Bristol Bear Bar
A compact, friendly bar in Old Market, popular with gay men, and described as the only bespoke bear bar in the UK, with a mix of music.
Bristol's Old Market: the Village
Old Market Street and West Street by Cabot Circus, plus The Strip on Frogmore Street.
Bristol's LGBTQ+ heart is Old Market, just east of the city centre by Cabot Circus, where the city's tourism body promotes it as "The Village": a place for community, pubs and events along Old Market Street and West Street. The city's other LGBTQ+ area, "The Strip", is on Frogmore Street off Park Street, home to the Queenshilling and OMG.
In the 1990s, LGBTQ+-run shops, pubs, bars and clubs helped bring Old Market back to life. Today many of its venues are LGBTQ+ friendly rather than LGBTQ+ run, and everyone is welcome.
At a glance
- Where: Old Market Street, West Street, Frogmore Street.
- Status: Not designated for its LGBTQ+ scene; a conservation area since 1979, promoted as the Village by Visit Bristol.
- Getting there: Bristol Temple Meads (rail).
- Pride: Bristol Pride, usually in June and July (a two-week festival). Next: 26 June to 11 July 2027, with Pride Day on Saturday 10 July.
- Venues listed: 11, checked in October 2026.
How official is it?
Bristol City Council has not designated Old Market for its LGBTQ+ scene. The area has been a conservation area since 1979, protecting its historic buildings, and the Old Market Quarter Neighbourhood Development Plan came into force in March 2016, but neither is about LGBTQ+ venues. It is Visit Bristol, the city's tourism body, that promotes Old Market as "The Village". Rising costs and closures, such as the Gin Palace in 2018, have led to debate about the Village's future.
What has actually been done
- Old Market was designated a conservation area in 1979, which protects the character of its historic buildings; it was not created to protect LGBTQ+ venues.
- The Old Market Quarter became a neighbourhood planning area in 2013, and its Neighbourhood Development Plan came into force on 15 March 2016. The Old Market Community Association was re-designated as the neighbourhood forum in October 2024.
- Visit Bristol, the city's tourism body, promotes Old Market as 'The Village' and Frogmore Street as 'The Strip'.
Key dates
- 1979Old Market is designated a conservation area.
- 1990sLGBTQ+-run shops, pubs, bars, clubs and a sauna help revive Old Market, which becomes known as Bristol's gay village.
- 15 March 2016The Old Market Quarter Neighbourhood Development Plan comes into force.
- 2018The Gin Palace, a well-known drag venue, closes.
- October 2024The Old Market Community Association is re-designated as the neighbourhood forum.
Venues in the Old Market
The Phoenix
A relaxed LGBT+ and queer-friendly pub at the entrance to Old Market, tucked behind the hotel by the Cabot Circus car park, with a decked beer garden, food, barbecues…
Old Market Tavern
A traditional, queer-friendly pub with a beer garden and conservatory. It hosts the Pride Quiz on the first Sunday of each month. It is a traditional pub with oak beams…
Old Market Assembly
A bar and restaurant on the site of the old Flamingos nightclub, with a roof terrace and its own venue, the Wardrobe Theatre, which hosts queer events and club nights.
Old Castle Green
A pub in Old Market that hosts community events such as quizzes, cabaret and themed nights.
The Queenshilling
Bristol's oldest LGBTQIA+ club and bar, on 'The Strip' off Park Street, with themed nights and a monthly Pride fundraiser on the last Friday of the month.
OMG
Bristol's largest LGBTQIA+ club, on Frog Lane by Frogmore Street, with student nights, chart pop and a Saturday weekender.
OMG Bar
OMG's sister bar just down the road, with a long cocktail menu and a light-up dance floor.
Filthy XIII
An LGBTQIA+ cocktail bar on Stokes Croft, north of the centre.
Seamus O'Donnell's
A gay Irish bar in the Old City, recommended for its drag shows.
The Stag and Hounds
A Grade II listed, LGBTQ+ friendly real-ale pub next to the Old Market bus interchange. The building once housed the medieval 'Pied Poudre' court that settled market…
The streets
Old Market is just east of Bristol city centre, with Old Market Street and West Street as its spine, bounded by New Street and Lawfords Gate to the north and the Temple Way underpass to the west. It is close to Cabot Circus and a walk from Temple Meads station. Bristol's other LGBTQ+ area, The Strip, is on Frogmore Street off Park Street, on the other side of the centre.
Old Market Street and West Street
The spine of 'The Village', with the Bristol Bear Bar, Old Market Tavern, Old Market Assembly and Old Castle Green. A market since the 12th century and a conservation area since 1979.
Frogmore Street
'The Strip', off Park Street: the Queenshilling, OMG and OMG Bar.
Getting there
- Nearest station: Bristol Temple Meads (rail)
- Old Market is a short walk from Cabot Circus and the bus routes into the city centre.
- There is no gay sauna in Bristol; the last one closed after Covid.
- Parking: The Cabot Circus car park is next to The Phoenix at the entrance to Old Market.
More about the Old Market
Walk the Old MarketA live, venue-by-venue walking guide on your phone.HistoryFrom the earliest venues to today, and the places we have lost.Pride and what's onBristol Pride, regular nights and resident drag stars.Support and safetyHealth, helplines, hate-crime reporting and community groups.
Sources
- Bristol City Council: neighbourhood planning, Old Market Quarter (Plan in force 15 March 2016)
- Wikipedia: Old Market, Bristol
- Visit Bristol: LGBTQIA+ Bristol, Old Market (2026)
- Bristol24/7: Is Old Market's status as Bristol's gay village a thing of the past? (11 April 2023)
Other rainbow quarters
Blackpool: Rainbow QuarterOur home: the council-backed Be You quarter around Lord Street, Queen Street, Dickson Road, Springfield Road and Banks Street.Manchester: Gay VillageCanal Street, Richmond Street, Bloom Street and Sackville Street, beside the Rochdale Canal.Liverpool: Pride QuarterStanley Street, Victoria Street, Cumberland Street and Eberle Street, home of the UK's first rainbow street signs.Birmingham: Gay VillageHurst Street, Kent Street and Lower Essex Street in Southside, beside the Hippodrome and the Chinese Quarter.Nottingham: Rainbow QuarterHockley's Broad Street, Carlton Street and Heathcote Street, officially opened as the Rainbow Quarter in June 2026.Leeds: Freedom QuarterLower Briggate, Call Lane and The Calls, under the rainbow Freedom Bridge, next to Leeds station.Newcastle: Pink TriangleTimes Square, Scotswood Road and Westmorland Road, between Central Station and the Arena.Every quarterAll the UK's rainbow quarters and gay villages.