Pride Month: May Miller, Waterloo Bar, Glasgow

Three decades

If you visit the Waterloo Bar you will notice the beautiful stained glass with muted red and gold façade, which has helped the bar to retain its uniqueness throughout its 50 years in existence. Surround yourself with friendly gay people and indulge in the lively atmosphere. A particular individual that has been a regular performer for over 30 years is May Miller, a cabaret singer and loyal supporter for the LGBTQ+ community.

May and husband Robert are a Glaswegian singing duo that are known for performing within pubs and clubs for years, even debuting a sold out SECC gig. The couple met in the late 80s while working in the cabaret scene in venues such as the Pavilion Theatre and subsequently got married in October 2005.

Talent

From an early age May recognised her talent for signing and even charged friends and family to hear her sing in the streets of the Gorbals. May became known for carrying her sheet music under her arm and her talent, coupled with her great wit, has earned her the title among her fans as the ‘Queen of Glasgow.’

May and Robert are loyal performers at the Waterloo Bar and have played in the pub together for over 20 years. They even have their own gin the ‘Millerettes’, which is a Scottish Dry Gin established in 2021!

They currently debut every Saturday afternoon from 3pm to 6pm, captivating a large audience each week of both regulars and new fans. The Millers are also renowned for hosting the New Year’s Day event at the Waterloo Bar party, which rallies the LGBTQ+ community and kicks the New Year off to a great start.

Supporting the gay community

The Glasgow couple are big supporters of the gay community and have organised multiple events, including assisting the organisation of the annual charity Gay Ball and the ‘Lads and Laddies’ event. Through these organised charity events May campaigned for the LGBTQ+ community while also raising funds for the Kilbryde Hospice.

When lockdown struck in 2020, like many performers in the entertainment industry May and Robert were forced to improvise the way that they delivered their performances. Each week during lockdown they hosted online live performances and allowed their followers to provide a donation, which went towards Kilbryde Hospice. The performances of the Millers helped to boost the spirit of the local community during adverse times and provided viewers with something to look forward to each week.

The Millers carried on entertaining the Glasgow community throughout the period of lockdown, and in recognition for their dedicated efforts, in 2021 the couple were awarded the Heart of Glasgow award. As well as highlighting the couple’s talent within the cabaret industry the award also recognised the huge donation of £130,000 that they raised for Kilbryde Hospice. The ceremony was attended by Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire and Lady Susan Haughey, CBE who is also a trustee of Kilbryde Hospice.

With 2022 marking both the 25th anniversary of the Pride marches in Scotland and the 50th anniversary of Pride, the official Pride march – which takes place midday Saturday 25th June, just outside Glasgow Green – is set to be bigger than ever. May, along with the rest of the Waterloo Bar, are getting ready to welcome attendees to the largest LGBTQ+ event to date, complete with drinks promos, packages, and heart-warming entertainment.

As part of Dish Cult’s Pride month celebrations, we are proud to be supporting Stonewall – the largest LGBTQ+ charitable organisation in Europe. Stonewall work in each nation of the UK and stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace people everywhere.

Stonewall’s campaigning work drives positive change in public attitudes and public policy, helping transform the day-to-day experience of all LGBTQ+ people. The work continues until the world we imagine is the world we live in.

If you can imagine a world where there is freedom, equity and limitless potential for every LGBTQ+ person – stand with us. Donate to Stonewall now.

*All donations made will be donated directly to Stonewall