Manchester gay village

So buckle up, because we’re about to take you on a fabulous journey through one of the UK’s most vibrant cities.

Richmond Tea Rooms

This whimsical and quirky tea room in the Gay Village is the perfect spot for a spot of tea and some delicious eats. It’s also the home of the annual Manchester Pride Festival held on August bank holiday weekend.

The area has been a focal point for gay life in Manchester since the 1950s when the New Union became a meeting place for lesbians and gay men.

With a range of drinks, delicious food, and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, it’s the perfect spot for a low-key night out with friends.
Address: 26 Richmond St, Manchester M1 3NB, United Kingdom
More Info: https://www.themollyhouse.com/
Cost: Admission fee varies depending on the night and event.

And there you have it, gorgeous!

Whilst his career thrived, he was forced to keep his identity as a gay man a secret at a time where homosexuality was criminalised. More than just a place to meet romantic and sexual partners, these venues fostered a sense of community by providing the opportunity to meet like-minded people with a shared identity.

With a combination of DJs, fashion shows, and live performances from bands such as Take That and The Pet Shop Boys, Flesh was a huge success and ran for 5 years. In 1991 it launched a monthly gay club night called Flesh. Company Bar – This bar in the Gay Village is a favourite of the bear community in Manchester. Its clouded glass windows protected those visiting from being spotted by curious eyes.

But before becoming Europe’s largest Gay Village, this area was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution in Manchester.

Canal Street gets its name from the Rochdale Canal that flows alongside it, which was used to transport materials and goods to and from Manchester’s many mills and factories, fuelling the Industrial Revolution.

With a cosy and welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff, and a wide range of drinks, it’s the perfect spot to relax and unwind with friends.
Address: 63 Richmond St, Manchester M1 5WZ, United Kingdom
More Info:https://www.facebook.com/GAYManchester/
Cost: Admission fee varies depending on the night and event.

The Molly House

This cosy and welcoming pub in the Gay Village is a favourite of LGBTQIA+ locals and visitors alike.

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide, opining that Turing’s ‘mind had become unbalanced’ but the full circumstances of his death remain a mystery.

Turing was posthumously pardoned in 2013 and ‘Turing’s Law’ was introduced in 2017 which pardoned other gay men who were also convicted under these historical homophobic laws in Britain.

The two memorial plinths in Sackville Gardens provide a focal point for candlelit vigils that mark the beginning of Pride every year, and around which the first Pride celebrations coalesced.

The canal didn’t go entirely disused in this time, however. Manchester’s first Pride took place in 1985 as a small charity event to support people with HIV and AIDS. The community persevered and saw that these venues continued to thrive.

The gardens adjacent to Canal Street also hold three important sites of LGBTQ+ history: the HIV memorial, the Transgender memorial, and Alan Turing’s statue.

With stylish and modern rooms, a lively bar and restaurant, and a location that’s close to all the city’s major attractions, it’s the perfect spot for a weekend getaway.
Address: 107 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2DB, United Kingdom
More Info:https://www.abodemanchester.co.uk/
Cost: $$$

Manchester Pride

This annual festival is the highlight of the LGBTQIA+ calendar in Manchester and attracts visitors from all over the world.

The buildings that are now home to iconic clubs and bars were once warehouses and workshops used by merchants to house cotton, cloth and building materials.

Following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830 the use of canals began to decline in favour of the much faster and more convenient method of transporting goods that steam engines provided.

The Hacienda was a legendary venue that shaped the music scene in Manchester and beyond. Flesh’s glitz and glamour thrust queer nightlife into the Hacienda’s heteronormative spotlight.

Another landmark moment in Manchester’s queer history was the opening of Manto in the Gay Village in 1990.