i“I’ve always been weird in the north.” This introduction to Manchester is by playwright, actor and self-proclaimed “accidental dater” Chris Hoyle, the voice of Manchester’s LGBT+ walking tour.
As we sit next to Alan Turing in Sackville Gardens, learn about lesbian suffragettes and discover the story of 19th-century trans pioneer Henry Stokes (who literally helped build the city), it’s hard to disagree. In true Mancunion fashion, its LGBT+ residents seem to settle for nothing less than changing the world.
The city has worn hundreds of hats over the centuries, from industrial pioneers to musical mammoths. A metropolis ruled by ‘queens in fancy dress’ long before Queen Victoria, Manchester is constantly changing, but its quirky heritage is embedded in its foundations, both figuratively and literally.
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As you pass through Rainbow Canal Street and the city’s Gay Village, you’ll likely step on one of the 18 Rainbow Walkway mosaics that make up the Heritage Trail. Each marks an important place for the local LGBT+ community, from the first bookshop to sell queer literature to a plaque honoring a teenager whose suicide in the 1980s led to the creation of Britain’s first charity to tackle LGBT+ homelessness.
The trail is now approaching its 30th year, and in true gay fashion, it’s changing. Part of that renewal is a Welcome All map created by guide Chris, featuring 16 must-sees on your city explorations.
These stops include well-known destinations such as Manchester’s first unusual bar, Manto, and the world-famous music and nightclub Hacienda, but they also uncover lesser-known and untold stories of eccentricity.
Long before I moved to the UK a decade ago, I imagined Manchester as an exotic haven – a place of drinks, parties and unbreakable friendships. Witness the evil attitude of the iconic characters of Russell T. Davis Strange as folk (2000) made me feel like I, too, could be chatting the night away in a strobe-lit Babel (real-life Club Babel 101), surrounded by people playing clubs, surfing and courting. More importantly, it made me believe that the confidence and safety of being outside the next morning would still be there.
As if I’m not alone, many people from all over the UK flock here to find community. According to Liam Swanston, director of the charity The Proud Trust, the reason the city has become a thriving queer center is because “Manchester has done the work.”
Born in the 1970s as a gay hub, the charity supports LGBT+ young people in all aspects of life, from work preparation and life skills to confidential support, and acting as a safe space to socialise. It is one of only five LGBT+ spaces built across Europe.
“The city has learned from its darkest moments and worked hard to be at the forefront of change,” adds Swanston, referring to the suicide of a young Albert Kennedy, to whom a stop on the Heritage Trail is dedicated.
“Queer people built the foundations of the world’s first modern city, and the trail shows,” says Hoyle. “But the aim is to keep adding more stops and stories to it to reflect the diversity of queer lives that make up Manchester’s LGBT+ history.”
Rather than dying out, Manchester’s queer scene has grown steadily. Today, the city is home to Britain’s largest LGBT community outside of London, and this year, its week-long Pride looks set to have record attendance, topping Brighton Pride, which is currently the largest outside the capital.
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International artists, including Billy Porter and Nelly Furtado, were part of the line-up, as well as acclaimed British drag performers. But it’s not all song and dance (and a brand new, buzzing Mardi Gras event). The events revolving around Manchester Pride are as diverse as they come.
During the third week of August, the festival celebrates the LGBT film and television scene – both very new and classic. Starting next year, you’ll be able to make the most of Parade and Stage Week at the same time, as the city turns its week-long event into a month, packed with events from book launches and quiet nights to music and film festivals.
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The fun continues outside the clubs. Europe’s largest queer bookstore, Queer Lit is a place to find untold stories, where representation and joyful existence go hand in hand. Think weird fantasy, trans sci-fi, multi-person memoir, and anything in between. Oh, and loads of rainbow merchandise too.
Although sadly discontinued this year, Love From was the first LGBT+ conscious space to open in the city, proving that there’s more to Q+ hanging out in the city than just casual space.
“Where there is a legacy of LGBT+ history, there is also a commitment to doing more for the city’s future,” adds Swanston. “And in that sense, we are very fortunate to have political leadership that is pushing to do more and take people on this journey of change.”
The creation of the UK’s first LGBT housing project, which will open in 2027, is part of this vision.
On my way back to the train station, I make my last stop at the Manchester Art Gallery, whose pocket garden is forever decorated with the words of artist Derek Germain. Writings about hope and love for the garden adorn the space with plants and words plucked directly from one of Germaine’s memoirs before she died of complications from AIDS.
Walking the busy streets of the Northern Quarter, or simply people-watching by the canal, under my rainbow umbrella, I can see Manchester’s arms being open to LGBT+ people for a long time to come. I can’t help but share a sense of pride with Alan, Henry, and Anne and all the queer founders who flirted with this transformative city long before the clubs and charities formalized it.
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where to eat and drink
Gay Village remains an important cultural landmark, but today, LGBT+ populations have grown across the city, from Canal Street and Deansgate to the Northern Quarter.
Molly’s House, a community favorite that combines award-winning sips and delicious tapas, is the place for the ultimate culinary delight. Pub downstairs, lounge and lush terrace upstairs, the bar has plenty of spaces to suit your every mood. From real ales to fine wines, the over 600 drinks on offer have been selected by the team and served in a wonderful and welcoming atmosphere.
For a substantial portion of anything you could possibly crave, head to the Northern Quarter – Manchester’s hip, young and hip artery full of street art and small music venues.
You may recognize the neighborhood as a filming location This is a sin (2021), another Russell T. Davies classic. The best bites are also hidden here. The LGBT-owned Feel Good Club is one of them, a great place to enjoy an all-day brunch or just a coffee and a bite to eat.
And if you want to add an element of drag (with bingo, year-round Christmas and all outdoor themes) to your brunch, you’ll be spoiled for choice with amazing drag events and brunches all over town.
where to stay
When you need a break from the gray skyline, take refuge at the central Treehouse Hotel. Crawl into your cozy nest and watch the Channel in the Lookout Studio Suite (from £172 per night) or opt for two lookout queens (from £195 per night) to stay on topic.
The newly opened hotel also hosts stage shows, meaning you can roll out of bed and hug your glass to the hilt in a whimsical party without ever having to set foot outside.
The hotel’s restaurant, Pip, furthers the establishment’s commitment to luxury sustainability. Chunks of delicious Manchester beetroot and onion are turned into complex pickles, and chunks of exotic mackerel are completely cold-smoked. Guest or not, Pip is worth a dinner reservation.
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