Pride of Place is the national LGBT map. Nottinghamshire has over 240 pinpoints, far more per head of the population than anywhere else Sir John Clanvowe was the Nottingham‐based 14th Century poet who wrote the original, legend of Robin Hood. He went through a ceremony of "wedded brotherhood" with Sir William Neville.
The Robin Hood Statue is located in front of Nottingham Castle Thrumpton Hall
George Seymour (a descendant of Charles II) was Lord of Thrumpton Hall. He was married and had children, but in later life he lived with a string of young men at the hall. One of the young men shot himself and George died of grief shortly after. La Chic and Part II
La Chic on Canal Street opened in 1973 and was the first club in the UK that in its licence said "We are a club for gay men and lesbians“. Part II club opened in 1981. The name originates in the fact that it took over the building previously occupied by La Chic club. Ray Gosling
The Ray Gosling archives are stored at Nottingham Trent University's Clifton campus. He wrote and presented several hundred television and radio documentaries and regional programmes for BBC Radio 4 and Granada Television. His later documentaries focused on his personal life and his emergence as a gay activist. Out in Education
Out in Education is a not‐for‐profit organisation based at the University of Nottingham. It delivers workshops, lessons and assemblies about homophobia and what is means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender to primary and secondary schools across the UK. NG1
In 2000, Nottingham's first proper gay club for several years opened as NG1 on Lower Parliament St. It is large, well‐equipped and clean and (here the resemblance to a personal ad breaks down) on two floors. It was certainly one of the best gay clubs in the region and also gave support, via fundraising events, to the Hardship Fund, Switchboard and Pride. From about 2012 its clientele became more mixed until in 2015 it announced it was no longer a gay venue. Nottingham Teachers’ Centre, Cranmer Street
The tape/slide kit "Homosexuality ‐ a fact of life" was produced in Tyneside by CHE in 1978. Nottingham CHE wished to show it to teachers in Nottingham, but there was strong opposition ‐ including from the Director of Education. Eventually on June 28th 1979 it was shown at the Cranmer Street Teachers' Centre. The Federation Club
The Federation Club on Claremont Road is the base for Juice, a quarterly women only dance night. Nottingham Forest was the first professional football club to take independent action about countering homophobia and transphobia.
The 2008 poster included pictures of both the men’s and women’s teams. The Church of St Mary Magdelene
The Church, in Hucknall, is the burial place of Lord Byron The Mill
In the early 1980s the Mill on Cranbrook Street had a vague reputation of being gay‐friendly. It was never an out‐and‐out gay bar, but towards the end of the 1990s it was popular with a mixed gay/studentish crowd. Lace Market Square
Nottingham Pride moved to Hockley and the Lace Market in 2014. In 2014 and 2015, the main stage was set up in Lace Market Square opposite New College Nottingham's Adams Building. The White Swan
The White Swan in Sutton in Ashfield was the venue for social meetings of the Mansfield Campaign for Homosexual Equality in the 1970s Sherwood Lodge Notts Police HQ
People representing all the groups murdered in the Holocaust took part in a ceremony at Notts Police HQ on January 27th 2016. Candles were lit for each one of these groups, including LGBT people. The National Holocaust Centre
The Centre at Laxton, Nottinghamshire, displays a pink triangle plaque in its Memorial Garden to commemorate LGBT people murdered in the Holocaust WOW
WOW is an LGBT Youth Group which meets at Centre Place Worksop Mushroom Bookshop
Mushroom Bookshop used to occupy a space which is now Paramount Pictures on Heathcoat Street. Mushroom was there from the 1970s until it closed in 2000. It had a comprehensive lesbian and gay section, displayed the gay free papers, had gay info on its notice board. Southwell Minster
In February 1981 Southwell Diocese opened a wide‐ reaching debate on homosexuality, the subject of a report to go to the General Synod. Jacey’s
Established as a gay pub in 1999 ‐ the largest gay pub in Nottingham ‐ Jacey's was very popular for a while. It changed to ICE, then closed, then re‐opened as PINK, then closed, then re‐ opened as Queen of Clubs …. then closed. This was a short‐lived sauna in the 1990s Justin Fashanu
Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer to come out. He played for Nottingham Forest and was treated with blatant homophobia by manager Brian Clough. The Manning Girls School
In the 1970s, unbeknown to 98% of the staff, Chimaera ‐ the Newsletter of the Nottingham CHE group ‐ was surreptitiously printed in the school's reprographics department Nottinghamshire Archives
The Nottinghamshire Archives on Castle Meadow Road are where the documents, photographs and publications collected by Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage are stored. University of Nottingham
In May 2011 The University of Nottingham organised an IDAHO Day conference as part of an initiative involving four countries: the UK, Italy, Hungary and Slovenia.
