2020 has turned out to be a truly unsustainable year for so many industries, but LGBT+ venues are getting a real battering right now, thanks to the tier system, uncertainty surrounding lockdowns and the controversial 10 PM curfew enacted by the government.
Bar Broadway in Brighton has announced that it is closing and many former patrons and performers are mourning its loss, including Drag Queen Tanya Hyde who said the closure was a “terrible loss for Brighton and the scene”.
The bar, which is relatively new on the Brighton gay scene, opening in 2014, had been an incredibly busy and distinct venue for the area.
Brighton’s Gay Men’s Chorus, wrote, “All of us at Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus would like to express our deep sadness and regret on hearing the news that Bar Broadway has had to close its doors for the last time. Having spent many unforgettable nights there celebrating after our own shows, it will be a huge loss, not only to us, but to the whole community. We wish the management and staff all the best for the future and hope that this is only just the start of something new for them all.”
Drag Queen Maria Gardner wrote, “Bar Broadway was far more than a bar to me. It was a place that gave me the opportunity to start my drag career, they comforted me through a tough breakup, they gave me space to heal and sing for so many likeminded Disney lovers, I hosted my first Fringe shows there, collab shows with Alfie Ordinary, MenTalkHealth and 2 hilarious birthday bashes plus I made some of my closest friends I could ever ask for in this space.”
Earlier in the year, the iconic Legends fell into administration, but since the report was brought back into existence.
