Mardi Gras

What it is

Mardi Gras is one of the hubs of Lord Street: a public bar with a dancefloor, a separate lounge, a pool table and hotel rooms upstairs. It describes itself as an LGBTQ+ safe space with zero tolerance for discrimination, open to gay, straight, bi and trans guests alike, and its old motto sums it up: leave your labels at the door.

The mood changes through the day. Afternoons are for karaoke and a game of pool. Early evenings bring bingo, games and singalong films with a drag host. Late on Friday and Saturday the lights go down, the video wall comes on and a DJ plays hi-NRG and camp classics around a guest cabaret act. A large screen (about three metres by four) is used for film nights and music videos.

History in brief

Mardi Gras was a busy, mixed bar in its earlier life. Its first owners later moved on to open a bar in Gran Canaria's Yumbo Centre, the famous gay complex on the island. After that the Blackpool venue changed name and management and eventually stood empty for around two years, until the current gay owners took it on, renovated the hotel and reopened it as a discrimination-free venue. It has hosted free community days during Pride, and it runs its own fundraisers through the year.

What's on through the week

• Monday: Night at the Movies from 7pm. Drag host Elsie Duchess screens a camp singalong film and follows it with a quiz.
• Wednesday: Elsie Duchess's games night from 6pm, with a duck race, Name That Tune and more.
• Thursday: cash bingo and games with Elsie Duchess from 6pm.
• Friday: DJ Jonny Jones plays camp and dance classics into the early hours, with a guest cabaret act each week.
• Saturday: afternoon karaoke on the stage with host Micky (roughly 2pm to 7pm), then Saturday Night Star Cabaret: old-school hi-NRG, 90s dance and camp anthems on the video wall with a resident DJ and a guest act.
• Sunday: afternoon karaoke with Micky, then Sunday Night Showtime, with 70s, 80s and 90s classics and a guest cabaret act.

Special nights through 2026 have included a live concert by 90s dance vocalist Mary Kiani on the August bank holiday, the return of a kink night for all genders and kinks with DJ Matt Clay, and a charity cabaret for a local hospice hosted by Elsie Duchess. Each year on World AIDS Day (1 December), Mardi Gras holds a candlelit vigil outside the venue at 7pm, remembering those who have died and supporting people living with HIV, with money raised for a local charity.

Food and drink

Cocktails and pints are the main draw, and prices are kept low. Food has varied: Mardi Gras has been known for hot food and Sunday roasts, but its own information most recently said the kitchen was closed. Check before you plan a meal. Hotel guests get breakfast, with a vegetarian option.

The rooms

Upstairs are adults-only (18+) en-suite rooms, from singles to premier rooms, with free wi-fi. Reception is staffed round the clock, check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 11am. The sister guesthouse, Q Accommodation, a few doors down at 27 Lord Street, offers boutique suites booked through the same team.

Who it suits

Mardi Gras suits people who want a proper local gay bar with a community feel: regulars who know each other, hosts who remember your name, and a programme built on bingo, karaoke and cabaret rather than big club nights. The quieter lounge and pool table make it good for groups who want to talk.

Accessibility

There is no lift, so the upper floors are reached by stairs, which have handrails. No step-free information is published for the bar. Phone ahead if you need help.

Location and nearby

Mardi Gras is near the station end of Lord Street. Rendezvous is a few doors away, Trades and Antinous are next along the street, and the Flying Handbag and Kaos are around the corner on Queen Street. Blackpool North station is about five minutes' walk.

Staying or visiting: Mardi Gras Hotel

What it is and who it welcomes

Mardi Gras, at 41 to 43 Lord Street, is a public bar, lounge and small hotel all in one building, and it bills itself as a hub of the Rainbow Quarter. It describes itself as an LGBTQ+ safe space and an adults-only hotel. The bar crowd is broad: gay men, lesbians, trans and non-binary regulars, drag fans and straight friends. Like Trades and Peek-a-Booze, it carries on the old Blackpool habit of a busy bar downstairs with bedrooms above.

It is the sister business of Q Accommodation a few doors along at 27 Lord Street. If Mardi Gras is full, or you want something quieter, Q is the calmer, room-only option run alongside it.

Rooms

Rooms range from singles up to premier doubles. All are en-suite and have free WiFi, and guests can use a sun terrace. Room requests during your stay, such as fresh towels, more tea and coffee or a late check-out, can be made through the venue's app.

The bar

The bar is the heart of the place. It is split into three areas:

• A main bar with cabaret, drag, karaoke, live music and themed nights. Kink and fetish DJ nights have also run here.
• A quieter, music-free lounge with chesterfield sofas and a pool table, for when you want to talk.
• A downstairs area that regulars have described as men-only.

Drinks prices are among the keenest in the quarter. Hot food is served, and the Sunday roast, served from early afternoon, is a scene favourite. Mardi Gras has run charity fundraisers and free community days during Pride, and it has held a World AIDS Day vigil on 1 December.

Bar hours are long. It opens around midday and stays open until midnight from Monday to Thursday, and until 3am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Weekend openings start earlier. Expect noise from the bar in rooms on lower floors on weekend nights.

House rules

• Strictly 18+. Bring photo ID, as you may be asked for it at check-in and at the bar.
• No pets. Assistance animals are welcome with notice.
• Non-smoking indoors. Smoking and vaping are allowed only in the outdoor smoking areas.
• Zero tolerance for discrimination. Anyone who discriminates will be removed without a refund.
• Keep the noise down in corridors and rooms between 11pm and 8am.
• Damage is charged to the card on file.

Location

You are bang in the middle of Lord Street. Trades and Antinous are a few doors along, and Rendezvous, Hotel Neon and the Prince Albert are around the corner. Blackpool North station is about three minutes' walk away, and Funny Girls and the Queen Street bars are about five.

Accessibility

There is no lift, and the upper floors can only be reached by stairs, which have handrails. The ground-floor bar is the most accessible part of the building. Ask about toilets and seating if you have access needs.

Booking tips

• Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 11am. Late check-out can be requested for an extra charge.
• Cancellation: a full refund more than seven days before arrival, 50% between three and seven days, and nothing after that.
• Event tickets have their own refund rules, and you can transfer them to a friend if you give 48 hours' notice.
• The bar runs a points-based loyalty scheme with a free welcome drink when you join.
• On big weekends, ask for a room away from the bar if you want sleep.