Queer shelves: LGBTQ literary activists in London cycle tour - Saturday 13 June 2026 12 midday

Name: Queer shelves: LGBTQ literary activists in London cycle tour - Saturday 13 June 2026 12 midday
Brand: OpenCityShop
SKU: TOURS
Price: 29.5 GBP
Availability: InStock

£29.50

Tax included.

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Join Open City for a cycling tour in celebration of Pride month exploring the fascinating history of LGBT literary activism from the East End to Bloomsbury

Please ensure all attendees in your booking complete this cycle tour release form before arriving for the tour.

This fun and inspiring cycle tour led by Golden Key Academy graduate Justin Manley celebrates the history of the bookshops, libraries, and archives which have been preserving and sharing queer stories in London for decades.

Bookshops and public libraries have long brought readers and writers from a range of diverse and campaigning backgrounds together. This leisurely three-hour cycle between Mile End and Bloomsbury is a celebration of literary LGBTQ resistance and resilience in London.

See the public library that defied the government to keep LGBTQ stories on its shelves. Visit the bookshop whose inventory of LGBTQ literature was seized by the government, and the booksellers who fought in Central Criminal Court and won back their books and their right (everyone's right!) to keep selling them. Hear about the archives where banners and posters from decades of protests are preserved and more.

Highlights of the route include: Holborn Library, Bishopsgate Institute and The Common Press Shoreditch High Street a key example of queer book activism today.

Photo by: Justin Manley

Key information

Participants must be competent riders and bring their own bicycle.

Meeting point: In front of the Tower Hamlets Local History & Archives, 277 Bancroft Rd E1 4DQ. The 2nd stop on this tour is The Common Press Bookshop

End point: Gay's the Word bookshop, 66 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AB

Duration: 3 hours approx

Difficulty: Moderate, the route does include some large main roads, and slopes (gently!) upwards for much of the route.

Distance: 6.8 miles / 11km

Accessibility: There is a very gentle downwards incline across the entire route. There are no places where participants are required to carry bicycles up or down stairs.

*3 of stops on the tours are shared between this and London Libraries cycle tour Justin also leads for Open City. The content of only one of those stops, Gay's the Word is the same.

Please select pay it forward ticket if you feel you can to help our charity to help offer reduced concessionary tickets to others who may otherwise be unable to attend.

We offer reduced-price tickets for people who are currently without paid work (e.g., job seekers). If you're retired, please select the Over 65s ticket, which also includes a small discount if you require this.

We aim to be inclusive and accessible where possible, please contact Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk to discuss your accessibility needs, reduced ticket prices and if you require a free carer ticket.

Tickets are non-refundable and tours go ahead rain or shine.

Photography may be taking place on any of our tours, please indicate on the day if you do not want to be in any of the photos.

* Please check for any planned transport engineering works, planned strike action or large scale events that may affect your journey before making your ticket purchase *

If you find you can no longer make the tour for any reason including Covid we are unable to transfer you to another date, but please feel free to pass your booked place onto a friend to go and enjoy the tour in your place.

In the event your tour date is cancelled you will be issued with a credit note (with no expiry date) that you can use to

- book onto a rescheduled date
- book onto any other tour from our programme

or you can request a refund.

All ticket purchases are in support of the work of our organisation including our pioneering education programmes. We really appreciate your support!

Get in touch with Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk with any queries.

This is an in-person tour and the guide is with you for the duration. Zoom is used in order to help with social distancing and allow better spacing between participants and allow image sharing.

Attendees must download Zoom to their smartphone before the tour. Bring your fully charged smartphone (with an internet connection) and headphones. Zoom joining info will be sent out to bookers 48-24 hours before the tour.

Get in touch with Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk with any queries.