Is Blackpool safe for LGBTQ+ visitors?

How safe is the quarter?

Most LGBTQ+ visitors have a great time in Blackpool without any trouble, and same-sex couples generally feel comfortable in the quarter and on the Promenade. Safety came top when local people were asked what they wanted from the council's plan for the quarter, and it has shaped what's happened since: brighter street lighting with more than thirty new lighting columns, a new CCTV camera on Lord Street with more planned, and a commitment to schemes such as Ask for Angela, Street Angels and bystander training.

Blackpool is still a busy party town, though. Weekends bring large stag and hen groups and plenty of alcohol, and there have been homophobic assaults in and around the quarter in recent years, including on Queen Street. Being prepared doesn't mean being worried.

Night-time tips

• Stick to the main, lit streets late at night: Queen Street, Dickson Road, Lord Street and Talbot Road.
• Walk back with friends if you can, especially if your accommodation is outside the quarter.
• Use licensed taxis. Hackney cabs can be hailed or found at ranks, including outside Funny Girls. Private hire must be pre-booked. Never get into an unbooked car.
• Watch your drink. Don't leave it unattended and don't accept drinks you didn't see poured.
• Ask for Angela. If you feel unsafe on a date or with someone in a bar, ask the staff for "Angela". In venues that take part, this signals that you need discreet help.
• Step inside. The quarter's bars have door staff. If someone is following or harassing you in the street, go into the nearest venue and tell the staff.
• Keep your phone charged and know the name and address of where you're staying.
• Meeting someone from an app? Meet in a busy bar first, tell a friend where you are, and keep control of your own way home.

If you experience or witness hate

A hate crime or hate incident is anything someone does that's motivated by hostility to your sexual orientation, gender identity or another protected characteristic. It might be abuse shouted in the street, threats, damage to property or a physical attack. You don't need to be sure it's a crime to report it.

In an emergency

Call 999 if someone is in danger or a crime is happening now.

Report it to the police

• Call 101 for non-emergencies.
• Report online through Lancashire Police's website.
• Report online through True Vision, the national police-backed hate crime reporting site.

Report it without going to the police directly

Third-party reporting centres will help you make a report, or make it on your behalf, and some let you stay anonymous. In Blackpool, these include:

• Blackpool Transport, Rigby Road (01253 473001). Useful if something happens on a tram or bus.
• URPotential, 296 Central Drive (01253 344398). A youth organisation that also runs LGBT+ youth groups.
• Lancashire LGBT (07788 295521).
• Liberty Church Blackpool, an inclusive church in North Shore that acts as a confidential place to report.

Get support

• Galop runs a national LGBT+ hate crime helpline on 020 7704 2040, usually on weekday office hours.
• Renaissance, the local LGBTQ+ health charity at Horizon, 102 Dickson Road, can offer local support.
• Samaritans are available any time on 116 123 if you need to talk.

Why report?

Every report helps the police and the council see where and when problems happen, which shapes patrols, CCTV and funding for the quarter. Many people don't report verbal abuse because they think nothing will happen. Reporting is what makes the case for the safety measures that are now visible on the quarter's streets.

Sexual health and harm reduction

• A weekly evening sexual health clinic for men who have sex with men runs on Tuesdays at Horizon, 102 Dickson Road.
• Free postal testing kits are available online across Lancashire.
• The same charity offers confidential, non-judgemental harm reduction advice about drugs, alcohol and chemsex.

Look after each other

The quarter's best safety feature is its community. If you see someone on their own who looks unwell, distressed or targeted, check they're OK and get help from the nearest bar staff.

Places mentioned in this guide