Garlands
A camp, free-entry drag pub near Blackpool North where resident queens are on from mid-afternoon every single day.
Mardi Gras (Talbot Road) (closed)
A basement cabaret bar on Talbot Road from the 2000s, outside the big Queen Street group.
Permanently closed
Underground on Talbot Road
In the mid-2000s, one of the liveliest alternatives to the Queen Street venues was a bar called Mardi Gras, below ground in the commercial block that housed the coach station on Talbot Road. It put on cabaret and male strip shows, and it had a reputation for a fun, no-nonsense night out.
What made it notable at the time was who did not own it. Most of the big gay venues in town then belonged to a single group, and Mardi Gras was one of the few independents, which gave the scene some variety and gave regulars a choice.
The name today
The Talbot Road basement bar is long gone. The Mardi Gras name now belongs to a public bar and hotel on Lord Street, though it is not clear that the two were the same business. If you remember the Talbot Road basement, it is one of the scene's less recorded venues and worth sharing with local heritage projects.
Times and details can change, so check before you go.
Open bars nearby
Churchills
A traditional town-centre pub with cask ales, karaoke, bingo and poker nights, popular with a mixed, gay-friendly crowd.