Their Village

T

todayistheday

Well-known member
for the LBGTQ×, new plans to create a gay village. Same area as now Queen St, Dickson Rd, Banks St, Lords St etc. With the amount of them and those still in the closet it could stretch further north. Lets hope not. What would you like to see in this area. Better hotels, seedy and modern clubs, open space. Do they need a place for themselves or is it a money making idea for Blackpool. Been in some of the hotels in that area, the Trades springs to mind, what a shitehole and others are worse, they do deseve better. But arnt all hotels gay friendly.
 
It’s a money making scheme for the council, they’re hoping to attract investment to improve the area. If it works that’s fine, but if it ends up a magnet for even more seedy bars and hotels, then it’s a disaster.
 
The gay community will be one of the few sectors with some disposable income. As such, seems like a good plan to attract free spending people to town.

The plethora of stag and hens seem to cost the town in the long run, as they put families off from coming and the clean up costs after them are larger.
 
Wizaard said:
The gay community will be one of the few sectors with some disposable income. As such, seems like a good plan to attract free spending people to town.

The plethora of stag and hens seem to cost the town in the long run, as they put families off from coming and the clean up costs after them are larger.
Click to expand...

Unfounded claims.

There’s no justification behind the claim that the gay community will be one of the few remaining with disposable income. It’s a biased view. Lgbtq etc are integrated into all walks of life. All sectors, as you put it. I don’t know why you think lgbtq would be free-spending but straight people wouldn’t?

Visitor numbers to Blackpool have been huge. It remains very popular for family holidays.

Do you have evidence that clean up costs for stag and hen dos are larger? Do the council separate out the clean up costs for stag/hens as opposed to other visitors and residents? I doubt they do - so is this just one person’s impression?
 
I don’t agree with it. Not because I’m against lgbtq, but because it’s discriminatory.

And it goes against the grain of integration and equality. The goal should be all places for all people.
Distinguishing on sexual preference seems ridiculous in this day and age. The other way to look at it is to reverse the logic - and to have a straight area of town. If this was proposed there’d rightly be outrage.

We don’t have a black village where black owned businesses can assemble and offer services for black people. That’s because again it would be discriminatory.

When the gay community was trying to establish itself and establish rights, there was a need perhaps to have gay establishments such as a gay friendly B&B. But all places are for all people nowadays. The aim should be to fully integrate, not differentiate and segregate.

In my opinion, a gay person’s sexuality shouldn’t be what defines them. Too many want to tell you they’re gay and make it a big deal. I don’t care. If I meet someone in any walk of life I don’t want to know their sexual preference. It isn’t relevant. It should be something private, not something to be ashamed of, nor to be flaunted like a badge of honour. One’s sexuality shouldn’t be the centrepiece of their personality.

Straight or gay - it’s irrelevant to me. So forgive me but I’m a bit tired of someone’s sexuality being made into a big deal. I’m not interested.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thought we all integrated now why separate makes no sense.
When Manchester developed it's Gay Village many a moon ago it was really a case of us and them so there was a need for a safe place for the community to socialize not anymore.
When me and the wife went out with our gay friends in Manchester straight people where often stopped from getting in to venues that all changed with the law which is a good thing this all seems to be going backward.

Last week we where out in The Galleon(live music venue) which gets a lot of rock fans in town and there was a group of 10 Trans and no one gave a toss and that's how it should be.

The area needs tidying up with a lot of the gay bars around there dumps this just seems a way of the council trying to get someone else to do their jobs.
 
I think it’s good for the LBGTQ+ community to have their own area. Though I’m not entirely convinced they are much of a ‘community’ really. There’s probably more in-fighting than there is on AVFTT 😂

I think it makes sense for Lesbians to be able to go into bars / clubs where a) they won’t be hit on by men and b) where they can feel comfortable hitting on women (and likewise gay men).

I’d also say that particularly Gay Men like to engage in certain ‘overt’ sexual practices, that are fine when you are in a safe and comfortable environment, but likely wouldn’t translate too well into the general population.

I don’t think having a LBTQ+ area is exclusionary at all, I think it just creates a safe environment where people can feel comfortable expressing themselves … It’s not like heterosexuals can go there, but obviously they do so on the understanding that they must respect slightly different boundaries.