The picture above shows Dr. Luca Trappolin (of the University of Padua) talking against a delightfully starry and rather camp background. Reflections
Reflections Gay and Bi men’s Sauna and Health Club opened on Crocus Street (near Nottingham Station) in 2006. In March 2012, they moved to new premises on Kilbourn Street (off Huntingdon St.) The Lace Market Theatre
The Lace Market Theatre on Halifax Place is a small independent amateur theatre with a high reputation. It has put on several gay‐ themed plays, such as "Bent" and, most notably "The Gay Man's Guide", which was performed in February 2008. The latter play has several Nottingham connections. The Anchor Inn
The Anchor Inn at Gunthorpe (now the Pontefino Italian Restaurant) was an attempt in 2001 to start a gay disco beyond the City boundary. The organiser said "There's not much to do in villages since all the sheep have gone". Pride at the Embankment
In 2000 a new committee changed the "Pink Lace" name to “Nottingham Pride”. The venue also changed from the Castle to the Embankment (“Bent by the Trent”, was the headline in the local QB newsletter). Though well‐organised, the event was not wholly successful. Moving out of the city centre and splitting the event across two days led to a decrease in the numbers attending. Outburst
Outburst is a safe space for young people aged 11‐19 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or questioning, to be themselves, meet friends, get involved in activities such as the crafts, music making, watch movies, get some help but most of all just have fun! It meets at NGY on Castle Gate. Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey is the ancestral home of Lord Byron Whatton Prison
Whatton Prison is for sex offenders. Notts Healthcare Trust has encouraged and supported an LGBT group at the prison. In 2014 they were given a presentation on LGBT history through Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage For a short time it was a venue for a Wednesday night gay disco. The pub has since been demolished and the land is now occupied by Marks and Spencers. The Queen’s Walk Community Centre
The Centre was used by the Metropolitan Community Church in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2004 the same venue hosted gay folk dancing sessions. Mike Raymond’s plaque on Iremonger Road
Mike Raymond was a central figure in Nottingham CHE in the 1970s and 80s and in Switchboard up to his death in 2000. The plaque was set up by Bennetts and is near to the Bennetts store off London Road. Cellos
Before its current incarnation shown on the picture, 22 Fletcher Gate was the Old Vic. In 1993 it house the Cellos Club, a women‐only night. Cellos also had a second existence at the Meadow Club, Meadow Lane. Nottingham Contemporary
Nottingham Contemporary was the venue for Nottingham Lesbian & Gay Switchboard’s 40th Anniversary Gala Zara
Lord Byron's "immorality" prevented him from being buried in Westminster Abbey. His coffin was taken to be buried in Hucknall. On the way the coffin was placed in a room at the Blackamore’s Head in Pelham Street, where for four days people queued to view the coffin. The site is now occupied by a branch of Zara. Pride of Place is the national LGBT map. Nottinghamshire has over 240 pinpoints, far more per head of the population than anywhere else The old Prudential building
In the 1940s gay men lived in the "twilight world“ and blackmail was rife. I could never get used to the idea that you could have a permanent relationship ‐ it was all one night stands. During the blackouts in World War 2 I met a Canadian commander in the English forces and we had an enjoyable time on the steps of what was the Prudential building between King Street and Queen Street ‐ it was pitch black. (Wallace Edge) In the mid 1980s Nottingham AIDS Information Project was set up by, amongst others, Colin Clews using a budget of £1000. It started a twice‐a‐week helpline and produced safe‐sex literature. It was based at 114 Mansfield Road. The YMCA on Shakespeare Street
In 2000 the OutHouse obtained a Millennium grant to run an LGBT history project. The project was launched at a History Day on April 15th 2000 at Nottingham's YMCA. Those attending were subjected to a demonstration by 50 members of the BNP. When it looked as though aggro was about to start, the police appeared and bundled the BNP members into police vans. John Curry
In 2001 a bronze statue of John Curry was unveiled at Nottingham's National Ice Centre. John Curry was European, World and Olympic skating champion in 1976. The Old Dog and Partridge, Parliament Street
The Old Dog and Partridge was probably the most popular gay bar in the 1970s. Like many gay bars of its time, the bar at the Dog and Partridge was a separate bar (here it was the back bar) in a straight pub. Sometimes such bars had signs like "Private Party" to attempt to keep the straights out. The Roebuck, Mansfield Road
The Roebuck (take your own flea spray) is long demolished. It was situated near to York House on Mansfield Road and was the principle rival to the Old Dog and Partridge. The Roebuck pub was managed by the formidable Maxine ‐ whose partner ran off with a horse trainer from Cheltenham. The Victoria Centre Flats
The Victoria Centre was built at the end of the 1960s and the multi storey flats above the centre dominate the Nottingham skyline. The idea that they are heavily populated with Nottingham's LGBT community has an element of truth to it, which may explain their nickname of "Fairy Towers". The Real Art Café
At the end of the 1990s to its closure in the early 2000s, the Real Art Cafe on Heathcoat Street was lesbian and gay friendly and the chosen venue for some lesbian social groups. Ashfield Women’s Centre
What used to be the Ashfield Women’s Centre (now the Diamond Centre) was the base for meetings of LAFS – Lesbians in Ashfield Friendship and Support. The Scala was the final name of a building on Market Street which opened in 1878 as the Gaiety Palace of Varieties and later became the Kings Theatre. In the 1960s and early 1970s it had a reputation for showing "risque" films and films with a gay theme ‐ such as "Fortune and Men's Eyes". It also served as an unconventional meeting place for gay men. The St Valentine’s Day Mascara at the Malt Cross
This was a tea dance organised by the GAi Project (later Healthy Gay Nottingham). The venue was later used for a couple of years (2007/8) for a gay arts‐related group called Arts Social. Bestwood Country Park
