A four-hour Halloween vigil was held outside a popular Camden Town pub on Saturday calling for it to be reopen.

The Black Cap was an iconic venue for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community before it closed suddenly in April.

Nigel Harris, director of the Camden LGBT Forum said cases of social isolation had increased since it shut.

He said: “Since it closed we’ve seen a number of people accessing our services.

“It (The Black Cap) was their family, and they don’t feel comfortable going elsewhere.”

He said Saturday afternoon’s vigil, and a petition containing 8,200 signatures, showed the strength of feeling about the venues.

“It shows a potential buyer that there’s a lot of interest in the venue,” he said.

The Black Cap is on the market, and is owned by Kicking Horse Ltd.

Mr Harris said supporters are keen to put a community bid together to buy the venue, or find a sympathetic buyer who could restore the pub to its former glory.