As for having a ‘heterosexual area’… The rest of Town is effectively that area in any case. Again that doesn’t mean LBTQ+ are excluded, but simply that the boundaries maybe differ a bit.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it makes sense for Lesbians to be able to go into bars / clubs where a) they won’t be hit on by men and b) where they can feel comfortable hitting on women (and likewise gay men).
Click to expand...
You can't discriminate between one gender into a bar or club that law changed ages ago you'd have the Trans lobby up in arms if you stopped them going to a Lesbian bar.
There all Gay friendly and the straight man hitting on girls in a Ladies type venue wouldn't last two minutes.
 
poolseasider said:
You can't discriminate between one gender into a bar or club that law changed ages ago you'd have the Trans lobby up in arms if you stopped them going to a Lesbian bar.
They’re all Gay friendly and the straight man hitting on girls in a Ladies type venue wouldn't last two minutes.
Click to expand...
I suppose it makes life slightly more challenging since men became Lesbians, but I suspect they get fairly short shrift in many cases and the numbers are likely to be pretty small.

I do think it makes sense to have a ‘Friendly’ area though where folk can express themselves in a safe environment.
 
Malced said:
Unfounded claims.

There’s no justification behind the claim that the gay community will be one of the few remaining with disposable income. It’s a biased view. Lgbtq etc are integrated into all walks of life. All sectors, as you put it. I don’t know why you think lgbtq would be free-spending but straight people wouldn’t?

Visitor numbers to Blackpool have been huge. It remains very popular for family holidays.

Do you have evidence that clean up costs for stag and hen dos are larger? Do the council separate out the clean up costs for stag/hens as opposed to other visitors and residents? I doubt they do - so is this just one person’s impression?
Click to expand...
In the main, gay people don't have children, the primary expenditure of most families, as any parent will tell you.

Hoteliers will tell you that stag and hen do's incur more clean up costs.

You just disagree with everything, yet are seemingly infallible.
 
Wizaard said:
In the main, gay people don't have children, the primary expenditure of most families, as any parent will tell you.

Hoteliers will tell you that stag and hen do's incur more clean up costs.

You just disagree with everything, yet are seemingly infallible.
Click to expand...
To be fair lots of gay couple have children, I personally know a gay couple with kids and Tom Daley and his partner have them.
 
Wizaard said:
The gay community will be one of the few sectors with some disposable income. As such, seems like a good plan to attract free spending people to town.

The plethora of stag and hens seem to cost the town in the long run, as they put families off from coming and the clean up costs after them are larger.
Click to expand...
Don’t think families will want to see gays kissing and cuddling in the town centre.
 
Gods honest truth said:
Don’t think families will want to see gays kissing and cuddling in the town.
Click to expand...
Get over yourself. It's not compulsory.

They don't want to see gangs of lads pissed up and vomiting, or gaggles of women with huge inflatable penises either. I guarantee you'll see both at North Station on Saturday. I'd also bet you won't see guys kissing there.
 
I’m not sure what I think of this either way to be honest.
I think it’s one where I’d have to listen to a big pros and cons debate before I formed an opinion.
And even then I’m not sure I’m bothered either way.
Do the gay community want this ? If so why ?
Is this opportunity for gay people or segregation ?

Does it defeat the whole inclusivity vibe we’ve been striding towards for a good few years now ?

The argument about black only areas is a good one, imagine that ☹️😳 or traveller only sections in the town centre.

Is the reasoning behind it an economical one and is that a valid enough reason to separate different societal communities ?

🤔🤔🤔
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I suppose it makes life slightly more challenging since men became Lesbians, but I suspect they get fairly short shrift in many cases and the numbers are likely to be pretty small.

I do think it makes sense to have a ‘Friendly’ area though where folk can express themselves in a safe environment.
Click to expand...
I just find the whole idea one of those back of a fag packs discussion councils often come up with.
No money targeted or regeneration plans just let's have a Gay Village and the area will sort itself out.

Dickson road needs tarting up first(Cedar Square) and then business will follow not the other way around because in its current state you'd be lucky to get any investment.
 