Lookout, the Nottingham Lesbian Newsletter, reported that on July 24th there would be an event called the "women's charcoal burn" ‐ children welcome (though not as kindling). The park was also used by Notts Lesbian and Gay Switchboard for one of their barbecues and on at least two occasions for the Notts Hardship Fund's (supports those with HIV) Walking For Life fundraisers. The Studio: Broadway
The basement Studio was the location of Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage’s 2010 LGBT History Month exhibition. For many years the Rotunda on Standard Hill, was the home of the monthly lesbian disco Infinity ... which then became Eternity (or perhaps it was the other way round?). Despite the name, neither lasted forever. John Clarkson
John Clarkson was sent to prison for consensual gay sex at a time when the law was very different from today. The accompanying picture shows John (with the straw hat) holding a CHE banner. He was tried at Nottingham Assize (now the Galleries of Justice), the old court on High Pavement Life at the Centre
Life at the Centre is the Methodist Mission on Lower Parliament Street. In recent years they have been very supportive of LGBT issues. They have produced a booklet which provides positive interpretations of those parts of the Bible which are often used to condemn LGB people. The Hearty Goodfellow, Maid Marian Way
The "Hearty" was a popular gay bar around the end of the 1970s until about 1982. The place had a downstairs bar for gay men and an upstairs room for a weekly lesbian disco. Rainbow flags at Nottingham Castle
The rainbow flag is raised each year at Nottingham Castle for IDAHO Day and for LGBT History Month The 2007 LGBT History Month display at County Hall
The week long display was visited by a representative of the Heritage Lottery Fund, who recommended that all concerned should get together and put in a bit for a grant from the fund. This was followed up, the grant was awarded and the outcome was Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage. Ike Cowen
Ike died aged 97 in 2015 in a residential home in Arnold. Ike served in the RAF and then became a senior lecturer in Law at what was Trent Polytechnic. He started Nottingham CHE group and helped start the first local gay club ‐ the Pavilion Club. He was involved with national CHE and helped draft potential changes in the laws relating to homosexuality. Nottingham's first gay club was on Station Street. After much digging, we got the following e‐mail ‐ from Turkey. "The club on Station Street was named the Parkside Club and was run by Tony Iremonger or Ironmonger. It was a straight club, very nice inside and had GAY nights on a Sunday. I went a few times before it suddenly closed totally."
Andrew The hotel was the venue for a lesbian disco in the 1990s The Temple Community Centre
The Centre, in Nuthall, is the current venue for meetings of the Chameleon group, a group for cross dressers which has been running for over 30 years Gresham Sports Park, off Wilford Lane
This is the training ground for the very successful gay/gay‐ friendly Nottingham Lions football team, formerly known as Nottingham Ball Bois. Nottingham City Homes LGBT History Month event
In 2011, this event took place at their former base on Hounds Gate. The event was most memorable for the enormous cake. By the Trent, West Bridgford
The great and the good gathered on the banks of the Trent near to County Hall in May 2015 to show their commitment to the principles of IDAHO Day. The Police and Crime Commissioner (Paddy Tipping), the Deputy Chief Constable (Sue Fish) and the Chair of the County Council held banners and raised flags. Manzfield’s
Manzfield’s (formerly Zeus) at 71 Ratcliffe Gate, Manzfield is a gay and bi men’s sauna The Methodist Mission, Parliament Street
After displaying a poster supporting Pride 2008 on the side of the Methodist Mission, the Nottingham Methodists went one step further in 2009. There was a new poster on the side of the Mission and an identical poster could be seen in the Arboretum, where they had their own stall at Pride 2009. The Mission was also home of the LGBT youth group Resonate. Outrage and Hiziki
Outrage started nationally as one response to the introduction of Section 28. The Nottingham branch was started in the early 1990s and continued throughout that decade. Its contact point was at Hiziki on Goosegate. The International Community Centre 61b Mansfield Road
Pinkcap was a late 1990s group for LGBT people in Mencap. It met at the International Community Centre. Pink Chalk, a forum for gay, lesbian and bisexual teachers in the Midlands also met there. The old Evening Post Building, Forman Street
In 1978 after several years of being refused adverts in the Nottingham Evening Post, Nottingham CHE suddenly found them accepted. A few months later they received an apoplectic letter from the MD of the Post putting a stop to the ads. Now they beg for advertising. Briddocks, Parliament Street
Briddocks newsagent's shop dated back to the 19th century and it closed in 1991. In the early 1970s, when general newsagents (W.H.Smith and the like) would not stock gay magazines, you could pick up Gay News and Sappho at Briddocks. Later on it stocked Gay Times, Zipper etc. Though tiny, it was crowded with newspapers and magazines. Propaganda
Propaganda is on Broadway in the Lace Market. Perhaps a half way house between a pub and a club, Propaganda is still going strong in 2016 and is particularly popular with students. The Coffin Parade
In March 1993 the OutHouse received an unsigned letter from a Councillor saying “You lot should be put down”. This led to a march which passed through Hockley to the Council House carrying a black‐draped coffin. On the coffin was the inscription "Here lay the remains of Nottingham City Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy." Pride of Place is the national LGBT map. Nottinghamshire has over 240 pinpoints, far more per head of the population than anywhere else Stonebridge City Farm
The Rainbow Families Group is a small informal group of LGBT parents, carers, grandmas etc. with their children. The group meets at Stonebridge City Farm (Stone Bridge Road, St. Ann’s) and usually feeds the animals, has a walk in the garden, has a drink of tea in the café or outside while the kids play on the slide etc. depending on the weather. In the Autumn of 1991 a lesbian couple were expelled from the Asda store in Hyson Green after they kissed each other. As a response, Nottingham Outrage organised a Kiss‐in in November 1991.
