Farewell to the Glory, a true East End icon — and hello to the Divine

Ten years into their friendship, they opened the Glory alongside business partner Colin Rothbart and Dalston Superstore’s Zoe Argiros. “It was a time when a new crowd of queer people had moved to London and it felt like the places we used to go to weren’t really ours anymore, so maybe we should open our own place,” says Woo. More than just a drinking den for the LGBTQ+ community, the Glory quickly became known for its drag performances, theatre nights, poetry, punk bands, and beloved events such as Lipsync1000 (restaurant critic Grace Dent was a regular judge) and Man Up. Not only did it become a firm favourite among east Londoners, but among famous faces, too. “Chelsea Clinton came in with Keira Knightley randomly one New Year’s Eve,” remembers Sizzle, while Rita Ora, Cara Delevigne, Richard E Grant, Christine and the Queens, Peaches, Beth Ditto and Nick Grimshaw have all passed through its doors. Graham Norton is also a big fan — “he always queues up, he always pays and will never jump the queue,” says Sizzle.