© 2025 Tantric Euphoria
The Admiral Duncan, a pub on Old Compton Street, has been part of Soho life since 1832. But on 30 April 1999, its history was scarred forever when a nail bomb exploded inside. The attack killed three people and injured 79 more—some were left blinded or lost limbs. It was one of three coordinated bombings carried out across London by a young neo-Nazi, David Copeland, who targeted racial minorities as well as LGBT people.
The atrocity struck at a turning point in British social history. After years of stagnation under the previous government, Tony Blair’s administration introduced reforms that changed lives: equalising the age of consent, repealing Section 28, and later, legalising civil partnerships. In the end, Copeland’s violent attempt to spread fear backfired—it hardened public resolve and accelerated progress towards equality. Today, more LGBT people feel able to hold hands in public, and what once might have been considered taboo, like gay massage in London, is now a perfectly ordinary part of city life.
When police searched Copeland’s home, they found his walls plastered with Nazi memorabilia and newspaper clippings of his bombings. But his “glorification” of violence ensured nothing more than his own downfall. He is now serving six life sentences.
The scars of 1999 never disappeared. David Morley, a barman at the Admiral Duncan who survived the bombing, was later murdered in a homophobic attack on the South Bank in 2004. At the 20th anniversary commemoration in 2019, Morley’s name was spoken with reverence, alongside the three people who lost their lives that day: John Light (32), Nik Moore (31), and Andrea Dykes (27). Three candles were lit in their honour.
The annual Soho Act of Remembrance, held on 30 April, brings the community together outside the pub to mark all three nail bomb attacks, including those in Brixton and Brick Lane. Groups like Pride in London and the anti-hate charity 17-24-30 National HCAW ensure the victims are remembered and that the call to resist hate is renewed.
Much has changed since the late 1990s. Hate crime laws have been toughened, thanks in part to activists from groups like OutRage!, who pushed for stronger protections. Copeland also targeted Asian and Black communities, and when combined with the findings of the Macpherson Report into institutional racism, his crimes marked a turning point in how hate violence is dealt with in Britain.
Despite the loss of some historic LGBT venues like The Coleherne and The Black Cap, the Admiral Duncan remains a thriving symbol of resilience. Next time you’re in Soho—whether for a night out, a stroll down Old Compton Street, or even after a session of gay massage in London—consider pausing at the Admiral Duncan. Take a quiet moment of remembrance, and reflect on how far the community has come, and the vigilance still needed to protect those hard-won freedoms.
Ah… the first time. No one forgets it. You’ve spent time imagining it, hoping it will be meaningful, something memorable—not… Read more »
When most people think of massage, they imagine relaxation and pleasure—a blissful hour or 90 minutes to let go of… Read more »
At first glance, dating and gay massage might seem like an odd pairing. But consider the modern dating scene: meeting… Read more »
The Admiral Duncan, a pub on Old Compton Street, has been part of Soho life since 1832. But on 30… Read more »
© 2025 Tantric Euphoria