A decade after campaigners came together to fight the loss of one of London's best-loved queer venues (The Joiner’s Arms), the Joiner’s Heart will officially open its doors in Hackney, becoming London's newest community-run LGBTQIA+ pub and performance space.

Located at Arch 18, Bohemia Place, Hackney, the Joiner’s Heart has been created by Friends of the Joiners Arms (FOTJA), the award-winning Community Benefit Society founded in 2014 following the closure of the historic Joiner’s Arms pub on Hackney Road.

Owned by more than 2,000 community shareholders, the not-for-profit venue has been designed as an accessible, welcoming space where LGBTQIA+ people can socialise, organise, create and celebrate together.

The opening comes against the backdrop of the continued decline of LGBTQIA+ venues across London. The capital has lost 60% of its LGBTQIA+ spaces since 2006, with closures continuing to rise.

The venue will include:

• A fully accessible LGBTQIA+ community hub

• A 120-capacity pub and social venue

• A performance and cultural space

• Community workshops and events

• Opportunities for local artists, performers and grassroots organisations

• Accessibility embedded throughout the design of the venue