ASDA in Nottingham now has a flourishing LGBT group. Douglas Byng
Douglas Byng (1893‐1987) ‐ born on Ebers Road, Nottingham ‐ was sometimes called "The Queen of Pantomime Dames". He was an openly gay and camp drag artiste and pantomime dame, and music hall star. He was noted for his double entendres ‐ one of which ("Tits like coconuts") got him banned by the BBC in the 1940s The Vida Lounge
The Vida Lounge was a short‐lived gay club in Worksop Radio Nottingham at York House Mansfield Road
In 1976 Radio Nottingham gave Nottingham CHE group the chance to record its own 15 minute radio programme at York House ‐ now demolished. CHE members had already featured in several discussion and phone‐in programmes locally, but this programme was more planned and structured. For a short time between the slow death of the Hearty Goodfellow and the birth of Gatsby's, the Dragon ‐ over the road from Angel Row library ‐ was a popular gay bar. The Canning Circus Cemetery
The picture shows the gatehouse to the cemetery. Gay loner Grenville Carter was murdered by his flatmate Simon Charles in 2001. What made the murder particularly nasty was that Carter's body was cut up into bits and dumped in bin‐liners in Canning Circus cemetery in Nottingham. Pride on the Forest
In 2011 and 2012 Pride was held on the Forest Recreation Ground. The site’s plus points were that it was big and access was easy, but many preferred the more secluded and picturesque atmosphere of the Arboretum. Funfit
At the moment, Funfit, the gay run LGBT friendly keep fit group, holds its regular keep fit bootcamp at Nottingham Girls High School. Mario’s
One of the grandest Georgian houses in Nottingham was built for a wealthy silk merchant in 1775. Converted from a teeny‐ bopper's club to a gay club in 1971/72 and it was one of the first gay clubs to appear in Nottingham. The club changed its name from Mario's to Shades and then Whispers. The building is now called Standford House and is located on Standford Street near the Broadmarsh Centre. Langar House and Samuel Butler
Victorian novelist Samuel Butler was born at Langar House ‐ near Bingham. His first significant male friendship was with the young Charles Pauli, son of a German businessman in London, whom Butler met in New Zealand. Radio Trent
Radio Trent opened on July 3rd 1975 in a building on Castle gate. Nottingham CHE soon found that the station was very willing to include them in radio programmes where listeners would phone in to ask the CHE members about all things LGBT. One of the radio stations staff, Graham Knight, was particularly encouraging. The Chameleon Café Bar on Angel Row (above Cardzone) was the first meeting place for Re‐Creation, a Nottingham Trans group which functioned for several years. Nottingham University Park Campus
The UK's biggest gathering of bisexuals and friends, BiCon, took place in Nottingham in August 2015 at University of Nottingham's University Park campus, 13 to 16 August 2015. Known as the “Highlight of the Bisexual Year”, it attracts people with a supportive interest in bisexuality from around the world. The Catacombs
The Catacombs was another short lived venue which sprang up to take advantage of the closure of Part Two club in 1985. It was about half way up Byard lane on the left of the picture shown above. There was a small upstairs bar and quite a big space in the basement. On one occasion it was used for a fundraising event for Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. China China
•In 2007, PINK, a monthly lesbian disco night, moved to China China ‐ which is now Mr Mans restaurant on Mount Street. @D2
By 1987 the Admiral Duncan was tentatively moving towards being a gay bar. In the 1980s and early 1990s the management of the Duncan was a well‐meaning straight couple, but toward the end of the '90s an all‐gay management took over and changed the name to @D2. The pub was smartened up and attracted a lively crowd. @D2 closed in January 2012 The Gender Clinic
The Nottingham Centre for Gender Dysphoria is on Oxford Street, Nottingham The Health Shop
The Health Shop is a drugs and sexual heath testing service based on Broad Street. It offers sexual health information and provides information booklets for lesbian women, gay men and bisexual men and women. It provides sexual health advice to individuals who may identify as "male to female", "female to male" and/or gender queer. The Health Shop provides one‐to‐one support around sexuality, relationships and same sex domestic violence. The LGBT Writers’ Studio
Currently meets at Nottingham Writers' Studio, 32a Stoney Street Nottingham, NG1 1LL. This is a supportive, friendly and creative group, where it is hoped members will be able to discuss where they are as writers, explore what it is to be an LGBT writer in this society, and be helped to flourish. The New Foresters
The Foresters Arms (now the New Foresters) dates back to 1958 and has well over 50 years continuous service as a lesbian bar which also welcomes gay men. The Peach Tree, North Sherwood Street
The Peach Treet is now "Langtry's". Over the road from the Theatre Royal, it catered for the "theatrical crowd" and had what was called a "gentleman's bar" where "gentlemen" used to meet. The period was the 1930s to 1950s. The Garage Club
