Liverpool gay quarter
Encyclopedia
Liverpool's "Gay Quarter" (sometimes Liverpool gay village
or the "Stanley Street Quarter") is a relatively modern term to identify the gay scene in Liverpool.
The area encompasses Stanley Street
, Cumberland Street, Victoria St and Eberle St, and is where the bulk of the gay bars and clubs are located in Liverpool
, in North West England
. Stanley St is the main hub of the gay quarter and is where most of the bars are found. On 12th August 2011, the area received official recognition by Liverpool City Council
.
launched a Public consultation
on the partial pedestrianisation of streets in the gay quarter, with a view to enhancing the night time leisure experience of the area. The council had originally proposed to ban traffic in Stanley Street, Cumberland Street and Eberle Street after 6pm with the use of automatic hydraulic bollard
s at strategic locations.
After concerns were raised over restricted access to the streets by some businesses in the area, the City Council proposed to reduce hours of street closure and held a second consultation in November 2008. It was decided that reduced hours of street closure would be a compromise to accommodate deliveries to some day-time businesses in the area.
As a result of campaigns from the LGBT
community, the Council held a third consultation between Friday 23 January 2009 and Friday 20 February 2009, and proposed longer hours of pedestrianisation. After analysing public opinion, the City Council decided that hours proposed the third time round were insufficient in ensuring pedestrian safety.
A fourth and final consultation was held in September 2009 and no objections from the public were lodged.
Liverpool's gay quarter was finally pedestrianised on 10 December 2009. Stanley Street is now closed to traffic between 10pm-6am seven days of the week, Cumberland Street is closed between 6pm-6am seven days of the week, and Eberle Street is closed for 24 hours of the day seven days of the week.
Cllr Nick Small, cabinet member for employment and skills, said: “We have made strides in recent years and are being seen as a more gay-friendly city than was the case a few years ago. We now need to look at how we can develop and promote the quarter.”
As of May 2011, numerous regeneration options for the Stanley Street quarter are under discussion and include new rainbow coloured paving, artworks, gateway features, street-tree planting, new outdoor seating and street furniture, and a new public square. A consultation on Feria Urbanism's draft report titled "Stanley Street: Strategic direction for a vital urban quarter (May 2011)" has taken place. Suggestions for which organisations and stakeholders should take responsibility for proposed actions and recommendations have also been made, and it is envisaged that full scale regeneration of the Gay Quarter should take place over the next 2-5 years. As part of the first phase of redevelopment, Liverpool will become the first city in the UK to install street signage bearing the rainbow coloured Gay Pride flag
on November 11th 2011. The signage will identify the city's Gay Quarter and will be located on Stanley Street, Cumberland Street, Temple Lane, Eberle Street and Temple Street.
, Britain's national tourism agency, acknowledges Liverpool as one of Britain's most notable gay cities, and recognises the growing investment in the Gay Quarter. Liverpool City Council hopes that further investment in the area, including partial pedestrianisation will further promote Liverpool as a gay destination.
Liverpool has a large, visible, and vibrant LGBT community. Research commissioned by the North West Regional Development Agency approximated that there were around 94,000 LGBT people living in the city's metropolitan area
by mid 2009 - equivalent to the population of Jersey
. Before Civil Partnerships eventually gave legal status to same sex relationships in Britain, Liverpool was one of the first local authorities to grant commitment ceremonies for gay couples at its municipal Register office
. Although the ceremonies did not grant legal rights at the time, Liverpool became the first ever local authority in the UK to make a gay couple the focus of its civil ceremony promotional material by featuring Shaun and Mark Johnson on the cover of its main brochure. Incidentally, the city was also the location for another pivotal moment in the history of the gay rights movement as the Liberal Democrats
became the first mainstream British political party to publically support same sex marriage
, and officially endorsed the motion at their 2010 annual conference held in Liverpool.
