Blackpool's gay club scene hope to create LGBTQ+ quarter where everyone can ‘Be who you want to be’

A new vision has been unveiled to develop a village quarter in Blackpool celebrating the resort’s LGBTQ+ heritage.

The plans aim to build on the existing concentration of gay-friendly bars, venues and guest houses in streets in the north of the town centre including parts of Queen Street and Dickson Road.

But there would be no label attached to the neighbourhood – instead its mantra would be – ‘Be who you want to be’.

Blackpool Council has already held talks with community leaders with the next step set to be a consultation.

It is hoped the proposal could attract fresh investment and spark regeneration in Claremont where pockets of deprivation are among the worst in the country.

A town hall report says: “The council has been approached by communitystakeholders interested in how a celebration of the heritage of the area, its sense of belonging, a warm welcome and community cohesion, can be developed and support investment and regeneration in the wider area – encouraging more day time visitors and ensuring a sense of safety and quality for all.”

Clubs such as Funny Girls and the Flamingo, both launched by Blackpool entrepreneur Basil Newby, were among the forerunners nationally in being gay-friendly venues.

Now Blackpool has around 15 LGBTQ+ bars and scores of LGBTQ+friendly guesthouses mainly clustered around Queen Street, Springfield Road, Dickson Road and Lord Street.

The Blackpool Pride Festival is also an established event, having been held annually for 17 years, with plans to expand it.

Tim Allan, chair of the North Shore Business Group, says the aim is to harness the existing successful businesses to bring investment to the town.

He said: “There is an existing thriving night-time economy in this area, and what I hope comes from this consultation is investment in the day-time economy as well.

“That might be an influx of both private and public money.

“It is about recognition of diversity and Blackpool has a very long LGBTQ+ history and we need to celebrate that.

“Compared to a lot of towns, we have been inclusive for many years.”

Initiatives to celebrate the heritage could include a rainbow plaque scheme to mark diversity pioneers, and add to the vibrancy of the neighbourhood where many venues already fly the rainbow flag.

Among the organisations on board are Renaissance Charity , LGBT+ Facebook Friends, hoteliers group BAGS, Blackpool Pride Festival, and Claremont ward councillors Lynn Williams and Ivan Taylor.

Shaun Pickup, chair of the trustees for Blackpool Pride Festival, said: “We hope it will be good for the economy and that by creating an area like this, we can attract in more new businesses.

“It will boost the area and maybe bring more people in to live there and have a knock on effect.”

He added: “Blackpool Pride will play a major role in this initiative. We are aiming to grow Blackpool Pride into a larger, more inclusive event bringing in culture and heritage and creating more community engagement.”

Both Tim and Shaun are urging people to take part in the consultation when it is launched by the council.

Ahead of unveiling the vision, representatives of organisations including the council, police and LGBTQ+ community visited Manchester’s gay quarter in Canal Street.

Afterwards it was decided Blackpool should create an are which is “very diverse, and should be an area for all interests, abilities and backgrounds and not designated as a LGBTQ+ area.

“‘Be who you want to be’, a place to be able to express yourself and who you are and a celebration of arts and heritage, fitting well into the culture strategy that is being developed.”