In an era where LGBTQ+ visibility is at an all-time high, it’s tempting to think that the fight for gay spaces is behind us. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the UK for over a decade, Pride festivals attract record numbers, and even your local high street might have rainbow bunting in June. But for many gay men, especially post-pandemic, there’s a growing recognition that visibility alone isn’t enough—we still need places where we can truly belong.
For years, there’s been talk of the “death of the gay bar.” With the rise of dating apps and more integrated social scenes, many LGBTQ+ venues across the UK—from Manchester’s Canal Street to London’s Soho—have closed their doors. But now, something interesting is happening: a quiet but powerful resurgence of queer spaces.
More and more, queer spaces are becoming cultural hubs. Nights out aren’t just about drinks and dancing—they’re about drag bingo, queer cabaret, LGBTQ+ film nights, Rock Painting or just a place to sit with a friend and feel seen.
The vibe is shifting from survival to celebration.
And in 2025, celebration is political. As conversations around identity become more complex, and occasional headlines still stir up anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, there’s real value in being surrounded by people who understand your story without needing an explanation.
So this summer, go beyond the apps. Head to that Pride picnic, check out the local gay pub, or support a queer-run event in your city.
These aren’t just nights out—they’re lifelines, full of laughter, history, and possibility.
Gay spaces in the UK aren’t fading—they’re evolving. And they still matter. Maybe now more than ever.
Alright, listen up! Nottingham might not be hogging the spotlight like London or Manchester, but let me tell you, it’s got some serious sass when it comes to its gay scene. Picture this: vibrant gay bars, buzzing nightlife, and a whole lot of rainbow love. We’re talking about a city that knows how to party, especially with its LGBTQ+ crew from Uni Of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent strutting their stuff. And oh honey, mark your calendar because every July, Nottingham throws down the fiercest Pride march you’ve ever seen!
Now, if you’re on the hunt for a hot spot to meet your match or just wanna spice up your nightlife game, look no further, darlings. Here’s the lowdown on the best gay bars Nottingham has to offer.
Get ready to feast your eyes—and your taste buds—because The G.O.A.T. isn’t just slinging drinks, they’re serving up wood-fired pizzas that’ll make your heart skip a beat. I mean, who doesn’t love a little romance with a side of cheesy goodness, am I right?
But hold onto your wig, because the deals here are as hot as their pizzas! We’re talking £6 cocktails all day, every day—now that’s what I call a happy hour that never quits! And if you’re craving a little pizza action, how does a pizza and a pint, wine, or soft drink for a tenner sound? Available Tuesday through Thursday, and before 5pm on Friday and Saturday. Talk about bang for your buck! Check out their Facebook page here.
So, if you’re on the hunt for the ultimate gay bar experience in Nottingham—one that’s not only serving up delicious eats but also creating a cozy, welcoming atmosphere—look no further than The G.O.A.T. Trust me, it’s the place to be for food, fun, and fabulousness!
The New Foresters
The New Foresters? Oh, it’s not just any bar—it’s practically the heartbeat of Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ scene! Tucked behind the Victoria Centre right in the heart of the city, it’s like the North Star of fabulousness, guiding you to its rainbow-infused paradise no matter where you roam in Nottingham.
Let me paint you a picture: progress pride flags fluttering in the breeze, including those iconic trans and non-binary banners, giving you all the inclusive feels. And hold onto your wig, because they’ve just unveiled these dazzling rainbow angel wings against a lush grass wall—perfect for striking that fierce pose and flooding your socials with some serious glam!
Now, here’s the tea: The New Foresters has been slaying since 1958, serving as the ultimate gathering spot for Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ community. Trust me, darling, this isn’t just a bar—it’s a sanctuary of love, acceptance, and unapologetic fabulousness. So, what are you waiting for?
Add 18 St Anns Street, NG3 3LX to your GPS and let the fabulous journey begin!
The Lord Roberts
Let me spill the tea on The Lord Roberts—it’s like the hidden gem of Nottingham’s queer scene, even though it’s not officially flying the rainbow flag. Nestled snugly in Hockley, the heartbeat of Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ community, this spot is where all the cool kids flock.