Liverpool is the host city of Homotopia: The only lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans combined arts organisation in the North of England. Homotopia is a month long festival of gay culture including theatre, film, photography and art, as well as delivering a national and international programme of social justice and education initiatives all year round. In the 2008 festival, attendance figures reached 12000, and by 2011 its web-based TV service reaches 200,000 people a year. Launched in 2004, and supported by the Arts Council England
, the celebration has now become a highlight of Liverpool's cultural calendar. The festival is directed by Gary Everett, an esteemed member of the local gay community, who has also been involved in the running of several of Liverpool's gay nightclubs. In contrast to a traditional 'Pride' festival, Homotopia is a forum to showcase LGBT talent in the field of arts, photography, performance etc., and is designed to bring together creative individuals irrespective of sexuality. Shows and events take place in theatres and galleries around Liverpool, and tend to be separate from the traditional gay scene. The opening and closing ceremonies do, however, often involve some form of club night.
Homotopia has been attended by numerous high profile figures from international gay society, including Peter Tatchell
, Holly Johnson
, Armistead Maupin
, and Amy Lame
. Homotopia also represents the gay community with its own float in Liverpool's annual Lord Mayor
's Parade
, along with other communities in the city.
'Our Story Liverpool', one of the projects associated with Homotopia, has also provided an opportunity to celebrate, record and archive the history and heritage of LGBT Liverpool, through the sharing of stories and experiences from members of the community. Before the project, much of the history had either been forgotten or ignored. A similar project titled "Pink: Past & Present" has also explored the rich lesbian and gay history of the city which had its world premier in November 2010.
Liverpool also has its own LGBT Film Festival: 'Outsiders', directed by Matthew Fox, which brings the latest in gay film to the city. Since its inception in 2004, audience figures have grown considerably, and some experts say it is fast becoming one of the UK's leading gay film festivals, continuing to bring gay film premieres to Liverpool.
In 2008, 'Liverpool's LGBT Network' was established, with the aim of bringing together local LGBT individuals and organisations to give them a stronger community voice. It is hoped the venture will enable the gay community to be more visible, inclusive and have a greater role in local decision making. One of the big campaigns of the network is to develop Liverpool's own Gay Pride festival, which is now gathering pace
Between 2007 and January 2009, an exhibition called Hello, sailor
! was held at the Merseyside Maritime Museum
in Liverpool's Albert Dock
. The exhibition, in conjunction with Homotopia and National Museums Liverpool
, looked at the experience of gay seafarers on passenger and merchant Ship
s from the 1950-1980s. Through video, photos and personal stories, visitors were able to gain an insight into the hidden history of gay life at sea. The exhibition was one of the few examples where this history has ever been celebrated in a major British museum.
The first ever award ceremony to celebrate the achievements of Liverpool's LGBT community took place on 13th October 2011, organised by Seen Magazine - the city's home grown lesbian and gay publication. Amongst the winners was the Michael Causer Foundation, voted as Best LGBT Charity of the Year.
Liverpool also competes against other UK cities in the annual Mr Gay UK
beauty competition, with the representative from the city participating in the national final. The winner of Mr Gay Europe
2007, Jackson Netto, was a student at Liverpool University, however, he represented Germany
and not the UK.
A motion in support of Liverpool Pride was put before a full meeting of Liverpool City Council on 28 January 2009, and was approved by 74 votes to 2. The City Council stated that the festival would ‘celebrate the city’s diversity, be an opportunity to raise money for charitable causes and boost the city’s visitor and night time economies’.
The first official Pride in 2010 was successfully held in the "Gay Quarter", centered on Dale Street and Stanley Street, however, in 2011 due to a funding shortfall the controversial decision was taken to relocate the main focus of the festival to the city's Pier Head
. Following this announcement, a public backlash ensued and sections of the local LGBT community planned to boycott the event. In an attempt to salvage the situation, more than 30 businesses around Stanley Street (including the commercial gay scene), quickly rallied together in an unprecedented move and organised a complementary festival to take place in the Gay Quarter alongside the main event.
Despite the overall festival proving successful in the end with visitor numbers doubling, organisers have since come under heavy criticism from openly gay councillor Steve Radford
, who has accused the Pride committee of "running itself aloof from the Gay Quarter and not listening to the needs of the gay community and local businesses." In an interview with Seen Magazine (a local gay and lesbian publication), Liverpool Pride responded with claims that only a small number of local gay businesses had actually supported the event.