Last edited:
poolseasider said:
I just find the whole idea one of those back of a fag packs discussion councils often come up with.
No money targeted or regeneration plans just let's have a Gay Village and the area will sort itself out.

Dickinson road needs tarting up first(Cedar Square) and then business will follow not the other way around because in its current state you'd be lucky to get any investment.
Click to expand...
Do you mean Dickson Road?

I tend to agree it needs a good tidy up ....
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think it’s good for the LBGTQ+ community to have their own area. Though I’m not entirely convinced they are much of a ‘community’ really. There’s probably more in-fighting than there is on AVFTT 😂

I think it makes sense for Lesbians to be able to go into bars / clubs where a) they won’t be hit on by men and b) where they can feel comfortable hitting on women (and likewise gay men).

I’d also say that particularly Gay Men like to engage in certain ‘overt’ sexual practices, that are fine when you are in a safe and comfortable environment, but likely wouldn’t translate too well into the general population.

I don’t think having a LBTQ+ area is exclusionary at all, I think it just creates a safe environment where people can feel comfortable expressing themselves … It’s not like heterosexuals can go there, but obviously they do so on the understanding that they must respect slightly different boundaries.

As for having a ‘heterosexual area’… The rest of Town is effectively that area in any case. Again that doesn’t mean LBTQ+ are excluded, but simply that the boundaries maybe differ a bit.
Click to expand...

Some good points but, respectfully, I think you’re looking at it from times gone by.

Segregation is undoubtedly regressive, not progressive. The more you distinguish, the more you prevent something being true equality. The goal should be that no one knows or bats an eye lid and we’re all people together.

The main point you have is based around sexual preference and the night life. Well men and women all get unwanted attention in pubs and nightclubs. Always have and always will. They handle it and are accustomed to handling it. Even someone in a gay pub, if that’s what we can call it, may well be attached, and not looking for a partner. So they’ll say ‘sorry I have a partner’ if they need to.

People have a good ‘gaydar’ so it’s not that hard to avoid issues.

And in this modern world, off hook-up apps and dating apps, people can find someone on their phone in their location, almost immediately. It’s not like they have to go to a gay bar to meet someone gay.

But the point someone made about trans is correct. Do they also need their own bars to make it clear they’re not the biological sex they’re presenting via their dress/name? I’d say not.

The mention of safe spaces is inappropriate. No safe space is needed in this context. Women/girls need a safe space when going to the toilet though. But weirdly that type of segregation is being taken away yet we want to segregate via sexual preference. 😮🤷‍♂️🤕

It stinks of money making. They’re exploiting the gay community and it’s a disservice to them in the longer term. It’s regressive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Malced said:
Some good points but, respectfully, I think you’re looking at it from times gone by.

Segregation is undoubtedly regressive, not progressive. The more you distinguish, the more you prevent something being true equality. The goal should be that no one knows or bats an eye lid and we’re all people together.

The main point you have is based around sexual preference and the night life. Well men and women all get unwanted attention in pubs and nightclubs. Always have and always will. They handle it and are accustomed to handling it. Even someone in a gay pub, if that’s what we can call it, may well be attached, and not looking for a partner. So they’ll say ‘sorry I have a partner’ if they need to.

People have a good ‘gaydar’ so it’s not that hard to avoid issues.

And in this modern world, off hook-up apps and dating apps, people can find someone on their phone in their location, almost immediately. It’s not like they have to go to a gay bar to meet someone gay.

But the point someone made about trans is correct. Do they also need their own bars to make it clear they’re not the biological sex they’re presenting via their dress/name? I’d say not.

The mention of safe spaces is inappropriate. No safe space is needed in this context. Women/girls need a safe space when going to the toilet though. But weirdly that type of segregation is being taken away yet we want to segregate via sexual preference. 😮🤷‍♂️🤕

It stinks of money making. They’re exploiting the gay community and it’s a disservice to them in the longer term. It’s regressive.
Click to expand...
Hmmm… I think you’re possibly over-simplifying things a bit to be honest Malced or maybe getting too hung up on the idea of ‘segregation’.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable for a Town or City to have distinct areas, where you might expect a different experience.

The LBTQ+ area is always going to be a bit more flamboyant and cater to a particular taste.. maybe drag shows, clubs, group sex hotels, fetish based clothing etc… I’m not sure that’s something you’d just want to ‘incorporate’ into the Main Town, even if it’s just for convenience sake of being able to get from bar to bar.