The Garage Club (later to become the Lizard Lounge) on St. Mary’s Gate was use for several monthly discos in 1987 by Nottingham's first LGBT Youth Group ‐ GLYP. Hatzfeld House Residential Home
Most LGBT people dread the prospect of ending up in a residential home. Hatzfeld House recognises that it has LGBT residents, its staff have all had appropriate training and its website is positive in being LGBT inclusive and links to Stonewall, Age UK, Chameleon Group just to name a few. The Terrence Higgins Trust
The Terrence Higgins Trust carries out an important job in terms of testing for HIV infection and treating and supporting those with HIV/AIDS. The Nottingham branch is at 12 High Pavement, Nottingham. They also carry out outreach work amongst the local gay community and amongst men who have sex with men. The Flying Horse
The Flying Horse on Cheapside off the Market Square (now fronting a small shopping mall) was the main gay bar in the 1950s and 1960s. Sometimes known as "The Pansy's Parlour" its reputation was said to be worldwide. Friend of the Bloomsbury Group of writers, and last male partner of economist J. M. Keynes. Member of the committee whose work was used in the 1957 Wolfenden Report recommending gay sex be decriminalised. He often "lent" his working class partners to E.M.Forster. Professor Sprott was a Philosophy lecturer at the University of Nottingham from 1928 to 1960 The Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
In February 2011 the University of Nottingham, ran an exhibition and a series of talks on the theme of Roman Sexuality: mages, myths and meanings … with the Warren Cup as its centrepiece. This Roman silver cup, decorated with scenes of homosexual love, is one of the highlights of the British Museum and is central to a wider discussion on sex and sexuality in the Roman world. Gatsby’s, Central, Niche
In 1983 Gatsby's opened as a gay pub on King Edward Street. At the end of the 1990s there was a change in management and in name. The pub reverted to its previous name – Central. In 2007 it was renamed "Niche", which closed at the end of 2008, then re‐ opened in early 2009 only to be renamed "The New Gatsby's" a few months later ‐ and then it closed ... acrimoniously. The Masquerader of Woolpack Lane
In 1915 the arrest of a weirdly‐dressed woman who for ten years has been a conspicuous figure in the city ended in the discovery that she was a man. Media Darlings opened on Parliament Street in October 1999 at what was the old Elite Cinema building. It was a once‐a‐monther and its date clashed (deliberately?) with that of Peter Martine's Revolution night. Battle commenced. Revolution won and Media Darlings switched dates. After 6 months it closed ‐ complaints that the building was cold and the staff were unfriendly probably didn't help. The View from the Top
The View from the Top on Bridlesmith Gate above Waterstones, provided the ideal space for Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage's LGBT History Month exhibitions in 2008 and 2009. The spacious, light and airy surroundings were complemented by helpful staff + the passing trade from those visiting Waterstones on the floors beneath. It was disappointing that the gallery closed in 2009. Club 69, L’Amour, Nero’s, De Luxe
Club 69 (now the Cookie Club) on St. James' Street was an attempt by the Bradley family to fill the gap left after Part II closed in 1985. It turned into L'Amour, then into Nero's and finally into De Luxe. It only partially succeeded (as indicated by its need to change its name ‐ becoming incrementally less tacky on each transformation ‐ and relaunch several times). Apparently it was also nicknamed Queeros and La Morgue. Central Library, Angel Row
In 1987 the front window of Nottingham's Central Library was taken over by a lesbian and gay exhibition. It was frequently vandalised. In 2006, the community space on the first floor was used for an LGBT History display and this continued up to 2009, latterly under the control of Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage. All copies of QB newsletter are stored in the Local History section of the library. In 2014, at very short notice, the large display space on the first floor was made available for a Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage exhibition. The space was used for a second exhibition (Pink Spring) in May 2015. The George Hotel
Before the 1970s there had been a few gay bars in Nottingham, usually one bar in a pub or hotel which had several bars. The George Hotel on George Street functioned this way. In a later manifestation as the Comfort Hotel, it was the venue for the 2003 Lezzie Love Ball. G Spot
G Spot, a members only gay clubbish bar opened at 34 Heathcoat Street in April 2012 and closed a few months later. Pink Lace on Broad Street