Whilst Liverpool held its first "Official" Pride in 2010, it was not first ever in the city. Previous Prides have been held in 1979, 1990–1992, and in 1995.
On May 17, 2009, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), Liverpool Town Hall
flew the Rainbow flag
for the first time in history as part of its commitment to ending homophobia in the city. An 'open day' for Liverpool's LGBT community was held, and members of the public were able to fill in surveys on plans to hold a Pride in the city. Books of condolence were handed to the family of Michael Causer, the young gay man who was murdered in the city in 2008. Merseyside Police
also flew the rainbow flag from every police station in and around Liverpool and have continued to fly the flag on IDAHO ever since.
Gay village
A gay village is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries where a large number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people live or frequent...
or the "Stanley Street Quarter") is a relatively modern term to identify the gay scene in Liverpool.
The area encompasses Stanley Street
Stanley Street, Liverpool
Stanley Street, in Liverpool City Centre, runs south between Dale Street and Whitechapel. As well as being home to numerous businesses ranging from Estate agents to Solicitors, some residents live in apartments in upper floors of some of the buildings...
, Cumberland Street, Victoria St and Eberle St, and is where the bulk of the gay bars and clubs are located in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. Stanley St is the main hub of the gay quarter and is where most of the bars are found. On 12th August 2011, the area received official recognition by Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
.
Pedestrianisation of the "Gay Quarter"
In June 2008, Liverpool City CouncilLiverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
launched a Public consultation
Public consultation
Public consultation, or simply consultation, is a regulatory process by which the public's input on matters affecting them is sought. Its main goals are in improving the efficiency, transparency and public involvement in large-scale projects or laws and policies...
on the partial pedestrianisation of streets in the gay quarter, with a view to enhancing the night time leisure experience of the area. The council had originally proposed to ban traffic in Stanley Street, Cumberland Street and Eberle Street after 6pm with the use of automatic hydraulic bollard
Bollard
A bollard is a short vertical post. Originally it meant a post used on a ship or a quay, principally for mooring. The word now also describes a variety of structures to control or direct road traffic, such as posts arranged in a line to obstruct the passage of motor vehicles...
s at strategic locations.
After concerns were raised over restricted access to the streets by some businesses in the area, the City Council proposed to reduce hours of street closure and held a second consultation in November 2008. It was decided that reduced hours of street closure would be a compromise to accommodate deliveries to some day-time businesses in the area.
As a result of campaigns from the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community, the Council held a third consultation between Friday 23 January 2009 and Friday 20 February 2009, and proposed longer hours of pedestrianisation. After analysing public opinion, the City Council decided that hours proposed the third time round were insufficient in ensuring pedestrian safety.
A fourth and final consultation was held in September 2009 and no objections from the public were lodged.
Liverpool's gay quarter was finally pedestrianised on 10 December 2009. Stanley Street is now closed to traffic between 10pm-6am seven days of the week, Cumberland Street is closed between 6pm-6am seven days of the week, and Eberle Street is closed for 24 hours of the day seven days of the week.
Proposed Redevelopment
Plans to revamp Liverpool’s gay quarter were unveiled in February 2011. City leaders believe a vibrant gay village around Stanley Street is key to the future economic success of Liverpool city centre as an international tourist destination. Urban planner Feria Urbanism carried out a £12,000 study in conjunction with the City Council to formulate a vision for the gay quarter to put it on a par with the best in the UK. The company is consulting with businesses and residents in the area to see how public areas and safety can be improved. It is hoped a fresh marketing strategy can also be formulated.Cllr Nick Small, cabinet member for employment and skills, said: “We have made strides in recent years and are being seen as a more gay-friendly city than was the case a few years ago. We now need to look at how we can develop and promote the quarter.”