That doesn’t mean it has to be ‘exclusionary’, but just that folk know what to expect and understand the ‘vibe’ etc..

Similarly you’d probably want to have Wine Bars and places to eat, maybe different forms of entertainment that cater to a different ‘audience’… It’s not uncommon for Towns to have a China Town for example (so an area which has a different ‘Cultural Experience’ )…

I think we have to be careful not to get too hung up about these things.. I think we can look on them more as celebrations of the different aspects of our culture and it makes a Town a bit more interesting and ensures people have good access to the kind of experience they are looking for.

The alternative to me just seems like some kind of rather boring mix of sameness, which possibly just feels a bit uncomfortable and disorganised.
 
Last edited:
Malced said:
Some good points but, respectfully, I think you’re looking at it from times gone by.

Segregation is undoubtedly regressive, not progressive. The more you distinguish, the more you prevent something being true equality. The goal should be that no one knows or bats an eye lid and we’re all people together.

The main point you have is based around sexual preference and the night life. Well men and women all get unwanted attention in pubs and nightclubs. Always have and always will. They handle it and are accustomed to handling it. Even someone in a gay pub, if that’s what we can call it, may well be attached, and not looking for a partner. So they’ll say ‘sorry I have a partner’ if they need to.

People have a good ‘gaydar’ so it’s not that hard to avoid issues.

And in this modern world, off hook-up apps and dating apps, people can find someone on their phone in their location, almost immediately. It’s not like they have to go to a gay bar to meet someone gay.

But the point someone made about trans is correct. Do they also need their own bars to make it clear they’re not the biological sex they’re presenting via their dress/name? I’d say not.

The mention of safe spaces is inappropriate. No safe space is needed in this context. Women/girls need a safe space when going to the toilet though. But weirdly that type of segregation is being taken away yet we want to segregate via sexual preference. 😮🤷‍♂️🤕

It stinks of money making. They’re exploiting the gay community and it’s a disservice to them in the longer term. It’s regressive.
Click to expand...
And diverts from the main problem,that area of gay bars is run down and needs investment from local government can't see Man bar, Growlr bar or Peek-a-booze funding redevelopment.
 
It happens anyway, Polish tend to all live in the same area, as do Pakistanis and Indians. They socialise with each other, and open shops with food familiar to them.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
Hmmm… I think you’re possibly over-simplifying things a bit to be honest Malced or maybe getting too hung up on the idea of ‘segregation’.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable for a Town or City to have distinct areas, where you might expect a different experience.

The LBTQ+ area is always going to be a bit more flamboyant and cater to a particular taste.. maybe drag shows, clubs, group sex hotels, fetish based clothing etc… I’m not sure that’s something you’d just want to ‘incorporate’ into the Main Town, even if it’s just for convenience sake of being able to get from bar to bar.

That doesn’t mean it has to be ‘exclusionary’, but just that folk know what to expect and understand the ‘vibe’ etc..

Similarly you’d probably want to have Wine Bars and places to eat, maybe different forms of entertainment that cater to a different ‘audience’… It’s not uncommon for Towns to have a China Town for example (so an area which has a different ‘Cultural Experience’ )…

I think we have to be careful not to get too hung up about these things.. I think we can look on them more as celebrations of the different aspects of our culture and it makes a Town a bit more interesting and ensures people have good access to the kind of experience they are looking for.

The alternative to me just seems like some kind of rather boring mix of sameness, which possibly just feels a bit uncomfortable and disorganised.
Click to expand...
Only problem there BFC is the council isn't allowing any more strip bars and existing ones to reapply for licenses how would this fit in with these more 'risky' venues or shops?
 
poolseasider said:
Only problem there BFC is the council isn't allowing any more strip bars and existing ones to reapply for licenses how would this fit in with these more 'risky' venues or shops?
Click to expand...
The Council probably need to decide whether or not they really want a vibrant LBGTQ+ Village or not really.

Personally I’d also be pushing to have the first Amsterdam style Legalised Coffee Shops ‘Zone’ as well. Blackpool should be a bit more Risqué IMO and so long as that is properly regulated and we don’t get overspill into ‘Family’ areas, then I don’t see a problem at all.
 