The first three Pride festivals were actually called “Pink Lace”. The very first festival was held in 1997 on Broad Street, which was closed for traffic. Stalls from various groups and organisations lined one side of the street and several bands gave performances on the steps of Broadway Cinema. Pride of Place is the national LGBT map. Nottinghamshire has over 240 pinpoints, far more per head of the population than anywhere else CS2 is a sauna for gay and bi men, which opened in 2011 on Lennox Street. The building was formerly the intended home of the never‐to‐be‐ realised OutHouse LGBT Centre. It has featured in a Channel 4 documentary. The Black Boy Hotel
The Black Boy, opposite the side of the Council House, was one of those bars/hotels which had a gay reputation in the pre‐1967 era. It is perhaps more famous for being one of the best examples of the buildings of Nottingham's eccentric but utterly individual architect Watson Fothergill. It was demolished in the 1960s. The Nottingham Unitarians
The Nottingham Unitarians on Plumptre Street describe themselves as an LGBT friendly church. The Gallery Lounge Cinema
In the 1990s the Gallery Lounge Cinema on Broad Street was described as "Nottingham's own gay cinema". It is now "Screen 22", a description derived from the fact that it only has 22 seats. Five Leaves Bookshop
Ross Bradshaw, who used to work at Mushroom, opened Five Leaves Bookshop on Long Row at the end of 2013. It has dedicated lesbian and gay sections. They supporting and promote LGBT concerns and welcome people dropping in leaflets and posters advertising LGBT events. They also stock Diva, Curve, Gay and Lesbian Quarterly, Gay Times etc. The Hole in the Wall
A copy of GEM (Gay East Midlands) from early in 1984 confirms that The Hole in the Wall, on North Sherwood Street was gay friendly, or at least someone thought it was or wanted it to be. In recent times it has hosted lesbian pool nights. The Albany Hotel
The Albany Hotel (now the Britannia) on Maid Marian Way, was used for the Annual Conference of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality. The conference included a presentation by a Dutch scientist on paedophilia. Gay men talking about paedophilia ... shock, horror. The end of the world had arrived and there were apoplectic articles in the daily press ‐ even the Guardian ‐ and livid letters in the letters page, including some from Catholic priests. Fuel and Foundation
Fuel, a new gay club and Foundation a "boutique" bar which was linked with it, opened on Broadway in April 2010, but closed after a few months. The Council House The ballroom in the Council House has been used as the venue for Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritages Celebration and Awards evenings. It is now the City's Register Office and is used for Civil Partnership and equal marriage ceremonies. In 1975 Nottingham Gay Alliance performed the gay street theatre play "Robina Hood and her gayfolk" in front of the Council House ‐ until they were shooed away by the police. In 2010, the steps were used for the "Big Gay Photo". Kitsch/Casablanca
When everything else had failed there was always the Casablanca, often referred to as the Khazi on Greyhound Street. In 1995 it re‐opened as Kitsch. It is remembered for being very small. Befitting its nickname, the City Council recently converted it into public toilets. The University of Nottingham Sports Centre
The University of Nottingham hosted the second Justin Tournament (as part of the Justin Campaign to rid football of homophobia) on July 2nd 2011. Teams came from as far away as Belfast. Basketball star John Amaechi presented the prizes and the whole event was attended by many enthusiastic fans. Bathley Guest House –The Meadows
The Bathley Guest House was a small gay guest house operating in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Pride at the Castle
In 1998 and 1999, Pride (then called Pink Lace) was held in the grounds of Nottingham Castle. It proved a good venue, though there were complaints about the noise from residents of the Park, which is one of the reasons why it moved elsewhere in 2000 The Savoy Cinema Worksop
The cinema was chosen as the launch place during LGBT History Month for the WOW LGBT youth group's film "Something about us". The film was part of a heritage lottery project which involved the young people interviewing LGBT people from older generations. County Hall
When she was the leader of the Tories on the County Council, Mrs Kay Cutts banned QB from the County’s libraries because she did not like its (factually accurate) comments about her. Yates Wine Lodge
Nottingham CHE group used Yates Wine Lodge on Long Row for several of its socials in the 1970s. Meetings were sometimes accompanied by an elderly trio (piano, violin and cello) playing selections from Il Trovatore. Age UK Nottingham
Age UK Nottingham on Shakespeare Street is the base for the over 55 lesbian group St Peter’s Church
St. Peter’s Church at St. Peter’s Gate holds an annual World AIDS Day service. Nottingham Tourism Centre
At first it was a bit of a struggle to get LGBT stuff into the Tourism Centre, but now they have some appropriate leaflets and QB newsletter is on the main desk. Ye Old Salutation Inn
For a few years in the 1980s Nottingham Gay Switchboard (as it was then called) held its monthly meetings in the snug bar at the Salutation. Around the time that the Tories brought in Section 28, the management made it clear that we were no longer welcome ‐ perhaps they didn’t want to be labelled as “promoting” homosexuality. We moved on to the Admiral Duncan. The Arboretum
