Not just a pretty face! Nightclub mogul who made millions from his gay bar empire reveals why he ONLY hires beautiful people to work in his venues

  • Gary Henshaw, originally from Dublin, owns three bars and two night clubs
  • He runs the award-winning Ku Bar, in London and the Light Lounge
  • Henshaw says that they're 'lucky' so many of his employees are attractive 
  • Millionaire businessman appears in Channel 4's How'd You Get So Rich?

It pays to be beautiful if you want to work in one of London's most popular gay bars. 

That's according to businessman Gary Henshaw, originally from Dublin, who made his millions from his empire owning some of the most successful clubs in London.

Ku Bar, in London's Soho, is one such venue, and it's hard to ignore how attractive his staff are. 

'We’re quite lucky, we get lots of good-looking people coming for work and we always win sexiest bar staff in London awards,' declares Mr Henshaw.

Not just a pretty face: Nightclub mogul Gary Henshaw is is the owner of three bars and two clubs and became successful after 'falling into' the bar industry 

Not just a pretty face: Nightclub mogul Gary Henshaw is is the owner of three bars and two clubs and became successful after 'falling into' the bar industry 

Katherine Ryan is only too happy to help out in Ku Bar, painting the topless male entertainers with glow in the dark body paint - but she has a few questions about their recruitment policy 

Katherine Ryan is only too happy to help out in Ku Bar, painting the topless male entertainers with glow in the dark body paint - but she has a few questions about their recruitment policy 

The millionaire appears in Channel 4's How'd You Get So Rich, presented by comedian Katherine Ryan, who doesn't hold back as she delves into the lives of the rich and sometimes famous.

Asking Gary about his employees during a staff meeting, she probes: 'It's very important to be sexy around here, I can tell. Have you ever hired an ugly person? Is it important that the face of Ku Bar be that beautiful?'

Gary laughs as he responds: 'Yes. I'm kind of semi-retired now, I was once the beautiful face of Ku Bar.' 

After coming out in the 1980s, Mr Henshaw left Ireland to go travelling and ended up in Denmark, where he landed a job collecting glasses in a bar.

Within a year he was a district manager, and he hasn't looked back since.

The award-winning Ku Bar, in Soho, ushers in some 5,000 customers every weekend and has a staggering annual turnover of £3.5million thanks, in part, to its aesthetically pleasing staff

The award-winning Ku Bar, in Soho, ushers in some 5,000 customers every weekend and has a staggering annual turnover of £3.5million thanks, in part, to its aesthetically pleasing staff

Although he has semi-retired, so that he can enjoy more time off, Gary is still very much involved in his business with a team on hand to help

Although he has semi-retired, so that he can enjoy more time off, Gary is still very much involved in his business with a team on hand to help

'I fell into it accidentally,' he explains.'I travelled when I was very young, 21, to Denmark, I found a bar there that I was going to socially, and they gave me a job collecting glasses. 

'By the end of the year I was district manager. I had no intention of going into the bar industry but I just fell madly in love with it.' 

With an annual turnover of £3.5million and 5,000 customers through Ku Bar's doors every weekend, former glass collector Gary isn't short of cash.

And, as Katherine notes, the entrepreneur is more than willing to spend it on enjoying himself.

Gary tells comedian Katherine Ryan, pictured, that all the staff at his bar are attractive because they've been 'lucky' that only good looking people applied for the job

Gary tells comedian Katherine Ryan, pictured, that all the staff at his bar are attractive because they've been 'lucky' that only good looking people applied for the job

The mogul has put his money to good use exploring the world, and is seen here after jetting off to Rome to see the sights. He appears in a new Channel 4 documentary on rich people

The mogul has put his money to good use exploring the world, and is seen here after jetting off to Rome to see the sights. He appears in a new Channel 4 documentary on rich people

'In an ideal world I will spend winter in warmer climes and check in here for a week to see how everything is getting on,' Gary agrees.

'I don’t understand being a billionaire, they may enjoy that big luxury boat but I think they're on the phone every day. They aren’t sunbathing and enjoying it.

Gary says the only way to achieve success is to have fun: 'Don't aim at money, don’t aim at wealth, don’t aim at hard work, aim at enjoying what you do. 

'I love my life. I pinch myself most nights, and if you do that then you’re living a great life.'

How'd You Get So Rich? airs Monday on Channel 4 at 10pm

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