Roma Trans Club

If you’ve been looking for a trans club London regulars actually rate, Roma is the name that keeps coming up. Running since 2012, Roma Trans Club is a monthly party built for T-girls and the admirers who love them – and it has grown, almost entirely by word of mouth, from a first night with three guests to one of the capital’s best-loved dates on the scene. People travel from across the country, and from overseas, to be there.

What kind of night is it?

Roma is a trans party London nightlife doesn’t really have an equivalent for: part club night, part social, part play party. It was created for trans women and admirers of all genders – single men, single women and couples are all welcome – and the whole point is a room where nobody is judged and everyone is there to enjoy themselves.

Expect a gorgeous, mixed crowd, a resident DJ playing tribal-flavoured remixes that make it hard to stand still, and a live show at around 1.30am from performers drawing on Brazilian, British and Asian backgrounds. Drinks are reasonably priced, and the play areas are there for anyone who wants the night to go further.

Consent comes first

Roma’s house rules are short and enforced without exception:

• No means no. Nobody touches anyone without clear permission – on the dance floor, at the bar or in the play area.
• No pushy or forceful behaviour, and no rudeness or aggression of any kind, verbal or physical.
• Break the rules and you’re out – asked to leave by security and banned permanently. No second chances.

Reports of unsafe behaviour are believed and acted on, CCTV runs throughout the venue, and a hostess and security team are on hand all night. If something doesn’t feel right, tell a member of the team, the bar staff or the cloakroom.

London: the essentials

• When: every fourth Friday of the month, 10.30pm–4.30am (last entry 3.30am)
• Where: Bunker Club, 215–221 City Road, London EC1V 1JN – a small black door between an off-licence and a corner café
• Getting there: a short walk from Old Street station (Northern line, exit 4). If you’re getting a taxi, search “MA1: The Bunker”
• Tickets: ladies £15, guys £35. Buy online until 6pm on the day, then on the door only
• Dress code: none officially, but smart casual for the guys and glamorous for the girls is very much encouraged – everyone likes a compliment
• On site: cloakroom, changing room, hostess, security, licensed bar and play areas

Upcoming London dates: check MA1: The Bunker

Getting ready at the venue

Not comfortable travelling in your outfit? You don’t have to. Roma sets up a changing room on the night – just ask at the door and the team will show you where to go.

A few practical points: bring ID, don’t bring your own drinks (they’re not allowed, and the bar prices are fair), keep hold of your drink rather than leaving it on the floor, and leave valuables at home. Hang on to your cloakroom ticket – lost tickets mean waiting until the end of the night.

Roma comes to Manchester

Roma on Tour has now landed in the north. The trans club Manchester edition runs on the second Friday of each month at Venue Code, with the same crowd-first approach and some familiar faces from the London team behind the decks and the bar.

• Where: Venue Code, 50 Sackville Street, Manchester M1 3WF – a few minutes’ walk from Piccadilly station. The entrance is discreet and the club sits in the basement, so privacy is built in
• Tickets: ladies £10, guys £30, on the door or online
• On site: entrance hostess, secure cloakroom, play area, dance floor and a licensed bar open until 3am
• Dress code: none

Upcoming Manchester dates: check Area Manchester

Why go?

Plenty of venues say they’re trans-friendly. Roma was built from the ground up as a night for trans women and their admirers, run by people from the scene, with consent rules that are enforced rather than just printed on a wall. Whether you’re a regular or nervous about your first night out, it’s one of the most welcoming T-girl club nights in London – and now Manchester too.