Members of the LGBTQ+ community need dedicated spaces where they can feel safe, visible, and free to express themselves.
Historically, queer people relied on unofficial or underground venues, especially when it was neither legal nor safe to exist openly.
In more recent decades, officially recognised LGBTQ+ venues have played a vital role in community life.
However, many of these spaces have been disappearing. Across the UK, the number of LGBTQ+ venues has declined significantly.
In London alone, there has been a drop of more than 50% since 2006: from around 125 venues to just 50 today. National trends are likely to reflect a similar pattern.
LGBTQ+ venues are disappearing as the community grows
Despite this decline, the percentage of people identifying as LGBTQ+ in the UK continues to rise.
In 2013, only 1.5% of UK adults identified as LGBTQ+. By 2023, that figure had risen to 3.8%.
Among Gen Z, the numbers are even higher, with over 10.4% of 18-to-24-year-olds identifying as part of the community.
At a time when there should arguably be more inclusive venues, there are fewer places for LGBTQ+ people to call their own.
Of the few venues that remain, many are increasingly dominated by straight patrons, leaving queer people feeling like visitors in spaces that are meant to be theirs.
This shift can make LGBTQ+ venues feel performative, or no longer genuinely rooted in the community.
At a time when hate crimes, particularly against transgender women, are on the rise, this can also make these spaces feel less safe.
Closures in the West Midlands show this isn’t just a London problem
In the West Midlands, and specifically in Birmingham, venue closures have dramatically altered the Gay Village. Two prominent venues, The Loft and The Village Inn, both closed earlier this year. The Village Inn has since moved into The Nightingale Club under one roof.
Queer events are thriving, even as permanent venues disappear
Yet the demand for queer spaces is still strong. Events like LICK, which centres sapphic women, frequently sell out. And with over 75,000 people attending Birmingham Pride this June, it’s clear that LGBTQ+ spaces are still both valued and needed.
LGBTQ+ people have always created space where none was given, from underground clubs to modern-day pop-ups. But they shouldn’t have to fight so hard just to exist.
With growing visibility and a vibrant community, there’s never been a better moment to invest in spaces that reflect and support that reality, not erase it.