The Magic Farm and other queer tales

Tales of three LGBT venues in the south-east of England, in the 1970s and 1980s, told through oral history and illustrated with photographs. Original research and interviews reveal: the Hotel Roger Dee near Worthing (West Sussex), Hazelpits farm in Headcorn (Kent), the Safari Bar attached to Bognor Zoo (West Sussex). Introduction by Janes Traies.
Places to meet other LGBT people were much rarer in the 1970s and 80s than they are now, especially outside of big cities. This book takes us back in time to visit three extraordinary sanctuaries created to fill that void. Told through the memories of the people involved, or those who knew them, we glimpse an authentic record of three places you won't find in any history book, until now.

It begins with The Hotel Roger Dee, 1972-76, one of the first explicitly gay hotels in the UK, set up by a 60s cabaret artist and his boyfriend, a dresser for Danny La Rue. Possibly the most unusual thing about all of this is the location - Angmering, a quiet seaside village to the west of Worthing in West Sussex.

The second story details the queer dances that took place at Hazelpits farm in the village of Headcorn, nestled in the middle of the Kent countryside. What started as a gay farmer's parties with friends in 1977, grew to almost festival sized discos by 1986, with 600-700 people arriving from all over the south coast and further afield.

The final tale concerns a location that lasted less than a year, but its brevity is more than made up for by its uniqueness. Some gay mates took over the cafe attached to Bognor Regis Zoo in 1983, draped everything in faux fur and ran it as The Safari Bar, an after-hours gay bar with discos, drag nights and more.

'The Magic Farm and other queer tales' is a super cute little book with almost 40 pictures, half of which are in full colour, featuring all-new original research told through oral history. However it feels more like three bedtime stories that take you on a rollercoaster ride through love, loss, and unbridled queer joy.

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