Danielle Mustarde checks out the scene and more in South Yorkshire’s “reyt lovely” capital
BY DANIELLE MUSTARDE
While often overlooked in favour of nearby Manchester or Leeds, the āsouthernmost tip of the northern landsā ā cue heated debate ā with its industrial roots, jam-packed calendar of cultural events, and hella beautiful surroundings has an overly-humble charm all of its own.
Ok, so itās probably not going to be crowned āUKās Queerest Cityā anytime soon, but that doesnāt mean there isnāt LGBTQI-friendly stuff going on if you know where to lookā¦
QUEER SHEFFIELD
Sheffieldās queer scene is mostly made up of one-off or (ir)regular events. Still, thanks to a handful of badass LGBTQI folk, itās a scene thatās slowly growingā¦
š ANDRO & EVE Citywide
Founded in Spring 2016, Andro and Eve (aka Katherine Warman and Rhiannon Scutt) are THE queer queens of South Yorkshire. Creating āfeel good events that celebrate queer cultureā, this fabulous duo transform Sheffieldās cafes, clubs and community centres into big, fat queer nights out.
If youāre thinking of visiting, make sure you check out their events page to see if you can catch āem. Their next event is the fantastically inclusive drag king cabaret night, The Kingdom Come. Expect very friendly vibes, vegan cake and glitter beards uh-plenty.
androandeve.com | instagram.com/androandeve
š DINA 32 Cambridge Street, City Centre
An independent venue in the centre of the city, DINA is a not-for-profit offering a platform for artists and performers profiling new and unseen creative work. Making room for unheard voices is key to DINAās ethos, meaning its events are culturally diverse and inclusive – and from time-to-time, very much queer-focused. Check out their social media to be kept in the loop.
dinavenue.com | instagram.com/dinavenue
š DEMPSEYS Hereford St, City Centre
The most well-known of the few physical gay bars in Sheffield, Dempseys is something of an institution ā depending on your preferred vibe. If youāre a fan of brightly coloured alco-pops, sticky floors and hearing a decadeās worth of chart hits in one evening, then good olā Dempseys is for you.
WORTH A LOOK
š HATCH
A space built on social freedoms, artistic expressions and community spirit (formerly the Audacious Art Experiment).
š THEATRE DELI
A space for artists, audiences and communities to come together. Queer-friendly events abound.
š SHOWROOM CINEMA
Screening a rich mix of independent, cult and world cinema, if thereās a new LGBTQ film out youāll find it here. TIP: The restaurant serves top notch veggie food.
instagram.com/showroomworkstation
EATS
š½ļø THE HOLT Arundel Street, City Centre
Set in a beautifully repurposed warehouse, whether youāre after breakfast and a quick coffee, or a bite to eat for lunch, The Holt is a lovely spot (with equally lovely staff). Veggie and vegan options. Think: Stuff on toast, soups, and hot ān cold sandwiches.
š½ļø MAKE NO BONES Rutland Way, Kelham Island
Completely vegan eatery Make No Bones is a little outside of the city centre, but itās also close to Abbeydale Road home to Sheffieldās Antiques Quarter, with vintage shops, cafes and pubs galore. Think: Soups, bigger meals and vegan fish and chips
š½ļø BHAJI SHOP & THALI CAFE Kelham Island
Serving British-Indian, street food-inspired dishes, the Bhaji Shop is smack-bang in the middle of Kelham Island an old industrial spot which has seen a huge revamp in the last few years – definitely worth an explore, especially if youāre on the Real Ale trail. Think: onion bhajis, platters and street-food inspired dishes
OUTDOORSY
šæ THE PEAK DISTRICT
If youāre into walking, hiking, climbing or cycling, the Peak District (peakdistrict.gov.uk) is for you. Easily accessible by car or bus from the city centre, thereās plenty to see and do.
Donāt fancy hanging off a cliff face but want some fresh air? Check out nearby market town Bakewell (bakewell.co.uk), or if youāre a Downtown Abbey fan, nearby Chatsworth House is a must-see (chatsworth.org).
šæ THE CLIMBING WORKS
If youāve planned a weekend of outdoor shenanigans only to have it rain all weekend, make your way to The Climbing Works (climbingworks.com), Sheffieldās indoor bouldering wall.
As well as being super easy to get to from the city centre, itās staff are some of the loveliest around. Taking the kids? Check out the Mini Works next door (climbingworks.com/the-mini-works).
MOVERS ‘N SHAKERS
š£ Queer Agenda Sheffield (QASh)
Queer activists QASh are working together to promote the interests of Sheffieldās queer communities.
š£ Lesbian Asylum Support Sheffield (LASS)
Supporting and empowering Sheffieldās LBT+ and non-binary asylum seekers and refugees, LASS are a lovely lot.
WORD ON THE STREET
š What do the local lez/bi lovelies say?
āWe feel very comfortable as a same-sex couple living in Sheffield, but thereās not a huge amount going on in terms of queer nightlife. The universities put on LGBTQ nights, but Dempseys and OMG are the only physical gay bars. Still, Sheffield Pride is a really positive event and LGBTQ communities are reflected in one-off, city-wide events like DocFest and She Festā ā Anna and Laura, 30, Sheffield
āThere are a few really good events happening intermittently. QASh put on a few good nights and Audacious Art Experiment is a very queer-friendly, radical arts-type space. If you’re queer and live in Sheff, youād probably join a political groupā¦ or go climbing! Failing that, set your tinder miles to 100 and hope for the bestā ā El, 26, Sheffield
āAndro and Eve put on a really good range of queer events!ā ā Char, 27, Sheffield
This piece was originally published in the March 2018 issue of DIVA magazine
Only reading DIVA online? Youāre missing out. For more news, reviews and commentary, check out the latest issue. Itās pretty badass, if we do say so ourselves.
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