Having grown up in a city with it's own gay area full of pubs, clubs and restaurants and then lived in Manchester when Canal Street started to grow into a huge money making landmark where gay and straight went out to drink....
The idea of having a 'gay area' in Blackpool makes total sense, both commercially and socially.

Young gay men and women don't want to end up in the same pub as some spiced up local, dribbling beer down their Sports Direct t-shirt (Think Bar 19) They want to socialise with people who have a similar 'outlook' they know they can connect with.

That's why Wetherspoons is full of fat bald men in their 50's drinking Carlsberg at 8.00am
Party pubs are full of pissed up Lads in fake Stone Island, vaping cherry coke, gummy bear flavor and speed drinking cheap larger

Who wouldnt want an area that catered to your particular need....makes sense

I'm sure if there was a pub called the "Gammon & Daily Mail" or the "I'm not really a right wing racist"....it would be packed with 🤔
 
B_Side_The_C_Side said:
Having grown up in a city with it's own gay area full of pubs, clubs and restaurants and then lived in Manchester when Canal Street started to grow into a huge money making landmark where gay and straight went out to drink....
The idea of having a 'gay area' in Blackpool makes total sense, both commercially and socially.

Young gay men and women don't want to end up in the same pub as some spiced up local, dribbling beer down their Sports Direct t-shirt (Think Bar 19) They want to socialise with people who have a similar 'outlook' they know they can connect with.

That's why Wetherspoons is full of fat bald men in their 50's drinking Carlsberg at 8.00am
Party pubs are full of pissed up Lads in fake Stone Island, vaping cherry coke, gummy bear flavor and speed drinking cheap larger

Who wouldnt want an area that catered to your particular need....makes sense

I'm sure if there was a pub called the "Gammon & Daily Mail" or the "I'm not really a right wing racist"....it would be packed with 🤔
Click to expand...
Sounds a bit racist to me, what have you got against fat bald men over 50?
 
B_Side_The_C_Side said:
Having grown up in a city with it's own gay area full of pubs, clubs and restaurants and then lived in Manchester when Canal Street started to grow into a huge money making landmark where gay and straight went out to drink....
The idea of having a 'gay area' in Blackpool makes total sense, both commercially and socially.

Young gay men and women don't want to end up in the same pub as some spiced up local, dribbling beer down their Sports Direct t-shirt (Think Bar 19) They want to socialise with people who have a similar 'outlook' they know they can connect with.

That's why Wetherspoons is full of fat bald men in their 50's drinking Carlsberg at 8.00am
Party pubs are full of pissed up Lads in fake Stone Island, vaping cherry coke, gummy bear flavor and speed drinking cheap larger

Who wouldnt want an area that catered to your particular need....makes sense

I'm sure if there was a pub called the "Gammon & Daily Mail" or the "I'm not really a right wing racist"....it would be packed with 🤔
Click to expand...
You obviously don't go out in Blackpool town centre anymore.
Many venues you get a mix of older(me), young and Gay in one place having a good time you need to stop stereotyping what you think it is.
 
True diversity is where all mix together equally. Nothing I’ve read trumps that.
However if this is the way it’s going, and given recent trends in our schools, colleges, and on tiktok, I’m gonna launch some Trump bars.
They’ll be along the lines of Linekers bars.
I’ve checked, and I can use the name as it’s not a trademark or anything like that.
These bars, which I might extend into a village, will be for those who identify as a cat.
I’ll market it along the lines of ‘come to Trump town, and grab yourself some pussy’.
 
I must be missing something - the area in question is already the ‘gay area’ of Blackpool.
If I the council are just getting involve to look at ways of cleaning up the area, and how to attract more businesses to the area, then I’m all for it, the area’s an eyesore and blot on our town. It won’t prosper until some major issues are tackled, and those would take years to resolve.
 
