Local hero who established Edinburgh's first gay discos in 1970s

Early gay rights campaigner led the way in the 1970s

A local LGBT hero who ran the Capital’s first ever licensed gay discos and campaigned heavily for law reform is the focus of a new podcast reflecting on how life has changed for gay men in Scotland over the past 50 years.

To mark Pride Month, Gregan Crawford, 72, spoke with Age Scotland Conversations, detailing the challenges he faced as a gay man living in Edinburgh in the 1970s and how he ended up involved in the fight for gay rights.

Early gay rights campaigner Gregan Crawford pictured in 2005.

Gregan, who joined the Scottish Minorities Group, then Scotland’s main gay rights organisation, recalled how there were no licensed discos for gay men at the time, while pubs still closed at 10pm.

Everything changed after Gregan visited California with its much more progressive gay scene.

He said: “In the summer of 1974, I went over to the US and I experienced the gay life there for a period and I thought we could with something like this back home.”

Gregan started the first gay disco at Nicky Tam’s on Victoria Street, but a change of venue was required as the numbers soared.

Tiffany's night club in Stockbridge, which hosted popular gay disco nights for a spell in the 1970s.

He said: “By 1976, we’d graduated to much bigger discos at Tiffany’s in St Stephen Street. They came from all over Scotland.

“There was no commercial scene then, but that took off with discos at Fire Island, in Princes Street. It’s now Waterstones, so it’s quite strange going there to buy books and remember the old days.”

Despite their popularity, Gregan’s time running discos at Tiffany’s, was brought to an end when Mecca owner Eric Morley came down with a view to running a Miss World competition from the venue. Morley’s directors decided they did not want to be associated with the gay scene.

With the proceeds from the discos, however, Gregan and many others established the city’s first gay rights campaign hub: The Gay Centre on Broughton Street.

He said: “The money we raised allowed us to do our political campaigning from the site.”

From the Gay Centre, Gregan and other campaigners enlisted the help of leading politicians including Robin Cook and Malcolm Rifkind to help push the need for law reform, which would eventually come in 1980.

The centre also offered a counselling service for anyone seeking advice on their sexuality.

Gregan added: “It gave us a public face, with a shop front and things in the window that people could see.

“In the basement there was a befriending service and it probably saved a few lives.”

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