As of May 2011, numerous regeneration options for the Stanley Street quarter are under discussion and include new rainbow coloured paving, artworks, gateway features, street-tree planting, new outdoor seating and street furniture, and a new public square. A consultation on Feria Urbanism's draft report titled "Stanley Street: Strategic direction for a vital urban quarter (May 2011)" has taken place. Suggestions for which organisations and stakeholders should take responsibility for proposed actions and recommendations have also been made, and it is envisaged that full scale regeneration of the Gay Quarter should take place over the next 2-5 years. As part of the first phase of redevelopment, Liverpool will become the first city in the UK to install street signage bearing the rainbow coloured Gay Pride flag
Rainbow flag (LGBT movement)
The rainbow flag, sometimes pride flag, LGBT pride flag or gay pride flag, is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride and LGBT social movements in use since the 1970s. The colours reflect the diversity of the LGBT community, and the flag is often used as a symbol of gay pride in...
on November 11th 2011. The signage will identify the city's Gay Quarter and will be located on Stanley Street, Cumberland Street, Temple Lane, Eberle Street and Temple Street.
Venues in Liverpool's "Gay Quarter"
VisitBritainVisitBritain
VisitBritain is the name used by the British Tourist Authority, the tourist board of Great Britain incorporated under the Development of Tourism Act 1969....
, Britain's national tourism agency, acknowledges Liverpool as one of Britain's most notable gay cities, and recognises the growing investment in the Gay Quarter. Liverpool City Council hopes that further investment in the area, including partial pedestrianisation will further promote Liverpool as a gay destination.
Timeline of Liverpool's Gay Scene
| Date | Sequence of Events | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s - 1960s | Queen Square Queen Square bus station Queen Square Bus Station serves the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The bus station is owned and managed by Merseytravel.It is situated adjacent to Queen Square in the city centre and is approximately 300 metres away from the Lime Street railway station.There are 13 bus stands and a travel... the centre of Liverpool's original gay quarter |
|
| 1960s - 1970s | Building of St. John's Shopping Centre St. John's Shopping Centre St John's Shopping Centre is the largest covered shopping centre in the city of Liverpool, located in the heart of the city since 1969 and boasting over 100 retailers... marks beginning of decline for original gay scene. Landscape of Queen Square changed as Roe Street Gyratory and bus station opens. Original gay bar, The Stork, is demolished in 1975. |
|
| 1970s - 1980s | Critical mass of gay venues now centred around Stanley Street. Opening of several gay establishments in the area including Jody’s, The Curzon, The Lisbon, and Paco’s. First recorded Liverpool Gay Pride Festival took place in 1979. | |
| 10th Dec 2009 | Stanley St/Cumberland St/Eberle St are pedestrianised at night | |
| 7th Aug 2010 | City's first "Official" Pride festival held in the Gay Quarter | |
| February 2011 | Plans to revamp gay quarter unveiled by Liverpool City Council | |
| 6th Aug 2011 | Main focus of Liverpool Pride is relocated to Pier Head. G-Bar, Garlands, and the Liverpool Gay Business Association organise first ever independent Gay Quarter Pride to complement existing celebrations | |
| 12th Aug 2011 | Liverpool City Council officially recognises Gay Quarter as a distinct city centre district. Plans to revamp the area are approved | |
Gay Culture in Liverpool
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
by mid 2009 - equivalent to the population of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. Before Civil Partnerships eventually gave legal status to same sex relationships in Britain, Liverpool was one of the first local authorities to grant commitment ceremonies for gay couples at its municipal Register office
Register office
A register office is a British term for a civil registry, a government office and depository where births, deaths and marriages are officially recorded and where you can get officially married, without a religious ceremony...
. Although the ceremonies did not grant legal rights at the time, Liverpool became the first ever local authority in the UK to make a gay couple the focus of its civil ceremony promotional material by featuring Shaun and Mark Johnson on the cover of its main brochure. Incidentally, the city was also the location for another pivotal moment in the history of the gay rights movement as the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
became the first mainstream British political party to publically support same sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, and officially endorsed the motion at their 2010 annual conference held in Liverpool.