Picture this: The Lord Roberts, managed by our fabulous gay fam, isn’t just a bar—it’s a vibe, it’s a lifestyle! And guess what? They’re not just about mixing drinks, honey; they’re about mixing communities. They’re the proud sponsors of none other than the Nottingham Lions, the local LGBTQ+ football champions, bringing folks together one match at a time.
But wait, there’s more! They’ve got quizzes that’ll tickle your brain, pop-up dog photography studios that’ll melt your heart (have you seen their Facebook page? Total cuteness overload!), and hey, let’s not forget the not-so-glamorous but oh-so-important sexual health clinic—they’re all about keeping you safe and sound, darling.
And let’s talk aesthetics, shall we? The Lord Roberts is serving up 1920s Art Deco realness, so you know you’re not just chilling at any old watering hole—you’re stepping into a time machine of style and sophistication.
So, if you’re ready to dive into a potentially fabulous experience, The Lord Roberts is calling your name. Trust me, it’s one of Nottingham’s best-kept secrets in the unofficially gay bar scene. Don’t miss out, darling!
The Hole In The Wall
Alright, let’s dive into the fabulousness that is The Hole in The Wall—because honey, this place is dripping with history and LGBTQ+ pride! Picture this: since 1984, it’s been waving the rainbow flag high and proud, serving as a beacon of acceptance and love right in the heart of Nottingham.
But wait, there’s more! In 2015, they cranked up the fun factor by hosting legendary lesbian pool nights—talk about making waves in the community! And guess who’s steering this ship of fabulousness now? None other than two fierce gay men who took over as managers in 2022, determined to make The Hole in The Wall officially LGBTQ+ friendly once again. Can I get a Yas, queen?
So, if you’re craving a taste of LGBTQ+ history and a whole lot of good vibes, look no further than The Hole in The Wall. Check out their Facebook page for all the latest tea, and mark your calendars for a night you won’t soon forget!
Oh, and don’t forget the address: 63 North Sherwood Street, NG1 4EZ. Trust me, darling, you won’t want to miss out on this iconic hotspot!
Plans have been submitted to turn Nottingham’s gay sauna, Wolf Spa, into what developers are calling an “air hotel.”
Wolf Spa, which has been closed for a number of years, has been eyed by a developer who wants to create a hotel without staff or kitchen facilities. Documents show that the new owner, Mr B Tiwana, has now submitted plans for a change of use for the building.
Wolf had operated in the city centre from 2017, but was closed by its owner shortly after the COVID-19 pandemnic.
According to planning reports presented to Nottingham City Council, the applicant’s intention is to transform the structure into an “air hotel.” The concept of an air hotel can be described as a hotel that differs from conventional ones by not having a permanent, on-site, full-time staff presence, as stated in the documents.
No kitchens, No full-time staff
The documents also note that the building does not include cooking, catering, or restaurant facilities. This is because such amenities are unnecessary, given the ample availability of cafes, bars, and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the city centre.
The hotel, however, does employ service staff responsible for day-to-day cleaning, laundry services, general maintenance, and overall management. These services are contracted through an external company, as provided by the applicant.
Before its opening, Wolf Spa underwent a transformation and offered a range of services, including massages, sauna rooms, waxing, manscaping, body hair trimming, body scrubs, body polishing, and various other therapies.
According to planning documents, there is a recognized demand for a new air hotel at this location. The hotel will cater to a diverse range of visitors to the city centre, including parents requiring accommodation when visiting family members such as students, business travellers in need of extended stay options, and tourists exploring the city centre, as stated in the documents.
The hotel is promoted online through a dedicated website, and guests make their reservations and payments electronically. Each customer is assigned a unique access code, exclusively generated for their use, allowing entry to the main entrance, bedroom, and courtyard amenity space. Importantly, this access code is valid only for the duration of their stay, and doors automatically unlock upon departure.
Hope that Wolf might have reopened
Locals in Nottingham had hoped that Wolf might reopen as no official closing down announcement had been made and the building had been kept in good condition over the last couple of years.
A former employee, who wished to remain unnamed, said: “I’ve had few of the former customers ask when the place would be back and running, but the former owner just seems to have gone dark on us all, which is a shame, because it was pretty popular.”
The closure means that Nottingham’s once-thriving gay scene is diminishing and is left with two bars.
Nottingham is home to a small but friendly choice of LGBT+ venues, but which one has come out top in the Google reviews?
