Since 1884 · Open Since 1993
The History of The Yard
From Victorian stables, carriage houses and a hayloft to one of Soho's best-loved LGBTQIA+ bars – discover the story behind our hidden courtyard on Rupert Street.
Victorian & LGBTQIA+ Heritage
From Victorian Stables to Soho Icon
Tucked away behind Rupert Street, The Yard is one of Soho's hidden gems – and its buildings have a story that stretches back more than 140 years.
1884 – Victorian Stables, Carriage Houses & Hayloft
The Yard was built in 1884 as Victorian stables and carriage houses, arranged around a courtyard with a hayloft above. Today you still enter the same way – through the tunnel and into our hidden courtyard.
2 June 1993 – The Courtyard and Loft
On 2 June 1993 the old stables opened as a bar called The Courtyard and Loft, bringing the historic courtyard back to life in the heart of Soho.
Part of Soho's LGBTQIA+ Story
For more than three decades The Yard has been part of Soho's LGBTQIA+ community – a welcoming place for drinks, dancing, dates and celebrations, and a regular in the pages of the gay press over the years.
The Yard Today
The Victorian hayloft is now our Loft Bar – a stylish cocktail lounge, balcony and party space with Drag and DJs at weekends – while the Stable Bar and hidden courtyard garden remain at the heart of the venue. LGBTQIA+ and hetero-friendly: come as you are.
The research behind our story
Read the Heritage Reports
Three independent heritage reports, written in 2015–16 to support listing The Yard, explain why our building matters. Here is a short summary of each – click through to read the full report.
Victorian Heritage Report
Conservation architect Paul Velluet's appraisal of the 1884 stables, carriage houses and hayloft behind 57 Rupert Street – from Robert Sawyer's original drawings to the cast-iron stall posts and the fine Baltic-pine roof above today's upper bar.
Equestrian Stables Heritage Report
Around 1900 London had some 300,000 working horses. Conservation officer Graham Tite explains how they lived in the city, and why The Yard is a rare, nearly complete survivor of an inner-London commercial stable.
LGBTQIA+ Heritage Report
Heritage consultant Robert Bevan tells the story of The Yard's opening in 1993, as Soho's gay village was born, and why its open courtyard and loft bar made it one of the first "out and proud" LGBTQ+ venues.