From 2003 to 2009 and again in 2012, the Arboretum park was the home to Nottingham Pride Festival. Richard Webster
Living on Balmoral Road in Nottingham, in the 1970s, Richard was the Convenor of Nottingham CHE group and did pioneering work in involving Trade Unions in LGBT issues. The Maze
The Maze at the Forest Tavern on Mansfield Road has for a long time been the venue for the occasional women’s night called “Hidden Talents”. The Women’s Centre
Nottingham Women’s Centre on Chaucer Street acted as host for several lesbian groups and organisations at this time: Lesbian Line, Women are Gorgeous and the Black Lesbian group to name three. These days there is a regular Lesbian Café evening. The Women's Centre library still contains many magazines, books etc with a lesbian theme. The Friend’s Meeting House
Nottingham CHE (the Campaign for homosexual equality) started in Nottingham in 1971. A problem it encountered was where could it hold meetings? Gay bars and people's homes ... no problems, but other places for meetings often gave a hostile response. The Society of Friends (the Quakers) were welcoming from the beginning and CHE held several of its early meetings at their Friends Meeting House on Clarendon Street. Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Lesbian & Gay Switchboard started in various formats between 1974 and 1976. It was first based at 31a Mansfield Road and is now at 7 Mansfield Road. It currently offers information and support by phone, e‐mail, letter, text and instant messaging. The Lost Weekend
In 2005, Peter Martine's Revolution night moved to the Lost Weekend on Huntingdon Street after a short spell at Faces nightclub. Revolution also changed its name to Club Delicious ... then changed its name back to Revolution and moved off The Hilton Hotel, Milton Street
The Hilton Hotel was used by Gay Sweatshop during the 1977 CHE annual Conference. They gave performances of their play "As time goes by". FAG and Unique
The combined club/bar FAG and Unique opened in January 2012 on Broadway in the Lace Market. It seems that some people weren't 100% happy with the FAG bit, so the owners decided to get a new sign, which says "F&G", standing for Friendly and Gay. It had a short life. The Palais/Oceana
At the end of the 1990s, the Palais (Lower Parliament St) became the home of Peter Martine's 1st Monday of the month Revolution night ‐ which moved from its previous home at Ocean. The Palais was refurbished in 2004 and renamed Oceana. In the 1940s/50s they had drag balls. The Foresters Inn
Not exactly a gay bar, but for a long time it was lesbian and gay friendly ‐ though not in recent times. Base 51
Founded in 1993 to provide health care and support to young people aged 12‐25 living in the Nottinghamshire Area, Base 51 provided a full‐time drop‐in service offering help, support, advice and information from its Glasshouse Street Centre. For many years it was the home of Outburst, the LGBT youth group. Broadway Cinema
Voted one of the top 10 cinemas in the world, Broadway Cinema on Broad Street has a gay friendly bar and restaurant, has from time to time run fundraising events for local LGB organisations and most years runs a selection of films in an LGBT film season. Kris Kirk
Kris Kirk was the inspiration behind GLF in Nottingham. In the late 1960s he studied at Nottingham University, where he first came out as an openly gay man and founded the University’s first Gay Liberation Society. He performed in several student drama productions ‐ on one notable occasion appearing as the Devil in Christopher Marlowe’s Dr Faustus, completely naked apart from a large leather phallus. George’s Wine Bar
George's Wine Bar occupied the space that is now Revolution. In 2004/5 it was the regular venue for a monthly lesbian social night called "The Women's Café. Pride of Place is the national LGBT map. Nottinghamshire has over 240 pinpoints, far more per head of the population than anywhere else Duncan Macmillan House
Duncan Macmillan House is the Head Quarters of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust ‐ the number 1 Stonewall organisation. Trans4me
Trans4me is trans youth group currently meeting at the Health Shop on Broad Street The OutHouse
The OutHouse on Lennox Street was supposed to be Nottingham’s LGBT Centre. The building was bought with a Lottery grant, but financial problems along the way meant that it never came to fruition. Nottingham has had several gay‐ friendly hotels, but probably the first genuine gay hotel opened early in 2010 at 1 Hucknall Road. This was the New Gables hotel run by Debbie Law, licensee of the New Foresters bar. Though the hotel opened in February, there was an official celebration on April 6th with the Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Leon Unczur as the guest of honour. After problems with the owner, Debbie withdrew from the hotel (which ceased to be gay‐friendly) in 2013. Heathcoat Street
Since Nottingham Pride transferred to the City Centre in 2014, Heathcoat Street has been the main location of the community stalls NG Digital Radio is on Beck Street, Nottingham.
