The Londoner: Sex work industry in crisis as punters socially distance

Red-light districts in Soho and Mayfair’s Shepherd Market are facing financial crises following the pandemic, an action group for sex workers has told The Londoner.

Laura Watson of the English Collective of Prostitutes said: “Some places have had to shut because they can’t make enough money. Clients just weren’t coming in.”

In Soho “three flats in one house have closed down” while another, which “survived many police raids and many attempts to shut it” has been forced to close by Covid, she said.

Watson explained that some lower rental agreements made with landlords before the pandemic are now coming to an end, leading to eviction warnings.

She added that rule changes have lead to confusion, including over whether they counted as hospitality for the 10pm curfew — it was decided they didn’t. “We did hear of people getting in trouble for having sex outside your own household,” she said.

Watson urged the Government to “provide alternatives” such as emergency payments and Universal Credit, in order to help the industry.

Sex worker collective SWARM agreed, saying that many had not qualified for government support, leaving them “stranded”.

James: I couldn’t afford to be a literary snob

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Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James has explained why his upbringing has made him relaxed about now writing fantasy books. He tells the LA Times: “I don’t have genre snobbery or literary snobbery because I couldn’t afford it. The only category I needed for a book was that it was next.”

Stone joins constellation of stars lighting up Mayfair

Dave Benett

Lara Stone and fiancé David Grievson dropped by Annabel’s in Mayfair last night for a show of sculptor Joseph Klibansky’s bronzes. Just south of Berkeley Square, the Stardust premiere attracted a crowd at The May Fair hotel. Love Actually star Thomas Brodie-Sangster (all grown-up now) and girlfriend Gzi Wisdom joined actors Josh Dylan and Stephanie Levi-John to celebrate the new film about David Bowie’s life. Stellar casts all round.

Cush pitches new show with Nollywood auntie

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Cush Jumbo now has an answer to the question of where her talent comes from. The Lewisham-born actress says she always thought “there’s no one else remotely in the family who does anything near what I do”, but has learnt about a rather special Nigerian aunt, her father’s half-sister. “She’s a massive Nollywood actress. Millions of followers on every platform. Uche Jombo,” Jumbo tells David Tennant’s podcast. “I should do a documentary like Hollywood to Nollywood.” Keep your eyes peeled.

SW1A

Dave Benett

Laurence Fox, the combative actor who formed a political party to “fight the culture wars” and “reclaim” British values, seems to be changing tack. Emailing followers of his Reclaim party, the “fierce liberal” adopted a softer approach: “I begin with an apology; well, it is what makes us different… I have been remiss in contacting you. My apologies.” Kinder, gentler politics?

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David Morris has House of Commons curtains in his home in Morecambe, but why? “It’s a good prop in Covid times,” says the Tory MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale. “I thought it would be a bit of a hoot if I set up a replica Westminster office.” He found the curtains on eBay and bought Commons-type desk lamps from TK Maxx. “I’ve made it all Westminsterified”. A word is born.