Liverpool is the host city of Homotopia: The only lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans combined arts organisation in the North of England. Homotopia is a month long festival of gay culture including theatre, film, photography and art, as well as delivering a national and international programme of social justice and education initiatives all year round. In the 2008 festival, attendance figures reached 12000, and by 2011 its web-based TV service reaches 200,000 people a year. Launched in 2004, and supported by the Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
, the celebration has now become a highlight of Liverpool's cultural calendar. The festival is directed by Gary Everett, an esteemed member of the local gay community, who has also been involved in the running of several of Liverpool's gay nightclubs. In contrast to a traditional 'Pride' festival, Homotopia is a forum to showcase LGBT talent in the field of arts, photography, performance etc., and is designed to bring together creative individuals irrespective of sexuality. Shows and events take place in theatres and galleries around Liverpool, and tend to be separate from the traditional gay scene. The opening and closing ceremonies do, however, often involve some form of club night.
Homotopia has been attended by numerous high profile figures from international gay society, including Peter Tatchell
Peter Tatchell
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
, Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.- Big in Japan :...
, Armistead Maupin
Armistead Maupin
Armistead Jones Maupin, Jr. is an American writer, best known for his Tales of the City series of novels, based in San Francisco.-Early life:...
, and Amy Lame
Amy Lamé
Amy Lamé is an American-born, British performer, writer, television and radio presenter and producer.-Biography:Lamé was born Amy Caddle and raised in Keyport, New Jersey. She attended Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and moved to London in 1992...
. Homotopia also represents the gay community with its own float in Liverpool's annual Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
's Parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, along with other communities in the city.
'Our Story Liverpool', one of the projects associated with Homotopia, has also provided an opportunity to celebrate, record and archive the history and heritage of LGBT Liverpool, through the sharing of stories and experiences from members of the community. Before the project, much of the history had either been forgotten or ignored. A similar project titled "Pink: Past & Present" has also explored the rich lesbian and gay history of the city which had its world premier in November 2010.
Liverpool also has its own LGBT Film Festival: 'Outsiders', directed by Matthew Fox, which brings the latest in gay film to the city. Since its inception in 2004, audience figures have grown considerably, and some experts say it is fast becoming one of the UK's leading gay film festivals, continuing to bring gay film premieres to Liverpool.
In 2008, 'Liverpool's LGBT Network' was established, with the aim of bringing together local LGBT individuals and organisations to give them a stronger community voice. It is hoped the venture will enable the gay community to be more visible, inclusive and have a greater role in local decision making. One of the big campaigns of the network is to develop Liverpool's own Gay Pride festival, which is now gathering pace
Between 2007 and January 2009, an exhibition called Hello, sailor
Hello, Sailor
"Hello, sailor" is a sexual proposition made to a sailor, presumably by a prostitute or promiscuous woman supposing the sailor to be male and sexually frustrated after a long time at sea...
! was held at the Merseyside Maritime Museum
Merseyside Maritime Museum
The Merseyside Maritime Museum is a museum based in the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is part of National Museums Liverpool and an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage...
in Liverpool's Albert Dock
Albert Dock
The Albert Dock is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses in Liverpool, England. Designed by Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick, it was opened in 1846, and was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood...
. The exhibition, in conjunction with Homotopia and National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool, previously known as National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, comprises several museums and art galleries in and around Liverpool, England. All museums and galleries in this group have free admission...
, looked at the experience of gay seafarers on passenger and merchant Ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s from the 1950-1980s. Through video, photos and personal stories, visitors were able to gain an insight into the hidden history of gay life at sea. The exhibition was one of the few examples where this history has ever been celebrated in a major British museum.
The first ever award ceremony to celebrate the achievements of Liverpool's LGBT community took place on 13th October 2011, organised by Seen Magazine - the city's home grown lesbian and gay publication. Amongst the winners was the Michael Causer Foundation, voted as Best LGBT Charity of the Year.
