‘I wanted to do something I really loved’: meet the owner of Horsham Market’s LGBT stall

D-J Tanner runs Penny Ledger – a stall named after his drag queen alter ego – which sells Pride merch, masks, pillows and more.

He also offers customers over 18 a look inside his ‘rude box’ – which sells rude key chains, patches, bracelets, cards and badges.

D-J, who is homosexual, said: “I started it because I was the main carer for my mum. When she died I didn’t want to go back into a Tesco job.

“I wanted to do something I really loved. I was pretty chuffed with what I was able to do.”

Every penny which D-J makes is invested back into the business, he added, using his profits to buy more materials to make new products.

D-J said: “I absolutely love it.”

He added that the stall isn’t just something he promotes during Pride month – backed up by his slogan ‘serving you queer all year’.

D-J said: “There’s a huge trans community [in Horsham]. They come down to the stall. They’re amazing. Everyone’s super amazing. I can’t thank them enough.”

He added that almost everyone who visited the stall has been positive. D-J said: “I have never really had a bad word.”

And he praised market organisers Food Rocks for their ‘brilliant’ support.

D-J, who is autistic, said opening the stall has helped improve his confidence too./

He said: “It was a pretty freeing experience. My sisters helped me out heaps.

“It was a good experience for me because it taught me how to socialise.”

For more see https://www.pennyledgerwerqs.com/ or follow @pennyledgerwerqs on Instagram.