Nottingham probably isn’t the first city that comes to mind when thinking about major queer scenes. Maybe London, maybe Manchester. ‘Nottingham’ and ‘queer’ don’t seem to mesh together so easily for many. But why is that? After all, Hockley, known as the Rainbow Quarter, just recently opened as Nottingham’s official LGBTQ+ district in 2026. So what exactly is Nottingham’s queer history, its queer roots, and where should we look for its queer scene, which, no doubt, is hidden somewhere?
Queer communities exist everywhere you go in the UK. Thing is, some of them are just louder or more visible, and for various reasons. But every city also has its queer history, some which need a bit of fire lighting under to bring them to the surface.
Queer pubs, bars, clubs, and even cafes trace back to the early 1970s in Nottingham. ‘La Chic’ was known as the first nightclub in the UK with a license solely for gays and lesbians. Greeted by drag queen Vicki La Plume upon entry, La Chic truly became a pioneer for reclaiming safe spaces for the queer community. Following La Chic’s closure in 1977, the gap in the market was quickly filled with other queer hang-out spots, including a lesbian disco called ‘Fannies’ at Canal House, ‘Propaganda’ housed in the famous Birkin building, ‘F. A.G. Club Unique’, ‘Forest Tavern’ with early drag performers (in the 1880s!), and the Lesbian and Gay Switchboard where you could pick up a copy of Gay News.
These were the dedicated spaces for Nottingham’s queer community, but there were of course also unofficial queer places where the queer network continued to grow behind closed doors until spaces could be reclaimed as exclusive for LGBTQ+ people.
And what about now? You could say that Nottingham’s queer scene seems to still be operating in the shadows somewhat, given queer clubs, bars, and events are difficult to come across and find – an opinion I’ve often encountered! However, for many, it simply begins with knowing where to start looking, and the rest seems to follow quite easily. Just looking at the Rainbow Quarter, Hockley, you can find bars/clubs such as ‘The Model’, which hosts a variety of queer club nights: ‘Duty Free’, ‘chopped’, ‘Trancesexuals’, as well as providing a venue for many other independent queer collectives. ‘Movers’ is also known as an inclusive space, as is ‘Cell’, ‘Broadway Cinema’ and other venues across Hockley— where inclusivity and freedom of expression are at the heart of the quarter’s policies.
It’s not just the nightlife that spotlights the queer scene, though. Queer markets, queer book workshops, LGBTQ+ crafts, meets, speed ‘friending’, heritage and culture tours— all of these take place around Nottingham, from areas such as Sneinton, to tiny spaces such as the Pride Shop.
Nottingham also houses several queer collectives, which a curated deep dive on social media surfaces. This is probably the best way to find the queer community in Nottingham. With some time dedicated to doing your research and building the right algorithm on social media, soon the apparently ‘hidden’ queer scene of Nottingham becomes much easier to come by and track.
Which brings me to my overall point. Clearly, a queer community and scene is thriving somewhere backstage, in the quiet, intimate shadows of clubs and bars. Collectives are networking and growing in independent hubs, but why not in full view? This seems to be a deeper problem that lies with institutions and their systematic overshadowing of, and inadequate funding for, marginalised minority groups. We all are aware of the difficulties that ‘underground’ or alternative spaces and organisations face in today’s economy. Several independent and fringe venues across Nottingham have already faced financial struggles, many having to close in light of these pressures. Queerness will never become mainstream, nor will other minorities. These will never be catered for in the same way as heteronormativity and other majorities. The best thing you can do is search and support.
These thoughts were echoed by I Kissed a Girl’s Kayleigh McCarthey from Season 2 in an interview conducted with Notts Sapphics Society at a ‘chopped’ club night at The Model. A lover of Creamfields music festival, Kayleigh felt female and queer DJs were largely underrepresented. She was deeply inspired by Jodie Harsh, a professional DJ, music producer, and drag queen. Kayleigh recognises the gap in the market for queer spaces, especially in smaller cities where collectives oftentimes have to build from the ground up. When asked about what advice she’d give to sapphics finding their way around the city for the first time, Kayleigh highlighted the importance of supporting independent over mainstream events, utilising social media, and gathering the courage to get out there and find your people. Or, to put it in Kayleigh’s own words, “Take a f*cking leap of faith, babe.”
Maybe Nottingham is a place long overdue for queer recognition. But we need to continue to promote alternative spaces that are a safe space for minority communities – and maybe the only safe space for some. To those who are just starting off on their queer journey in Nottingham, and to those who’ve already been here for a while, don’t lose hope and keep promoting, inspiring, and making the queer scene loud. Maybe one day the younger queer generations in this city will find themselves spoilt for choice and will live on in an ever-growing community.