The Sheffield gay scene part 2

[xsf7]

Sheffield is reasonably welcoming. However, I would steer clear of the larger pubs on West Street on a Saturday night. I'd also give Dempseys a wide berth, there are so many much nicer places to go.

[Tim1]

Tell them to visit Boiler room on attercliff .

[birobasher]

LGBT venues in Sheffield never really reach critical mass, unlike Leeds or Manchester. I don't think this is because sexual orientation is no longer an issue. I can tell you it's still an issue in parts of Sheffield outside the centre, that's for sure. If it were a dead issue,by that logic, wouldn't the LGBT districts of other cities have vanished too? I'd prefer if LGBT folk were indeed allowed to display the same affection that straight people take for granted. We are definitely not there yet.

[Mister M]

LGBT venues in Sheffield never really reach critical mass, unlike Leeds or Manchester. I don't think this is because sexual orientation is no longer an issue. I can tell you it's still an issue in parts of Sheffield outside the centre, that's for sure. If it were a dead issue,by that logic, wouldn't the LGBT districts of other cities have vanished too? I'd prefer if LGBT folk were indeed allowed to display the same affection that straight people take for granted. We are definitely not there yet.

 

The heyday of Sheffield's gay scene was definitely the late 1990s, although admittedly much of it was up Attercliffe.

 

There have been so many attempts over the last 15 years (I can think of 8 off the top of my head), where pubs / clubs have started up, but haven't been able to sustain it for much longer than 6 - 12 months.

 

I know quite a few gay people from Sheffield who regularly go over to Manchester of a weekend to enjoy Canal Street. Some have found jobs in Manchester and decided to relocate there.

I wouldn't want to do that, as I'm settled in Sheffield. However I can understand the attraction of Manchester, and all it has to offer when compared to Sheffield. Having said that, many other towns and cities are in the same position as Sheffield.

 

Like you, I think the idea that Sheffield has no gay scene to speak of because 'straight venues, and its punters are so welcoming' is a load of guff.

[birobasher]

The heyday of Sheffield's gay scene was definitely the late 1990s, although admittedly much of it was up Attercliffe.

 

There have been so many attempts over the last 15 years (I can think of 8 off the top of my head), where pubs / clubs have started up, but haven't been able to sustain it for much longer than 6 - 12 months.

 

I think one reason various bars fail so fast is they just offer the same environment, music and expensive drinks as every other venue. Why should the existing audience go looking for exactly the same somewhere else? I'd like to see a pub/cafe type venue with a musical palette that includes more alternative/guitar/electro for instance. This end of things is almost never catered for in the LGBT scene. Retro Bar in central London is a good model for what I'm thinking of.

[Mister M]

I think one reason various bars fail so fast is they just offer the same environment, music and expensive drinks as every other venue. Why should the existing audience go looking for exactly the same somewhere else? I'd like to see a pub/cafe type venue with a musical palette that includes more alternative/guitar/electro for instance. This end of things is almost never catered for in the LGBT scene. Retro Bar in central London is a good model for what I'm thinking of.

 

I think you make a very good point. The gay scene in most places seems to concentrate on pubs / clubs. There should be space for something which isn't alcohol fuelled. I know that some places reserve 1 or 2 days a week that are for the LBG community. That would probably be more viable as Sheffield struggles to maintain anything more than 2 venues for the LBG people.

I remember years ago there used to be a project called the 'Shout Centre' in Sheffield, which was a community group facilitated by paid workers. But of course since the cutbacks, that's gone!

[Puggie]

Once upon a time LGBT venues were places to meet other rainbow people.

 

Smartphone apps like Grindr are doing the job instead.

[avalunche]

I think one reason various bars fail so fast is they just offer the same environment, music and expensive drinks as every other venue. Why should the existing audience go looking for exactly the same somewhere else? I'd like to see a pub/cafe type venue with a musical palette that includes more alternative/guitar/electro for instance. This end of things is almost never catered for in the LGBT scene. Retro Bar in central London is a good model for what I'm thinking of.