They have recently launched Shady Radio “an eclectic LGBTQIA community radio show with music, chat, essays, poetry, whatever“ Healthy Gay Nottingham
HGN (formerly the GAI Project) on Broad Street was a gay and bisexual men’s health service with a commitment to providing a non‐judgemental and confidential service. It was opened in 1994 by Sir Ian McKellen. It was closed ‐ to much regret ‐ at the end of 2013 as part of a local health service (cost cutting?) exercise. Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage
Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage is a Heritage Lottery supported LGBT history project. It started in 2008. It had an office at 7 Mansfield Road until 2012, when the money ran out, but still uses that address for mailing. The Navigation at Shardlow
The Pavilion Club in Shardlow was the final destination of a pub night called the “Bona Ome” club which was tried out in several pubs in places like Langley Mill and Sneinton and also here at the Navigation Pub in Shardlow. The Peacock
In the early 1990s the upstairs bar at the Peacock on Peachey Street was used for the monthly meetings of Notts Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. In 2007 it was used for meetings of "Book Social" a spinoff from the gay "Something social" group. The Galleries of Justice
What is now the "Galleries of Justice" museum on High Pavement in the Lace Market used to be the Nottingham Assize court. In 2008 the Galleries of Justice Museum set up an exhibition called Prisoner C.3.3: Oscar Wilde (The Downfall of Oscar Wilde). Loxley House
Loxley House on Station Street is the City Council’s HQ and is used for meetings of City LGBT Forum and the Nottingham Police LGBT Consultation Group Highfield House
Highfield House hosted the first display of the "Nottingham Map" on Feb. 11th 2015 as part of the University of Nottingham’s LGBT History Month activities. The map pinpoints LGBT related places in Nottingham. It has been assembled by Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage. The Victoria Leisure Centre
The Victoria Leisure Centre was the 1986 location of the "gay swimming furore" ‐ much reported in many newspapers. A gay swimming group led to an hysterical AIDS panic. In the 1970s the centre was used for badminton socials by Nottingham CHE. In recent times a gay badminton group (Badminton Social) has also used it regularly. Professor Woods at Trent University is an Emeritus Professor of Gay and Lesbian Studies ‐ the first in the UK. He carries out research in the areas of: Gay and lesbian literary and cultural studies, mainly 20th century; the AIDS epidemic and Modernism. Professor Woods is a critically acclaimed poet and continues to write poetry. The Masonic Hall Worksop
The venue, in 2016, for the first Worksop Pride Bellar Gate Rest Garden
The Bellar Gate Rest Garden at Barker Gate is the location of events to commemorate Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20th. Ye Olde White Hart
A 1985 edition of Gay East Midlands mentions that the Olde White Hart in Newark would be opening a 1940s style "Blitz" bar which they would be promoting as gay. Colwick Woods
Colwick Woods is a well‐known (notorious??) cruising area The Lord Roberts
The Lord Roberts on Broad Street was at one time described as a gay‐friendly “theatre” bar, but eventually it “came out” as a gay bar and was home to several LGBT groups. In 2015, it decided that its wasn’t gay. The People’s Centre
The People’s Centre was a sort of alternative citizen’s advice bureau. It was based at 33 Mansfield Road, adjacent to the Nottingham Council for Voluntary Service (NCVS) offices. In 1974, Howard Hyman, of Nottingham CHE, approached the People’s Centre and got the go ahead to hold face‐to‐face advice and information sessions for gay men and lesbians. In essence, this was the start of Nottingham Lesbian and Gay Switchboard The OutHouse Office
After the OutHouse's proposed big LGBT centre fell by the wayside, they occupied an office on George Street for several years while deciding whether anything on a smaller scale could be made to work. In the end, the answer was "no". Lesbian speed dating
Mini dinner lesbian speed dating took place in 2016 at the Cob Art Cafe in Cobden chambers. The Albert Hall Institute
The Albert Hall Institute, now the Albert Hall Conference Centre, was the venue for many meetings of Nottingham CHE in the early 1970s. Two memorable meetings were with Dennis Lemon (editor of Gay News) and the Nottingham Samaritans. The latter led to a working relationship which lasted several years. The Astoria/Ocean
In 1984 a new phenomenon hit Nottingham. The big once‐a‐ month one‐nighter. The 1st Monday of every month was "The Astoria“, later to transmogrify into MGM and then Ocean. The Astoria was a large heterosexual disco club and they had been prevailed upon to use one of their off nights for the poofters. It was a great success. Part of the success was due to the music provided by Peter Martine, who later called his nights "Revolution". Antenna
Antenna, on Beck Street, was the location for a large‐scale LGBT health event organised by the City Council in October 2016 The Canal House
The upstairs room at the Canalhouse bar was the venue for the 2 or 3 times a year, women only bash called Fannys. The 2009 Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage Exhibition
One of the highlights of this 2009 LGBT History Month exhibition was when the Waterstones’ lift broke down and Fire and Rescue were called to get out those who were trapped!