Southwark Council leader Peter John has said he is confident a new venue for Southwark’s last gay nightclub, XXL, will be found.

The popular venue has operated from the Pulse club in railway arches near Blackfriars Bridge since 2011, but the site is now earmarked for a £1.3bn development along with the adjacent Ludgate House and Sampson House.

The club, which is the borough’s last LGBT+ venue and has been open since 2000, has been served with an eviction notice after losing a court appeal.

Club owners James McNeil and Mark Ames addressed a council assembly, asking for more protections for LGBT+ venues and for help to stay open in Southwark.

Mr McNeil said Tower Hamlets Council and Hackney Council had policies which protected LGBT+ venues.

“Across London, other local councils are taking action to save LGBT venues.

“Join these councils in valuing and protecting LGBT plus heritage.

“We have over 100,000 members, 30 per cent of which are overseas.

“Members have come to view Southwark as an LGBT hub,” he said.

Cllr Johnson Situ confirmed the council “would do everything we can” to keep the venue open.

Council leader Peter John said he was confident a solution would be found, and would add his voice to calls for the club to stay open. 

He said: “I absolutely would join in with concerns.

“My only reflection on this is that it’s really disappointing to have this on our radar.”

He said Cllr Situ was leading on this issue and was keeping him “regularly briefed.”

“I do absolutely commend the work Cllr Situ is doing in trying to find a solution and I’m confident he will,” he said.

Southwark has lost two, or 67 per cent of its venues since 2006, but this is "significant", according to the Mayor of London report, given the "important community and neighbourhood functions of LGBTQ+ venues".

The new development will include towers rising to 34 storeys with 489 apartments, a hotel, offices and shops.