Gay village manchester uk

The Village

AXM Bar & Club

AXM opened its doors in 2004 and offers a tardy night clubbing life with DJs, cabaret shows and…

MAYA

Situated at the bustling intersection of Chorlton Highway and Canal Lane, the 20th-century…

Napoleon's

Friendly prevent over two floors with a varied crowd.

New Union Hotel & Show Bar

Built in 1865, the New Union was one of the first ever queer establishments in Manchester and has been…

Oscars

Oscars is an intimate, theatre style block showing classic and modern musical clip clips in glamorous…

Salon Madre

Manchester’s much loved Mexican restaurant, Madre, has expanded and opened a tequila…

The Eagle Bar

Men only basement prevent with industrial and stylish décor unwrap seven nights a week with a faithful…

The Molly House

The Molly House is a charming, rustic, vintage bar over two floors with outdoor smoking terrace…

Via

A Gay, gothic labyrinth bar serving quality dishes with specials, in a distinct relaxed environment…

View

View is a large lock and club over two floors and open seven nights a week. Show includes a&hell

History of the Homosexual Village and Diverse nightlife in Manchester

Manchester’s Gay Village has been a haven for many in the LGBTQ+ People for decades and welcomes thousands of people from across Manchester and beyond to celebrate Lgbtq+ fest every year. But before becoming Europe’s largest Gay Village, this area was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution in Manchester.

Canal Street gets its name from the Rochdale Canal that flows alongside it, which was used to transport materials and goods to and from Manchester’s many mills and factories, fuelling the Industrial Revolution. The buildings that are now home to iconic clubs and bars were once warehouses and workshops used by merchants to house cotton, cloth and building materials.

Following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830 the use of canals began to decline in favour of the much faster and more convenient method of transporting goods that steam engines provided. By the end of the 19th century rail had firmly replaced the canals as the primary mode of transportation between Manchester and Liverpool.

It was this industrial decline of Canal Street that saw it take on another use as a clandestine gathering

Planning and regeneration City centre regeneration areas

The Gay Village

The Gay Village is a truly unique and vibrant area of the capital centre. Located next to the Rochdale Canal, it has a mix of residential, commercial and leisure destinations. It's home to the city’s lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and transgender communities. The flourishing gay tradition created a safe and welcoming village-like community. And it's world-famous for its night-time and leisure scene.

We've collaborated with the local community to create an action plan for the Gay Village. It looks at how we can preserve the character and spirit of the area. And how we guarantee the needs of the LGBTQ+ community are at the heart of anything taking place in the Village. 

As part of our commitment to the Homosexual Village, a series of listening exercises have taken place. So we excel understand the priorities, wants and needs of the community who live in, work and visit it. 

There are a range of proposals to enhance the area in the small and long-term. They include: 

  • Developing a neighbourhood management arrange for improvements to the physical environment
  • Replac

    The Gay Village in Manchester is without doubt one of the liveliest areas of the capital and this is reflected by the number of pubs, bars and clubs dotted around Canal Street, or 'anal treet' as it's also affectionately known locally.

    Whilst Canal Street is the name most widely associated with Manchester's Gay Village, the area is actually spread out on all the streets that descent between Princess Street and Minshull Street, close to Piccadilly Station and China Town.

    Lined with queer bars, clubs, cafes, hotels and shops, it's packed at evening time with gays, lesbians, transexuals and transvetites who have flocked to the area from all over the world, many attracted by the Queer As Folk television drama which was based here.

    Whilst 'The Village' is packed of gay bars, most of them are straight friendly and the popularity of the area with hetrosexuals underlines the welcoming open-minded attitude Mancunians are famed for.

    A great time is guaranteed for anybody on Canal Road - gay, straight or bisexual.