Liverpool also competes against other UK cities in the annual Mr Gay UK
Mr Gay UK
Mr Gay UK is a British annual beauty contest for gay men, with regional heats held in gay nightclubs with a grand final usually at a gay venue. The contests is owned and promoted by gay entrepreneur Terry George....
beauty competition, with the representative from the city participating in the national final. The winner of Mr Gay Europe
Mr Gay Europe
Mr Gay Europe is a male beauty pageant for gay Europeans. It was founded by its President, Morten Rudå and was hosted for the first time in 2005. The competition was held in Oslo, Norway and the winner was Alexander van Kempen from the Netherlands...
2007, Jackson Netto, was a student at Liverpool University, however, he represented Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and not the UK.
Crime
In 2011 a series of attacks resulted in a call for increased police protection in the quarter. Councillor Steve Radford said, "Liverpool has a long way to travel in its journey to become a gay-friendly city." Local authorities acknowledged there was indeed an increase in "homophobic" crime. Chief Inspector Louise Harrington commented, "We have to strike a balance between a heavy police presence which could scare people off and those that say it makes them feel safer."Liverpool Gay Pride
Up until 2010, Liverpool was the largest British city to not hold a Pride festival. However on August 7th 2010, the city's first "Official" Pride festival (officially sponsored by Liverpool City Council and public authorities), attracted an audience of over 21,000. The festival took place around the city's Gay Quarter with stages on Dale Street, Exchange Flags, and North John Street, and a city centre march was held during the day. Organisers hailed the festivities a massive success and now plan to hold larger events in the future At Liverpool Pride 2011, it was announced that visitor numbers had doubled to over 40,000. On 11th March 2011, Liverpool Pride became a registered charity.Background
In 2008, Liverpool’s newly formed LGBT Network voted that establishing a permanent LGBT Pride festival in the city would be one of its key priorities.A motion in support of Liverpool Pride was put before a full meeting of Liverpool City Council on 28 January 2009, and was approved by 74 votes to 2. The City Council stated that the festival would ‘celebrate the city’s diversity, be an opportunity to raise money for charitable causes and boost the city’s visitor and night time economies’.
The first official Pride in 2010 was successfully held in the "Gay Quarter", centered on Dale Street and Stanley Street, however, in 2011 due to a funding shortfall the controversial decision was taken to relocate the main focus of the festival to the city's Pier Head
Pier Head
The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004....
. Following this announcement, a public backlash ensued and sections of the local LGBT community planned to boycott the event. In an attempt to salvage the situation, more than 30 businesses around Stanley Street (including the commercial gay scene), quickly rallied together in an unprecedented move and organised a complementary festival to take place in the Gay Quarter alongside the main event.
Despite the overall festival proving successful in the end with visitor numbers doubling, organisers have since come under heavy criticism from openly gay councillor Steve Radford
Steve Radford
Steve Radford is a British politician, and is leader of the Liberal Party.Radford is also a long-standing Liverpool city councillor, representing Tuebrook and Stoneycroft Ward. He is leader of the three-strong Liberal group on Liverpool City Council.Radford has been the Liberal candidate in four...
, who has accused the Pride committee of "running itself aloof from the Gay Quarter and not listening to the needs of the gay community and local businesses." In an interview with Seen Magazine (a local gay and lesbian publication), Liverpool Pride responded with claims that only a small number of local gay businesses had actually supported the event.
On May 17, 2009, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), Liverpool Town Hall
Liverpool Town Hall
Liverpool Town Hall stands in High Street at its junction with Dale Street, Castle Street, and Water Street in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, described in the National Heritage List for England as "one of the finest...
flew the Rainbow flag
Rainbow flag
A rainbow flag is a multi-colored flag consisting of stripes in the colors of the rainbow. The actual colors shown differ, but many of the designs are based on the traditional scheme of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, or some more modern division of the rainbow spectrum .The...
for the first time in history as part of its commitment to ending homophobia in the city. An 'open day' for Liverpool's LGBT community was held, and members of the public were able to fill in surveys on plans to hold a Pride in the city. Books of condolence were handed to the family of Michael Causer, the young gay man who was murdered in the city in 2008. Merseyside Police
Merseyside Police
Merseyside Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. The force area is 647 square kilometres with a population of around 1.5 million...
also flew the rainbow flag from every police station in and around Liverpool and have continued to fly the flag on IDAHO ever since.
