Ken’s at Kensington to close
Sydney’s longest-surviving gay venue, Ken’s at Kensington, will close its doors on May 20 for the last time after 40 years operation.
“It is with regret that I can confirm that Ken’s at Kensington will be closing due to the sale of the building,” owner Reiner Becker, owner of the iconic sex-on-premises venue, told the Star Observer in a statement.
“Our last day of trading will be May 20 — until then it is business as usual.”
Ken’s opened in 1972. The building that houses it, at 83 Anzac Pde, has a 50-year association with the LGBTI community as it also housed the Purple Onion nightclub, which opened in 1962.
Ken’s first owner was Ken “Kandy” Johnson, a drag queen from the Purple Onion who also owned the Park Inn Hotel in Woollahra — another early Sydney gay venue. Johnson opened Ken’s Baths in a gym at 97 Belmore Rd, Randwick in 1971, before relocating to the old Purple Onion building.
When Johnson remodelled the venue, the nightclub’s stage was replaced with a swimming pool, around which shows were occasionally still performed.
The venue was later sold to David Ross and Nicolas Lorschy who also opened the Roman Baths on Pitt St in the city in 1977.
At Anzac Pde, the venue was first known as Ken’s Karate Klub and also Kensington Karate Klasses.
With homosexuality in NSW not decriminalised until 1984, the names were supposed to explain the vinyl-covered mats and the thumping and groaning inside.
Ken’s at Kensington found itself in the news in 2010 when a Channel Seven film crew filmed then state Transport Minister David Campbell leaving the venue.
Becker told the Star Observer in 2002 that the venue attracted people from all walks of life.
“You never know who is going to fancy who,” Becker said.
“You can’t foretell what a person’s taste is going to be like. A towel is a great leveller.”
The closure of Ken’s at Kensington follows on the heels of the Taxi Club going into voluntary administration, and leaves King Steam as Sydney’s longest-operating gay venue, having opened its doors in 1974.
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i am still sad. It’s devastating. I live near the building and can’t pass it without an immense sense of sadness. I first went there as a 21 year old in 1990. I was reluctant to go but friends I was with suggested it. Well…I walked in and it was AWESOME. I felt like “Craig has arrived!” I was free to be myself and saw that there were so many other men who too were like me. I wasn’t alone, I was amongst my own kind and it was liberating. It was my second home and I can identify with what David says about it being a second home – it really was and it meant so much to say many gay men. It’s a TRAGEDY!!! I miss it soooo much…..I want to smell the eucalyptus oil in the corridors and hear the hiss of the steam room and the sound of the bell as new “trade” walked through. It was like a gay planet. I will always have those memories.
The Purple Onion was the first gay venue I went to in Sydney. Sunday nights was a social highlight. Kandy with her sharp wit and who remembers Beatrice in ‘Sound of Mucus” descending on a swing? And Bobby H bringing Rudi N with Lotte and the créme de la créme of Sydney gay high society.
Pre KKK my doctor said I should keep a diary note of “contacts” in case they needed to be traced. Gave up in 2001 when moving interstate and discovered 2000+ x’s in the diary. And to all those friends and f****s who were felled by AIDS we will always remember you. KKK’s memories will live forever. Vale.
To all the former patrons of Ken’s at Kensington,
Reiner Becker, Ken’s owner, has recently donated a wonderful small collection of material relating to the last 20 years of Ken’s to the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives (ALGA; http://www.alga.org.au), including a towel and key, promotional material and OH&S documents.
If you have additional material relating to Ken’s, KKK or indeed The Purple Onion, ALGA would be very interested in hearing from you.
(algarchives[at]hotmail[dot]com)
OMG, I am completely gutted! I was in Brisbane having dinner tonight with friends & was just told about Ken’s closing! I am absolutely speechless with sorrow & sadness . . . Ken’s was my second home for almost 20 years when I lived in Sydney & the AWESOME guys, both staff & clientele alike, were almost like family to me! I have the FONDEST memories of Kens as it was the ONLY place on Eacth I could ever escape to & just be ME, without having to wear a mask . . . Walking through the doors of Kens was like going home each time . . . I met THE BEST GUYS EVER at Kens & I will truly miss it, as will all my other gay brothers . . . My God, I am so devastated I just don’t know what to say, except I hope all my brothers find a suitable new venue to gather once again & share many happy times . . . although NOTHING will EVER replace my second home . . . xx
I just went to ken’s tonight. And so very sad that the door said “closed” This is one of the sadest time of my life. No where else like ken’s. Miss you forever!!!!!
When I was getting my act together I spent many a night wiping the mats and cleaning the walls: dirty DIRTY Boys!! Lol Kens was the most chilled relaxed cruising venue in Sydney and apart form Chris the staff were real friendly lol. KKK will be missed. x
by far the most aesthetically pleasing venue out of them all. to the crew and the clientelle… thanks for the memories…and the service… and the servicing.