 

Nothing to do with that. Its to do with poverty. Sheffield is a poor town, broke students does not a viable economy make! And as other people have said, with apps you can easily meet someone via Grindr for free.

 

The one and only draw of a gay venue, is meeting other gay people in a safe accepting environment. No one thinks hey I'll go to that gay venue because they play some wonderful electro music. Its different in London because the number of gays is 20x more - because the population is 20x bigger.

 

"Why should the existing audience go somewhere else?"

 

Well because if you consider Dempseys, it is dirty, has rude staff and is in the middle of nowhere. But despite those things, it still gets busy. Why? Because of critical mass of people still going there despite those things.

 

They aren't going for the wonderful different music, or the cleanliness lol, or the winning personality of the bouncers haha Its the crowd.

 

So what places like OMG do (did) is start off with cheap drinks, great location, nice and clean, friendly staff. And it started to work, that they pulled customers in there and they enjoyed months of being busy.

 

Then they get greedy! Drink prices go up and up, and customers get less and less. Remember the main reason for people to visit is other gay people. So people start to revert back to Dempseys, and next thing you know OMG will be gone. I doubt it will be here this time next year, hope I am wrong.

 

I know that some places reserve 1 or 2 days a week that are for the LBG community. That would probably be more viable as Sheffield struggles to maintain anything more than 2 venues for the LBG people.

 

The reason that doesnt work, is they pick the 2 days of the week that are quiet days for their business. For instance, the gay day wouldn't be Friday or Saturday, or student Wednesday. It will be Monday, or Thursday say. Days that no one wants to go out, days that their straight friends are not going out either. No one goes, and they forget it.

Edited July 30, 2017 by avalunche

[Mister M]

Once upon a time LGBT venues were places to meet other rainbow people.

 

Smartphone apps like Grindr are doing the job instead.

 

That's only if your only intent in meeting other 'rainbow people' is to have sex!

 

---------- Post added 30-07-2017 at 12:21 ----------

 

Nothing to do with that. Its to do with poverty. Sheffield is a poor town, broke students does not a viable economy make! And as other people have said, with apps you can easily meet someone via Grindr for free.

 

The one and only draw of a gay venue, is meeting other gay people in a safe accepting environment. No one thinks hey I'll go to that gay venue because they play some wonderful electro music. Its different in London because the number of gays is 20x more - because the population is 20x bigger.

 

"Why should the existing audience go somewhere else?"

 

Well because if you consider Dempseys, it is dirty, has rude staff and is in the middle of nowhere. But despite those things, it still gets busy. Why? Because of critical mass of people still going there despite those things.

 

They aren't going for the wonderful different music, or the cleanliness lol, or the winning personality of the bouncers haha Its the crowd.

 

So what places like OMG do (did) is start off with cheap drinks, great location, nice and clean, friendly staff. And it started to work, that they pulled customers in there and they enjoyed months of being busy.

 

Then they get greedy! Drink prices go up and up, and customers get less and less. Remember the main reason for people to visit is other gay people. So people start to revert back to Dempseys, and next thing you know OMG will be gone. I doubt it will be here this time next year, hope I am wrong.

 

 

 

The reason that doesnt work, is they pick the 2 days of the week that are quiet days for their business. For instance, the gay day wouldn't be Friday or Saturday, or student Wednesday. It will be Monday, or Thursday say. Days that no one wants to go out, days that their straight friends are not going out either. No one goes, and they forget it.

 

Dempseys is fairly dirty, but in the middle of nowhere - nonsense!

[birobasher]

I think you make a very good point. The gay scene in most places seems to concentrate on pubs / clubs. There should be space for something which isn't alcohol fuelled. I know that some places reserve 1 or 2 days a week that are for the LBG community. That would probably be more viable as Sheffield struggles to maintain anything more than 2 venues for the LBG people.

I remember years ago there used to be a project called the 'Shout Centre' in Sheffield, which was a community group facilitated by paid workers. But of course since the cutbacks, that's gone!

 

I agree about the non-alcoholic thing: we need an alternative to the cliche of queer hedonism. Didn't someone start a lunch club a while ago? Cafe environments would be good too.