Blackpool's Rainbow Quarter: getting around

How the quarter is laid out

The scene sits in the town centre, around Blackpool North station, and you can walk across it in about ten minutes. It is not on the South Shore. You'll find it in four clusters:

• Lord Street and the streets off it. This is the busiest bar street. Start at the station end and walk towards the sea. On the way you pass The Hotel & Bar, Rendezvous, Mardi Gras, Antinous and Trades, then The Lenbrook, DeLovely and McGraths near the far end. Cocker Street, Pleasant Street and Yates Street branch off the north side. Evanescent and Secrets are on Cocker Street, The Dame Lane is on Pleasant Street and Neon is on Yates Street.
• Dickson Road. This road runs north from Talbot Road, parallel to the Promenade. Funny Girls and Oscars stand at the southern end, with Man Bar/Growlr and the Cuban Bar a little further up. Further north are The Duke, Peek-a-Booze, Lu-Lu's and the Belvedere.
• Queen Street and around. Queen Street runs from Dickson Road down to the Promenade. It mixes LGBTQ+ venues, such as the Flying Handbag, Sherlock's, Buckinghams, Cowboy & Co, Bar 19 and 31 Queen Street, with mainstream chain bars. The Galleon is a short walk away on Abingdon Street.
• Talbot Road, Springfield Road and Charles Street. Garlands and The Station are on Talbot Road. Gin & Bear It and Acqua Sauna are on Springfield Road, and W3 is on Charles Street, just south-east of the station.

A simple evening loop: Leave Blackpool North and start on Lord Street. Take a detour up Cocker Street and Pleasant Street, then cut across to Dickson Road for Funny Girls. Finish on Queen Street, where it meets the seafront by North Pier.

Visitor tips

• Arriving by train or tram. Blackpool North station and its tram stop are on the edge of the quarter, so you won't need a car.
• Driving. The open-air car parks on Bank Street and Dickson Road are about three minutes' walk from the bars. The Talbot Road multi-storey is about four minutes away and opens from early morning until midnight. A full day costs roughly £13–£19, and multi-day rates are cheaper per day. Some guest houses sell discounted scratch-card passes for Bank Street, but you have to collect them before you park.
• Booking. Book early for Pride, event weekends and the Illuminations season. Many guest houses ask for a three-night minimum on event weekends. Midweek stays are usually cheaper.
• Sunday lunch. Several bars serve roasts. Mardi Gras serves from 1:30pm, and you need to book at DeLovely. The Flying Handbag and 31 Queen Street also do Sunday lunch.
• Saunas. Both are for men aged 18 and over. Acqua is open seven days a week and stays open all night on Friday and Saturday. W3 runs weekly theme nights and hosts a monthly sexual-health testing clinic.
• Feeling safe. Same-sex couples are generally comfortable in the quarter and along the Promenade. If you experience or witness a hate incident, you can report it in confidence through a local third-party reporting centre as well as to the police.
• Seasonal highlights. The Christmas by the Sea village on the Promenade is free and runs from late November to early January. The Rainbow Quarter street party returns on 4–6 June 2027.

Venue profiles

The Dame Lane – 4 Pleasant Street. A bar just off Lord Street at the northern edge of the quarter. It hosts bingo afternoons and live singers.

Secrets – 19 Cocker Street. A bar next door to Evanescent. Pair the two for a short Cocker Street stop before heading back to Lord Street.

Antinous Lounge & Bistro – 49 Lord Street. A lounge and bistro in the Trades building, with food as well as drinks. It hosts community events such as charity coffee mornings.

Blackpool North Bar – 41 Bank Street. A bar close to the station. It is a convenient first or last stop if you're arriving by train.

The Hotel & Bar Blackpool – 22–24 Lord Street. A hotel with its own bar at the station end of Lord Street. Guests can stay right on the main bar street.

The Lenbrook – 69 Lord Street. A venue in the middle of Lord Street, part of the main bar strip.

Cowboy & Co – 27 Queen Street. A Queen Street bar in the strip between the Flying Handbag and the seafront.

Buckinghams – 25 Queen Street. A Queen Street bar a few doors from Sherlock's.

Bar 19 – 19 Queen Street. A bar towards the seaward end of Queen Street.

31 Queen Street – 31 Queen Street. A bar named after its address, popular for Sunday roasts.

Slug & Lettuce and Walkabout – Queen Street. These mainstream chain bars appear on quarter maps because they sit on the same street. Expect a mixed crowd rather than an LGBTQ+ venue.

Cuban Bar – 29A Dickson Road. A small bar at the southern end of Dickson Road, a short walk from Funny Girls.

The Duke – 60 Dickson Road. A Dickson Road bar about five minutes' walk from Blackpool North. Some local guest houses offer discounts here.

The Station – 23 Talbot Road. A bar on Talbot Road, opposite the station side of town. It is handy before or after a train.

Off The Rails Cafe – High Street. A daytime cafe next to Blackpool North with a broad menu. It is a good choice for breakfast or lunch before the bars open.

Kings Arms – Older guides describe it as a friendly pub with quizzes and shows. Check that it is still open before you go.

Liberty Church Blackpool – St Paul's Worship Centre, Egerton Road, North Shore. A small Christian congregation that welcomes LGBTQ+ people. It holds an inclusive service on Sunday evenings at 6:30pm and a free meal with an informal discussion on Wednesdays from 6:30pm. The church marries same-sex couples and offers blessings, and the minister charges no fee for either. It is also a confidential place to report hate crime. Buses 3 and 4 serve the area.