Telephone Pub rebrands as CIRCUS

[Armando]

I certainly wish the rebranded bar luck however, I think the value of the brand “Telephone Bar” can’t be underestimated as likely anyone looking at the gay boards has either been to or has heard of “Telephone Bar”.

I agree. The new owners can obviously name the venue as they think fit. But changing a brand that has not just become firmly established but totally entrenched in the international gay community can be a dangerous route to take. Telephone has been around since 1987. It's an institution. Many friends who have visited Bangkok had said Telephone was the first bar they wished to visit. Indeed for most it was the only name they knew! I can't recall the number of visits I have made since 1987. For the first few years, the telephone gimmick really worked and was popular. Then the name began to stick.

Telephone and Balcony were the two best brands in the soi. With Telephone gone, my fear will be that Balcony will become the place to go (only because I always thought Telephone was better as a bar/restaurant). We will all have our own ideas about Circus as a name. But brand names generally reflect the product. Telephone ws an apt description right from the start. I'm not sure what image Circus conveys. As one poster has pointed out, Piccadilly Circus and rent boys is one. Performances in large tents with rings, sawdust, animals and trapeze artists is another.

Yet another is Monty Python's Fying Circus which for a gay bar is perhaps unfortunate. Too many dead parrots around!!

One of the most popular little long running gay bars in Singapore is called Backstage. The walls are highlighted with posters from lots of musicals and plays. With musicals being particularly popular with gay guys, the association works extremely well - as well as having a title that could be regarded as a bit of a gay pun.

I just keep wondering how Circus can become identified by the gay community internationally. For it will be international tourists as well as locals wo are the likely patrons. I suppose the reason the name Telephone can not be used is that the previous owner has some form of copyright on it and wants an arm and a leg to sell it. That to me is a major disappointment. I will keep further comment to myself.