Blackpool Gay Bars

The Flying Handbag is at 44 Queen Street, a short walk from Blackpool North station. It opened in 1994 and describes itself as Blackpool’s only purpose-built LGBTQ+ venue, with a full internal and external refurbishment completed in 2020.

Resident drag hosts and DJs run the week, including Thirsty Thursday with Miss Amber. Karaoke runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, there’s a quiz night on Wednesdays and live acts perform on weekend afternoons and Sunday evenings. Food is served daily, with Sunday lunch, and there’s a sun terrace, a heated outdoor smoking area, free Wi-Fi and wheelchair access. The bar opens at noon every day and closes at 3 a.m. Sunday to Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Funny Girls is a drag cabaret at 5 Dickson Road, in a 1930s-style theater among the gay bars and clubs of the Dickson Road and Queen Street area. It has run since 1994, and the cast of drag queens and dancers performs a full-length cabaret show. Carmen, one of the regular hosts, has been with the venue since 2006.

Doors open at 7 p.m. A DJ and hostess warm up the room from 8 p.m., the cabaret starts at 8:30 p.m. and the venue closes at about 11:30 p.m. There’s no extra admission charge on top of the ticket, and a three-course dinner can be booked in Garbo’s, the art deco restaurant, from £29.85. Dinner needs booking at least 48 hours ahead and doesn’t include a show seat, so book both. The Christmas show, Sleigh Queens, is on now, and shows change with the season.

Peek-A-Booze is an adults-only hotel and cabaret bar at 72-74 Dickson Road, close to Blackpool North station. There’s entertainment every night, including bingo and Blankety Blank on Mondays, karaoke on Tuesdays and Thursdays, bingo and Play Your Cards Right on Wednesdays, and drag and cabaret acts at weekends. Recent weekends have brought in acts from Gran Canaria’s Yumbo Centre.

Home-cooked food is served from 9 a.m., with breakfast until 11:30 a.m., alongside a cocktail menu and a bar. The en suite rooms have a flat-screen TV and tea and coffee facilities and can be booked on the venue’s site. The bar is open 9 a.m. to midnight Monday to Thursday and until 1 a.m. Friday to Sunday. Pay-and-display car parks are nearby, including Cocker Street (FY1 2BY).

Although not exclusively gay, Galleon Bar is a trendy music venue attracting world-famous music guests to its stage, as well as nurturing local talent and bands.

Great drinks deals run throughout the week. Check out their Facebook page for details on forthcoming events.

Churchills is a small pub at 83-85 Topping Street in the town center, close to the gay bars on Queen Street and Dickson Road.

The pub describes itself as people friendly and has something on most days, and the bar has a long-standing following among the local gay community. Past nights have included karaoke, bingo and poker.

Garlands is an LGBTQ+ bar on Talbot Road with free entry and drag entertainment every day of the week. About 10 resident drag queen DJs work the bar each week, alongside live cabaret acts. Tuesday has Shazza’s Singalong and Bonnie la Blue’s Big Camp Gameshow, Wednesday has guest cabaret, and Sunday has guest cabaret and the Lucy Fur Comedy Drag Show.

Drinks deals run through the week, including Carlsberg and Thwaites Smooth at £2.50 and half-price cocktails before 5 p.m. Sunday to Thursday. On Bank Holiday Sundays the bar hosts an indoor beach party with other LGBTQ+ venues in Blackpool, in support of Blackpool Pride. It opens at noon and closes at 2 a.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.

Man Bar is a traditional gay bar at 25 Dickson Road, near Blackpool North station. It’s open Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights only, with doors at 8 p.m. and a late close. The ground floor has a pool table, a social space and weekend drinks offers.

Upstairs, the Growlr Club is a men-only bar with dark themed areas, entered by wristband from the main bar. Gin & Bear It is a lounge inside the venue with a long gin list and a relaxed setting away from the main room. Entry is strictly 18+, and ID may be required.