There are about 3 LGBT+ bars and clubs in Nottingham and further two “gay-friendly” places. They are dotted around the city as Nottingham doesn’t really have a “gay quarter” as other big cities have.
So here are the best and worse gay bars in Nottingham ranked worst to best by Google Map users.
The Lord Roberts 4.3 stars out of 447 reviews
The Lord Roberts is the highest rated LGBT+ friendly pub in Nottingham and it’s true. We can totally vouch for that. The bar staff go out of their way to make you feel welcomed. One reviewer adds, “A welcoming safe venue. Somewhere I always feel welcome, alone or with a group. The landlord welcomes you in as if it’s a friend welcoming you into his home”.
Another added, “Since Craig took over the Lord Roberts it’s become the place to be in Nottingham City Centre.. it’s friendly and welcoming and the place is kept immaculate”.
It has 181 reviews. One reviewer called the New Foresters a “great little gem” while another added that it had “Friendly staff, average price, great crowd and atmosphere”
The Foresters Inn, located on Huntington Street, just behind the Victoria centre is not technically an LGBT+ bar, but it once was and therefore has a little hangover from that period. It raucous and you’ll be able to find cheap drinks and karaoke.
Users suggested that the pub was a “Good place to have a few drinks to start the night off” and had “Nice friendly atmosphere guest beers from local breweries reasonably priced”
Located on Lower Parliament Street, NG One was once Nottingham’s largest LGBT+ club. It has changed its door policy and is now open to anyone, however it does still attract some LGBT+ folk. It has 4 bars and 2 dance floors with a capacity of almost 1000. Open until the early hours every weekend.’
The police force in Nottingham are taking a “zero tolerance” approach after condoms, rubbish and a make-shift shelter were apparently found in Mansfield’s Thieves Wood, to the north of Nottingham.
The police were alerted to anti-social behaviour at the location upon investigation police say they found condoms and rubbish.
Police say that they are taking a “zero-tolerance approach” according to Nottingham Post.
Police Sergeant Kate Long said, “This is an area visited by families and used by many people in the local and wider community.
“Nottinghamshire Police will not tolerate people using this area for lewd activities.
No arrests… but measures will be introduced
Although no one was arrested or caught at the location, the police force says they are going to “introduce a series of measures” which they hope will prevent the area from becoming a busy cruising ground.
It did not reveal what the measures would be or the costs of such an operation.
Sergeant Long added, “We will be looking to introduce a series of measures in the area to prevent this activity and provide a safe, family-friendly area for all.”
Nottingham’s only dedicated LGBT+ nightclub, Propaganda is to close after the lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions meant it has been unable to renew its lease.
Propaganda, which has served Nottingham’s LGBT+ community for over 11 years will close with immediate effect, according to a Facebook post the club’s management published yesterday afternoon.
In the post, the management wrote, that due to the “current economic conditions” the club was unable to come to new terms with its landlord and that they had “no other option but to close”.
The outpouring of support from the community has been “truly humbling” according to the management after the post announcing the club’s closure, received over 2,300 comments from customers.
The management of Propaganda sad that they were “humbled to have been part of something special” and wished their “incredible staff, past and present” their thanks.
As it currently stands bars and clubs will not be allowed to open again for the foreseeable future, putting immense pressure onto the “gay scene”, which has already suffered a slew of closures in recent years due to ever-increasing rents in cities and generally falling footfall.
On May the 10th the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, laid out tentative plans to reopen parts of the UK’s economy. The hospitality industry, arguably the hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic, will be one of the last to be reopened.
Some of the industry would be permitted to commence trading again on 4th July, but that was contingent on a number of factors, including keeping the number of new infections of COVID-19 down and the ability to maintain social distancing measures within the premises.
Nottingham‘s only dedicated LGBT+ club has sought to reassure its customers that they doing everything they can to keep customers and staff safe during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The club took to Facebook to say that all their staff were “fully trained on strict hygiene practices” and that there were “constantly checking for updates and further advice from the NHS and government”.
Club bosses also advised, “Antibacterial hand soap remains in our soap dispensers (and we have plenty of it!) so please do use it. You may find our team members wearing latex gloves on shift, so please do not be alarmed if you see us sporting the sexy blue gloves. This is our way of protecting you and us”.
