Lu-Lu's Cabaret Lounge

What it is

Lu-Lu's is a friendly, budget-priced LGBTQ+ venue on the northern stretch of Dickson Road, and a much-loved part of the scene. It has two bars side by side:

• Lu-Lu's, the public bar on the left, is the livelier room. Cabaret acts and drag hosts perform, there is a resident DJ, and a small dancefloor gets going later in the evening.
• Sailor Al's, the lounge bar on the right, is calmer, with its own music. It is a good place to talk or take a break from the cabaret.

Above both bars is a hotel with 26 en-suite double rooms, so you can drink, watch a show and go straight upstairs.

History in brief

Lu-Lu's opened as a cabaret lounge bar and hotel around 2018, with the Sailor Al's lounge added soon afterwards. It has kept a loyal following ever since, and recent visitors describe it as a cherished LGBTQ+ venue with a warm welcome and low prices.

What's on

Lu-Lu's is mainly a weekend venue:

• Friday and Saturday: the cabaret bar opens from 7pm, with music and acts through the evening and a host on the microphone.
• Sunday: a hosted evening from 7pm, which has traditionally included a cocktail session. Drag host Crystal Candyfloss has fronted Sunday nights here.
• Sailor Al's lounge: usually opens on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Line-ups change, so check what is on before you travel specially.

Drinks

Prices are among the lowest on the scene. The bar has been cash only, so bring notes. Sunday nights have had a cocktail focus.

Who it suits

Lu-Lu's suits anyone who wants a proper community cabaret bar with a small dancefloor, and visitors who want a cheap room on Dickson Road with the entertainment downstairs. The two rooms make it flexible for mixed groups: party people next door, chatters in the lounge.

Accessibility

There are steps at the entrance and no formal accessibility statement. Visitors report that staff have helped wheelchair users over the step, so it is worth phoning ahead to arrange help.

Location and nearby

Lu-Lu's is on the northern part of Dickson Road, a few doors from Peek-a-Booze and close to the Belvedere and The Duke. Funny Girls, Man Bar and the Queen Street bars are about five minutes' walk south. Renaissance, the town's LGBTQ+ and sexual health charity, has its base further along Dickson Road.

Staying or visiting: Lu-Lu's Lounge Hotel

What it is and who it welcomes

Lu-Lu's is a cabaret bar, a lounge bar and a hotel spread across 78b to 82 Dickson Road, in the heart of the gay village. Its long-standing motto is that all are welcome, in both bars and in the hotel, and it has been a fixture of the scene's budget end for years. The crowd is mixed: gay men, lesbians, trans guests and straight friends, many of them regulars who come back every season.

It follows the classic Blackpool model of a bar downstairs and rooms upstairs. That makes it brilliant value if you plan to be in the bar until closing, and less ideal if you want an early night at the weekend.

Rooms

There are 26 rooms. All have double beds and all are en-suite. The rooms are simple and priced at the budget end of the market. Don't expect boutique touches, but you will be a few steps from your bed at the end of the night.

The bars

• Lu-Lu's, the public bar on the left as you face the building, is the cabaret room. It has resident hosts, guest drag and cabaret acts, a DJ who plays requests and a small dance floor. Cabaret nights have traditionally run at weekends from about 7pm, with a Sunday cocktail night.
• Sailor Al's, the lounge bar on the right, is quieter, with its own music. It is a good spot to talk, and it has opened on weekend evenings.

The bars have been reported as cash only, so bring notes. Opening days have changed over the years, and in quieter months the bars may open only at weekends.

Breakfast

Lu-Lu's does not publish a breakfast offer. Ask when you book. If breakfast is not included, there are several cafés and bars serving food along Dickson Road and Lord Street, including Peek-a-Booze a couple of doors up.

Location

You are on Dickson Road, a short walk north of Funny Girls. Peek-a-Booze and the Duke are on the same stretch, Man Bar and the Queen Street bars are a few minutes south, and Blackpool North station is about five minutes away on foot. The promenade and North Pier are at the end of the side streets to the west.

Parking

There is no on-site parking information. The nearest options are the Dickson Road, Cocker Street and Cocker Square public car parks and the Bank Street car park, all a few minutes' walk away. See our parking and arrival guide.

Accessibility

There are steps at the entrance and no published access statement. Staff have been known to help guests who use wheelchairs over the front steps, but the rooms are upstairs. Call before booking if you have mobility needs.

Booking tips

• The venue's own website has not been fully updated for some time, so phone for current room rates and bar hours.
• Ask whether the bar will be busy below your room on the nights you are staying.
• Bring cash for the bar.