Notable LGBT people from Liverpool and Merseyside
- Marc AlmondMarc AlmondMarc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
(Musician, singer-songwriter) - April AshleyApril AshleyApril Ashley is an English model and restaurant hostess. She was the first British person to be outed as a transsexual, which was by the Sunday People in 1961...
(Former transsexual model) - Clive BarkerClive BarkerClive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...
(Author, film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, playwright, painter, illustrator & visual artist) - Pete BurnsPete BurnsPete Burns is an English singer-songwriter, author and television personality who founded the band Dead or Alive in 1980, for which he acted as the vocalist and songwriter, and which rose to mainstream success with their 1985 single "You Spin Me Round "...
(Singer-songwriter) - Marcus Collins (singer) (Singer)
- Craig Colton (Singer)
- Terence Davies (Screenwriter, film director, sometime novelist and actor)
- Angela EagleAngela EagleAngela Eagle is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Wallasey since 1992. She served as the Minister of State for Pensions and Ageing Society from June 2009 until May 2010. Eagle was elected to the Shadow Cabinet in October 2010 and was appointed by Ed...
MP (MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury) - Brian EpsteinBrian EpsteinBrian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
(Businessman, personal manager, impresario) - Kenny EverettKenny EverettKenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
(Comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer) - Yankel FeatherYankel FeatherYankel Feather, painter member of Liverpool Academy of Arts and Newlyn Society of Artists. Paintings by Yankel Feather are in the public collections of the Royal Pavilion and the Walker Gallery. His work is publicly and privately collected. An expressionist painter...
(Painter) - Anton HysénAnton HysénAnton Hysén is a Swedish football player who plays in the Swedish fourth division for Utsiktens BK, which is coached by his father Glenn Hysén...
(Football player) - Holly JohnsonHolly JohnsonHolly Johnson is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.- Big in Japan :...
(Musician, painter, writer) - George MellyGeorge MellyAlan George Heywood Melly was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for The Observer and lectured on art history, with an emphasis on surrealism.-Early life and career:He was born in Liverpool and was educated at Stowe...
(Jazz and blues singer, lecturer, critic and writer) - Paul O'GradyPaul O'GradyPaul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
(Comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ) - Pete PricePete PricePete Price is a British media personality and radio presenter, based in Merseyside, England. He is best known for the Sunday night talk radio show Pete Price: Unzipped, broadcast across sister stations City Talk 105.9 and Radio City 96.7. The show is aired live from 10pm to 2am and follows an open...
(Radio presenter) - Steve RadfordSteve RadfordSteve Radford is a British politician, and is leader of the Liberal Party.Radford is also a long-standing Liverpool city councillor, representing Tuebrook and Stoneycroft Ward. He is leader of the three-strong Liberal group on Liverpool City Council.Radford has been the Liberal candidate in four...
(Politician, former leader of the Liberal Party) - Paul RutherfordPaul RutherfordPaul Rutherford is the former backing vocalist, dancer and occasional keyboardist with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood , one of the group's two openly gay singers....
(Musician, singer) - Stephen TwiggStephen TwiggStephen Twigg is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby since 2010. He previously served as the Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005, when he lost his seat. He came to national prominence in 1997...
MP (MP, Former Minister of State for Schools, Shadow Secretary of State for Education) - Christopher Wood (English painter)Christopher Wood (English painter)John Christopher Wood , often called Kit Wood, was an English painter born in Knowsley, near Liverpool.-Biography:-Early life:Christopher Wood was born in Knowsley to Doctor Lucius and Clare Wood...
External links
- Gayliverpool.com
- Homotopia (Liverpool's gay arts festival)
- Liverpool Pride
- (Liverpool LGBT Network)
- Seen Magazine (Local LGBT Magazine)
- Our Story Liverpool
- Outsiders (Liverpool's LGBT Film Festival)
- Gay Youth 'R' Out (Local support group for young gay people)
- www.anightinliverpool.com (Gay clubbing & Liverpool nightlife guide)