It added, “In line with government guidance, WE REMAIN OPEN and welcome you to join us at Propaganda”.
Nottingham’s LGBT+ scene is growing and getting better. There are currently five LGBT bars and venues in the city and these are the best – according to your Google reviews.
Newly redecorated the Lord Roberts comes out on top with a rating from Google reviews of 4.3 and we’re not surprised. The bar staff are incredibly friendly and if you go on a Wednesday night you’ll be able to sample the fun and games of a pub quiz and Sticky Fingers.
Perhaps Nottingham’s newest bar, it receives a great rating of 4.9 but only has 8 reviews, compared to The Lord Roberts’ 435. That said the drinks are cheap and has got its regulars!
Next on the list is the newly updated New Forresters which receives a 4.1 rating on Google. It’s a friendly, welcoming place with a zero attitude feel amongst staff and clients and the drinks are cheap to boot! Nice.
Propaganda comes up as a 3.8 rating on Google Reviews, but it’s a lively LGBT venue open until 5 AM on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It is Nottingham’s only dedicated gay / LGBT+ club.
Not technically a gay bar, but a very gay-friendly vibe. It receives a great 4.3 rating from its punters. Check out the karaoke. Also supports LGBT+ charities during pride season.
If you’re out and about and looking to buy poppers in Nottingham, you can buy from a number of outlets, here’s where.
There are a number of places in Nottingham where you can purchase poppers.
Firstly, you can buy poppers from Nottingham’s own Sauna, Wolf Spa. It sells a limited range of poppers for its clientele. You can find Wolf Spa at 1 Kilbourn Road, NG3 1BQ (this venue has now closed down)
Secondly, Nottingham has its very own sex shop, called Private Shop (81-85 Upper Parliament St, Nottingham NG1 6LD) They have a range of seven different types of room odourisers and have multi-pack deals, which you can mix and match. They also sell on bulk – 20 Bottles for £60 which also can be milk and match.
Thirdly you can always buy poppers online, THEGAYSHOP sells a huge range of room aromas to choose from.
Are poppers legal in the UK?
CREDIT: TheGayUK
It is completely legal to consume and sell poppers in the UK. In 2017 there were fears that the Conservative government would outlaw their sale and usage, however, poppers were proven to not be a psychoactive substance and so the government made a U-turn and decided against making the liquid illegal.
With the gay scene constantly evolving in Nottingham, we look to see if there are any gay saunas or hook up clubs in the English county of Nottinghamshire. Currently, there are two gay saunas in Nottinghamshire, Wolf Spa and Metro Sauna.
Wolf Spa is located in the city of Nottingham, while Metro Sauna is in Mansfield about a thirty-minute drive from Nottingham city centre.
A street performer known as Disco Bunny has shared footage of him being abused on the streets.
A performer known as Disco Bunny (Pablo Woodward) was entertaining the crowds in Nottingham city centre when he was set upon by a man in the crowd who took offence to Disco Bunny’s look. The man then proceeded to homophobically abuse the performer and at one point called Woodward a “f**king nonce”.
The unnamed man repeatedly asked Disco Bunny who he was sexually attracted to in front of a gathering crowd. When Disco Bunny refused to answer the man’s question the thug launched into a foul-mouthed six-minute rant in which he using the words “nonce” and “batty man”. He also said that he didn’t trust the performer with his six-year-old little boy. During the tirade, the man grew more and more agitated and at one point took off his t-shirt.
Disco Bunny, who travels up and down the country to entertain people in city centres, uploaded the footage on to his Facebook page where it has been viewed over 350,000 times and has been shared nearly 2,500 times.
The man’s rant drew a shocked crowd who jumped in to defend the performer. At one point two people hold up the rainbow flag behind the street performer. Speaking about his supports Woodward said, “I thank the public for their support and for their respect of my work and each other – and for their restrained behaviour. I bear no grudge.”
Police in Nottingham have begun an investigation after a hate incident was reported, Police said, “We have spoken to the victim, a 39-year-old man, and are aware that a video of the incident, in which homophobic abuse is shouted, has been shared online and this will be investigated as part of the enquiry,” a statement read.
“Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information that could help the enquiry is urged to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 729 of 1 April 2019.”
