariots the first openly gay British footballer Justin Fashanu
Justin Fashanu
Justinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997. He was known by his early clubs to be homosexual, and came out to the press later in his career, to become the first professional footballer to be openly gay...
spent his last night taking his own life due to blackmail. and this is the year of the Bolton 7
Bolton 7
The Bolton 7 were a group of gay and bisexual men who were convicted on 12 January 1998 before Judge Michael Lever at Bolton Crown Court of the offences of gross indecency under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 and of age of consent offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994...
case, at that time it was a criminal offence for more than two men to engage in sexual activity, even if above the age of consent. The charge would have been gross indecency and resulted in person being made to sign the sex offenders register. Although the law had relaxed since the raids on Gay Bath houses in the 80's Gay men still faced prosecution for consensual sex if another person was present, it was in this turbulent time that this venue opened. The offences of gross indecency and buggery were repealed in The Sexual Offences Act 2003
Sexual Offences Act 2003
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland that was passed in 2003 and became law on 1 May 2004.It replaced older sexual offences laws with more specific and explicit wording...
.
From 2002 the Waterloo area had benefited from £50 million worth of regeneration works being completed by 2007, a focus was reusing old railway arches.
In 2006 there was claim by an 18 year old male that he had been raped at the sauna by a 24 year old man while visiting the sauna. "With the full co-operation of the management and patrons, the suspect was subsequently identified and arrested" the official statement further stated that "A 24-year-old man was taken into custody at Kennington police station where he remains." Police thanked staff at the sauna for their co-operation.