Malced said:
True diversity is where all mix together equally. Nothing I’ve read trumps that.
However if this is the way it’s going, and given recent trends in our schools, colleges, and on tiktok, I’m gonna launch some Trump bars.
They’ll be along the lines of Linekers bars.
I’ve checked, and I can use the name as it’s not a trademark or anything like that.
These bars, which I might extend into a village, will be for those who identify as a cat.
I’ll market it along the lines of ‘come to Trump town, and grab yourself some pussy’.
Click to expand...
Nobody is saying people can’t mix though?
It’s nothing to do with Mixing, so much as having a Town that’s ‘organised’…

You wouldn’t want to have a Town where all of the retail outlets were just randomly scattered around in between pubs and clubs as it makes no sense… You want them clustered together for convenience.

A good example is a Festival like Glastonbury, where there’s a range of different ‘areas’ which cater to different ‘tastes’… That might be Musical Genre, it might be a kids area, there might be a green area, a hippy zone, a poetry section, quiet contemplation areas, more flamboyant and outrageous ‘anything goes’ areas, food focused areas etc…

It just enables people to find something that suits them and maybe move from area to area to experience a change of scenery.

If you just homogenise everything, then it becomes difficult to navigate and you simply don’t get the same impact and focused sense of differentiation… in essence you just create one large, bland and disorganised area….

And I really don’t think true diversity is about creating sameness or failing to allow people to express themselves and celebrate their culture /lifestyle choices… To me it’s more about opening up these different ‘cultural’ areas so that people can engage in different types of experiences.

I think it’s important to strip the political aspects out of this. Those are different problems and tbh the Trans community in particular are just being unwittingly used to further someone else’s agenda…
 
Last edited:
Malced said:
I don’t agree with it. Not because I’m against lgbtq, but because it’s discriminatory.

And it goes against the grain of integration and equality. The goal should be all places for all people.
Distinguishing on sexual preference seems ridiculous in this day and age. The other way to look at it is to reverse the logic - and to have a straight area of town. If this was proposed there’d rightly be outrage.

We don’t have a black village where black owned businesses can assemble and offer services for black people. That’s because again it would be discriminatory.

When the gay community was trying to establish itself and establish rights, there was a need perhaps to have gay establishments such as a gay friendly B&B. But all places are for all people nowadays. The aim should be to fully integrate, not differentiate and segregate.

In my opinion, a gay person’s sexuality shouldn’t be what defines them. Too many want to tell you they’re gay and make it a big deal. I don’t care. If I meet someone in any walk of life I don’t want to know their sexual preference. It isn’t relevant. It should be something private, not something to be ashamed of, nor to be flaunted like a badge of honour. One’s sexuality shouldn’t be the centrepiece of their personality.

Straight or gay - it’s irrelevant to me. So forgive me but I’m a bit tired of someone’s sexuality being made into a big deal. I’m not interested.
Click to expand...
Agree. Try to set up a white, middle class heterosexual village and see what reaction you get… 🫣
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
Nobody is saying people can’t mix though?
It’s nothing to do with Mixing, so much as having a Town that’s ‘organised’…

You wouldn’t want to have a Town where all of the retail outlets were just randomly scattered around in between pubs and clubs as it makes no sense… You want them clustered together for convenience.

A good example is a Festival like Glastonbury, where there’s a range of different ‘areas’ which cater to different ‘tastes’… That might be Musical Genre, it might be a kids area, there might be a green area, a hippy zone, a poetry section, quiet contemplation areas, more flamboyant and outrageous ‘anything goes’ areas, food focused areas etc…

It just enables people to find something that suits them and maybe move from area to area to experience a change of scenery.

If you just homogenise everything, then it becomes difficult to navigate and you simply don’t get the same impact and focused sense of differentiation… in essence you just create one large, bland and disorganised area….

And I really don’t think true diversity is about creating sameness or failing to allow people to express themselves and celebrate their culture /lifestyle choices… To me it’s more about opening up these different ‘cultural’ areas so that people can engage in different types of experiences.

I think it’s important to strip the political aspects out of this. Those are different problems and tbh the Trans community in particular are just being unwittingly used to further someone else’s agenda…
Click to expand...
segregating on musical preference isn't really a read-across to segregating on sexual preference.
we can all appreciate each other and our differences in day to day life. there's no need to organise a town district around being gay.
it's odd to me to want to have a separate area of town just because you like the someone of the same sex. there's no need. and it's discriminatory of sexual preference which is what we're meant to be moving away from.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top