Torture Garden

Started in 1990, Torture Garden (aka TG) is now the mecca for London's straight fetish scene, offering "sexuality and fantasy in a safe environment" and embracing body art, goth, industrial, burlesque, electro and any other form or aspect of fetishised self-expression. Increasingly gay-friendly, though straight couples — especially the female half — tend to publicly rule the roost. Features include fashion shows, cage installations, electro/drum 'n' bass DJs and a SM/medical equipment dungeon playroom. There can be a 'freak show' thing going on here — and much display/voyeur activity — that tends to jar with gay experiences in men-only leather/rubber clubs, underscoring interesting differences between the two camps. Relatively pricey monthly events are staged at regular haunts, whether at Electrowerkz in Angel — also home to Kaos [see entry] — or the Scala in Kings Cross. Torture Garden has spread its seed in many international locations, including Rome, New York, Los Angeles and Ibiza.