Police Raid Forest Hill Gay Club (1987)

From London LGBT paper 'Capital Gay' (2 October 1987), a report of police raiding a gay club in Forest Hill in 1987, prompting the headline: "Clear out of Forest Hill! Police Want Gays Confined to the West End." 

The target was Frolic at 240 Stanstead Road, SE23 which on Saturday September 19th was raided by '30 officers, some wearing rubber gloves' who 'ordered customers off the premises'. The club was closed down and owner Phillippe Sinclair was summonsed to appear in court charged with licensing offences including serving non-members after pub hours (not sure if it later re-opened, anybody know?)

Local police Chief Superintendant John Taylor was reported to have said 'Gays belong in the West End, not out here'. 

The club promoted itself as 'South London's most exclusive gay nite club' with events that summer including a benefit for HIV organisation Terrence Higgins Trust.

Advert in Capital Gay, 14 August 1987

Deptford Gay Disco 1976

South East London gaysoc apparently grew out of Goldsmiths gay society and by 1976 was putting on what may have been the first 'regular gay disco' in the area - 'with upward of 60 local gays attending' -  at the Deptford Albany (then at its old building in Creek Road). 

Source: Gay News (London) March 11-24, 1976