What was once known as a haven for liberation and equality, Torture Garden Club in London has come under fire for oppressive behaviour, unprofessional door staff and toxic circumstances for guests.
In a space which was long praised for being London’s temple of sexual freedom and self-expression, something has cracked. For years, queer people have turned to nights like Torture Garden for release – a place where gender, kink and identity could coexist without judgement. But reports of what has happened recently – particularly the post Halloween weekend of 2025 – proved that even within the latex-wrapped walls of the city’s most famous fetish club, safety is not guaranteed.
We have learned that queer guests – trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people – were singled out by staff and subjected to disparaging comments, and treatment that felt humiliating and targeted. Instead of protection, there was policing. Instead of celebration, control and abuse.
It’s hard to overstate how devastating that feels in a place built on the idea of freedom. Torture Garden has always branded itself as inclusive, but when Torture Garden Club staff use their power to make queer people feel unwelcome, the message becomes clear: inclusion only goes so far.
This isn’t just about one night or one venue. Across London, queer safe spaces are shrinking – victims of gentrification, politics, and a cultural backlash that dresses itself as “neutrality.” The pendulum has swung so far right that even the bastions of kink and liberation are being infected with fear and conformity.
No space that excludes, humiliates or dismisses queer people can claim to be progressive. What happened in November 2025 isn’t just a moment of bad behaviour, it’s a warning. Safe spaces don’t stay safe on their own; they need constant accountability and community care.
To those who were hurt tonight: you are not overreacting. Your anger and your exhaustion are valid. And to the clubs and organisers who claim to celebrate diversity: start proving it, not just promoting it.