Time to get on Trainline…
BY HEBE HANCOCK, IMAGE BY GETTY
“Queer nightlife is dead.” You’ve probably heard it – on TikTok, at brunch, or muttered during a trudge home after another underwhelming night out. But the truth is, queer club culture isn’t dead – it’s just thriving in postcodes you might not have thought to check. From Glasgow basements to Leeds warehouses, the most exciting queer spaces today aren’t always found under a glitterball in Soho or on a beach in Brighton, but in the DIY, community-powered corners of the UK that refuse to let the dancefloor die.
Take Leeds, for example. Long known for its student scene, Leeds may not shout as loudly as some of its neighbouring cities, but its LGBTQIA scene hums with creativity, care, and grassroots energy. What sets it apart is the strength of its community-led spaces – built not just for partying, but for connecting across identities.
If you’re looking for a dancefloor, The Bridge Bar on Lower Briggate delivers. Opened in 2021, it’s become a cornerstone of Leeds’ Freedom Quarter, known for its rainbow-lit interiors, pop-fuelled DJ sets, and welcoming atmosphere. Gender-neutral bathrooms and a genuinely mixed crowd give it an inclusive edge, making it a safe haven for queer women, trans folks, and everyone in between. Meanwhile, Wharf Chambers offers a more DIY, alternative feel. This co-operatively run venue has long hosted Leeds’ most creative and radical queer events – from anarchic drag nights and zines fairs to queer punk gigs and poetry slams. Crucially, it’s member-run, meaning the community shapes what happens there.
Meanwhile in Manchester, the spirit of radical queer nightlife lives on – not just in the Village, but in underground venues and community halls where collectives like Them Fatale and Queeriosity are reclaiming clubbing as political, playful, and deeply rooted in care. There’s also Kiss Me Again: a beloved queer night run by a diverse team focused on inclusivity and safety, with a stellar reputation for being non-commercial and community-first. Also notable is the broader queer cultural scene, with queer-run bookstores like Queer Lit hosting community gatherings and open mic nights that often blend literature with nightlife vibes.
Up in Glasgow, there’s a similar energy brewing. Events like Shoot Your Shot are transforming the city’s nightlife with line-ups that prioritise women, non-binary and trans artists. They’re intimate, intentionally curated, and often feel more like queer family gatherings than raucous raves. And, their underground queer scene is thriving. PONYBOY is a trans-inclusive, high-energy party collective throwing immersive queer events in venues like Bonjour, a queer-owned community space. Fast Muzik offers euphoric, rave-inspired nights with a strong DIY and femme-centric ethos, while QueeringTechno supports emerging queer DJs and fosters inclusivity in electronic music scenes. These events often feature drag, live visuals, and themes that celebrate queer and trans culture in joyful defiance of the mainstream.
These nights don’t just exist in big university cities either. In Cardiff, Ladies Of Rage combines club nights with live music showcases, giving a platform to women and non-binary performers in hip hop, grime, and electronic scenes. In Newcastle, DIY queer collective Bend & Shake hosts genre-spanning, queer-led raves in unexpected venues – from disused office blocks to community centres. And in Sheffield, Andro and Eve continues to throw drag king cabarets and sober dance events that challenge the mainstream narrative of what queer nightlife should look like.
Of course, these scenes aren’t without challenges. The ongoing cost of living crisis, rising venue rents, and post-pandemic burnout have all taken their toll. But there’s a shared defiance in the people keeping these nights alive. Their message is clear: queer club culture will always exist where there’s a need for it – which is everywhere.
So if the club feels dead, maybe it’s time to look beyond the capital, beyond the mainstream, beyond the algorithm. There are femmes spinning vinyl in tiny Northern bars. There are trans artists booking warehouse raves in the Midlands. There are queer elders handing out zines at sober discos in the South West.
The UK’s queer nightlife is alive, defiant, and dancing – it’s just waiting for you to find it.
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