THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

If you go to the Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage website www.nottsrainbowheritage.org.uk you can see the Nottingham map on the menu. Every one of the nearly 60 circles is a place used (past and present) by LGBT people. Click on the spot to get the details. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Admiral Duncan

By 1987 the Admiral Duncan was tentatively mov- ing towards being a gay bar. The Duncan eventu- ally started to hold raffles and events for Switch- board - the first in 1988 and five huge benefits over the 1990s (unlike De Luxe, where a benefit was held but the money never got to Switch- board). In the 1980s and early 1990s the manage- ment 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 NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Arboretum

From 2003 to 2009, the Arboretum park was the home to Nottingham Pride Festival.

Of the various venues used for Pride, the Ar- boretum seems to be the most favoured. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Astoria (Ocean)

In 1984 a new phenomenon hit Nottingham. The big once-a-month one-nighter. The first Monday of every month was "The Astoria". In the 1960s there was a rela- tively sedate dance hall called the Sherwood Rooms on Collin Street at the bottom of Maid Marian Way. In the 1980s this had become the Astoria (and was later to transmogrify into MGM and then Ocean). The Astoria was a very 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". Peter is fondly known as the "Sleezemeister". Many years ago a TV programme featured "Clarence the cross -eyed lion". Peter Martine is also fondly known as Clar- ence. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Arnold Library & Leisure Centre

When Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage applied for its Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2007, it made the point of incorporating LGB/ LGBT awareness training as part of its plan. Arnold library has been the most frequently used venue for these training sessions.

The library has a large community display area which has been used several times by Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage during LGBT History Month. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Base 51

Founded in 1993 to provide health care and support to young people aged 12-25 living in the Nottingham- shire Area, Base 51 provided a full-time drop-in ser- vice offering help, support, advice and information from its Glasshouse Street Centre. With free counsel- ling, medical, learning, housing and family support services all running from one place, Base 51 supports over 10,000 young people every year. It has now moved to the NGY Centre on Castle Gate.

For many years it was the home of Outburst, the LGBT youth group, which is now also at NGY. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Bell

We have received information that in the early 1960s the Bell Inn on Angel Row (one of Nottingham's oldest pubs) had a "gentlemen only" bar. Was this simply a gender restriction or did it have any other implications?

Let us know if you can enlighten us. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Central Library

In 1987 the front window of Nottingham's Central Library was taken over by a lesbian and gay exhibition. It was fre- quently vandalised.

In 2006, the community space on the first floor was used for an LGBT History display and this continued up to 2009, lat- terly under the control of Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Herit- age. The only "interference" these displays suffered was the removal in 2008 of 2 pictures of gay muslims. This prompted a much larger display of LGBT people from BME communi- ties in 2009.

All copies of QB newsletter are stored in the Local History section of the library. The materials from the 2000 Notting- hamshire Living Archives miniproject are also kept in the li- brary.

In 2014, at very short notice, the large display space on the first floor was made available for a Nottinghamshire's Rain- bow Heritage exhibition. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Council House

The ballroom in the Council House has been used as the venue for Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage’s Celebration and Awards evenings. It is now the City's Register Office and is used for Civil Partnership cere- monies.

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". THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

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.

Life at the Centre has provided the base for Resonate, an LGBT youth group. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Dragon

For a short time in the early 1980s be- tween the slow death of the Hearty Good- fellow and the birth of Gatsby's, the Drag- on - over the road from Angel Row library - was a popular gay bar. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Canalhouse bar

During the 2010s, the upstairs room at the Canalhouse bar was the venue for the 2 or 3 times a year, women only bash called Fannys. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Forest Recreation Ground

In 2010, having outgrown the Arboretum, Pride moved to the Forest Recreation site - the Goose Fair site. There were gains and losses. Easier access; less attractive sur- roundings. More stalls; things more spread out. There was a rather pathetic demo by some young Muslim males near to the en- trance. The same venue was used in 2011 and 2012. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Foresters Inn

The Foresters Inn on Huntingdon Street must not be confused with the New For- esters. In the early 2000s though not ex- actly a gay bar, it was classed as lesbian and gay friendly.

It then became decidedly unfriendly. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Fuel & Foundation

The geographical shift towards the Lace Market area started by Propaganda continued In April 2010, when it was joined by Fuel, a new gay club and Foundation a "boutique" bar which is linked with it.

The shift went into reverse when both closed in Autumn 2010. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

G Spot

G Spot, a members only gay clubbish bar opened at 34 Heathcoat Street in April 2012. It changed its name shortly after- wards (always a danger sign) and then closed soon after. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The George

Before the 1970s there had been a few gay bars in Nottingham, usually one bar in a pub or hotel which had several bars.

Two such bars were the George (now the Mercure Hotel) and the Black Boy - long since demolished. As a gay bar, the George goes back to the 1940s. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Healthy Gay Nottingham

HGN (formerly the GAI Project) was a gay and bisexual men’s health service with a committment to providing a non-judgemental and confidential service.

It was opened in 1974 by Sir Ian McKellen. Their publicity said "You can talk to us about anything affecting your life as a gay or bisexual man, from "coming out" issues, to relationships, safer cruising and internet use, help in reporting homophobic violence, or see a coun- sellor. You can talk to us about HIV, safer sex, and sexual health. You can pick up condoms and lube, or get tested for HIV, Gonor- rhoea, Chlamydia, Syphilis and Hepatitis B."

HGN was based on Broad Street at the Health Shop (see left), firstly in the basement (an environment which challenged the description "health" shop) and then on the ground floor. It provided a home for Breakout Gay Men's group and the initial home for the Outburst LGBT Youth group as well as providing external training for many organisations. It did outreach work on the scene and was a regular presence at Pride. Its annual Gay Guide publication did what it said on the tin.

It was closed - to much regret - at the end of 2013 as part of a local health service (cost cutting?) exercise. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Cellos

Before its current incarnation shown on the picture, 22 Fletcher Gate was the Old Vic. In 1993 it housed the Cellos Club, a women -only night.

Cellos also had a second existence at the Meadow Club, Meadow Lane. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Marios

The first gay successful club in Nottingham was Mario's, on Stanford Street near what is now the Broadmarsh Centre. It converted from a teeny- bopper's club to a gay club in 1971/1972.

Though often a bit tatty around the edges, it had a good and friendly atmosphere and continued successfully for over 10 years, changing its name to Shades and then to Whispers. Its build- ing is now called Stanford House. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

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 NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Newmarket

The Newmarket on Lower Parliament Street is one of several bars which have never been 100% gay, but have had an on and off rep- utation as gay friendly. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

Media Darlings

Media Darlings opened in October 1999 at what was the old Elite Cinema building. It was another once-a-monther. Its date clashed (deliberately?) with that of Peter Martine's Revolution night. Battle commenced. Revolu- tion won and Media Darlings switched dates. After 6 months it closed - complaints that the building was cold and the staff were unfriendly probabaly didn't help. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The New Gables Hotel

Nottingham has had several gay-friendly hotels, but proba- bly the first genuine gay hotel opened early in 2010 at 1 Hucknall Road.

This was the New Gables hotel run by Debbie Law, licen- see 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. THE NOTTINGHAM MAP

The Lord Roberts

In the late 1990s The Lord Roberts was a gay- friendly theatre bar, helped in this respect by its proximity to Broadway Cinema.

The downstairs Green Room was often opened for free use (if you bought enough drinks) by var- ious groups - including Switchboard, Breakout, Pride and East Mercia MSC. These days it's more definitely a gay pub.