The Lord Roberts
An Art Deco pub built in 1936-37 with a theatre theme of playbills and posters, a rear patio garden and a downstairs function room/cellar bar. Notts LGBT+ Network lists…
Nottingham's Rainbow Quarter
Hockley's Broad Street, Carlton Street and Heathcote Street, officially opened as the Rainbow Quarter in June 2026.
Nottingham's Rainbow Quarter is in Hockley, on the edge of the city centre beside the Lace Market, centred on Broad Street, Carlton Street and Heathcote Street. It officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 17 June 2026.
In the city council's own words, the quarter is "celebrating the city's LGBTQ+ community, history and culture", and its plaques, murals and signage will "help create a welcoming and inclusive destination" for residents and visitors. It shares its name with Blackpool's Rainbow Quarter, and like Blackpool's it is open to everyone.
At a glance
- Where: Broad Street, Carlton Street, Heathcote Street, Hockley (the street), Goose Gate (adjacent) (NG1 3AN, NG1 3AL, NG1 3AJ).
- Status: Community-led, council-supported. Opened 17 June 2026.
- Getting there: Lace Market tram stop (NET); Nottingham railway station.
- Pride: Notts Pride (Nottinghamshire Pride), usually in July (last Saturday of July). Next: Saturday 31 July 2027 (announced as 30 years of Pride in Nottingham)..
- Venues listed: 14, checked in October 2026.
How official is it?
The Rainbow Quarter was developed by the Nottingham Pastel Project, a grassroots, volunteer-led LGBTQ+ group, with support from Nottingham City Council, It's In Nottingham (the city-centre business improvement district) and Notts Pride. The works were paid for by a public Crowdfunder rather than by the council. Broad Street already had rainbow crossings, opened by the council leader in July 2019.
What has actually been done
- Formally recognises Hockley (Broad Street, Carlton Street, Heathcote Street) as Nottingham's LGBTQ+ quarter.
- Heritage plaques on the area's LGBTQ+ history.
- Murals / public artworks, including a planned mural on Broad Street.
- New signage, updated maps and wayfinding marking the Quarter.
- A collective visual identity for businesses in the area.
- Links to Pastel Project's 'Your Spaces Too' (YS2) campaign, which works with venues on trans-inclusive policies and training.
- Community-led programming and cultural events; Notts Pride 2026 fringe events took place in Hockley and the Rainbow Quarter.
- Pastel Project has said there is 'scope' for a dedicated LGBTQ+ venue in the district - an aspiration, not a commitment.
Key dates
- 16 July 2019Council leader opened the Rainbow Road (rainbow crossings) on Broad Street, Hockley, ahead of Pride.
- 26 July 2025Rainbow Quarter announced at Notts Pride; online consultation followed.
- November 2025Crowdfunder launched; launch then targeted 4 May 2026.
- 6 January 2026Time Out reports the plan; official establishment expected for Pride month June 2026.
- 17 June 2026Official launch ceremony and ribbon-cutting in Hockley (free public event).
- 19 June 2026Council bulletin announces the Quarter has officially opened.
- 25 July 2026Notts Pride march passes through Hockley's Rainbow Quarter; Lord Roberts and New Foresters host celebrations into the early hours.
Venues in the Rainbow Quarter
The New Foresters
Described as Nottingham's oldest LGBTQ+ bar, serving the community since 1938, with late-night opening, a beer garden with sheltered smoking area, DJs, drag and cabaret.…
Broadway Cinema
An independent four-screen cinema and registered charity in Hockley with a cafe bar. Nottingham's first Pride (Pink Lace, 1997) was held outside it, and the GAi Project…
Rough Trade Nottingham
A record shop in a three-storey Victorian building in Hockley, with a bar and live room on the first floor. It has hosted the LGBTQ+ club night Gladrags and queer…
Our Space - The Pride Shop cafe and shop
A not-for-profit LGBTQ+ shop and cafe in the city centre (not in Hockley) serving cakes and lunches, with board games and puzzles and a Pay It Forward coffee scheme. It…
Hole in the Wall
A pub just off Mansfield Road with a long bar and large paved patio. Not in Hockley.
Six Barrel Drafthouse Hockley
A modern conversion of an older pub on Carlton Street inside the Rainbow Quarter, with cask and craft beers, live music and quizzes. Signed Pastel Project's…
Bunkers Hill
A single-bar pub in a former bank next to the Nottingham ice arena, with ice hockey memorabilia, cask and craft beers and an upstairs function room; listed as an Asset…
BEAR Hockley
A coffee and cocktail venue with a glass roof on Carlton Street, part of the BEAR coffee and brunch group, which still lists a Hockley store. Signed the Your Spaces Too…
The Grove
A bar and live venue at Sneinton Market, east of Hockley, that runs the Grove Stage of live music, poetry and comedy at Notts Pride (2:00-11:00pm in 2026). Signed the…
Malt Cross
City-centre bar that hosted a Notts Pride fundraiser quiz in 2026 and signed the Your Spaces Too trans-inclusive pledge in 2025. Not in Hockley.
The Palais
Hosted the first official Notts Pride afterparty on 25 July 2026, run by Gladrags, with drag, burlesque, boylesque and DJs (doors 8pm). Not an LGBTQ+ venue day to day.
The Bodega
City-centre venue that hosted Homoelectric's Notts Pride Special on 25 July 2026 (from 6pm), with a share of ticket sales going to Notts Pride. Not in Hockley.
Five Leaves Bookshop
Independent bookshop that stocks queer fiction and non-fiction and hosts book events; publisher of the forthcoming Notts Queer History Archive books. Signed the Your…
The streets
Hockley is an area beside the Lace Market on the edge of Nottingham city centre, with many Victorian buildings, bars, restaurants, independent shops, galleries and the Broadway independent cinema; the BBC has called it 'the Soho of Nottingham'. The Rainbow Quarter is centred on Broad Street, Carlton Street and Heathcote Street. LeftLion (2024) describes Broad Street as the city's main queer area, with the rainbow crossings, the Lord Roberts, Rough Trade, Broadway, a transgender clinic and the Health Shop.
Broad Street
The Lord Roberts (24), Broadway Cinema (14-18), The Health Shop (12), Rough Trade (5), BrewDog (22), the Rainbow Road crossings; planned Rainbow Quarter mural. Main queer street since the 1980s; Mushroom Bookshop (1972-2000); GAi Project launched 1994; first Nottingham Pride (Pink Lace) 1997; rainbow crossings opened 16 July 2019 and repainted 2024; LeftLion calls it the city's main queer area.
Carlton Street
Six Barrel Drafthouse (14-16), BEAR Hockley (36a). One of the three core Rainbow Quarter streets; Wikipedia records rainbow crossings painted on Carlton Street and Broad Street in 2019.
Heathcote Street
Part of the Rainbow Quarter footprint; no specific LGBTQ+ venues identified in sources.
Hockley (street)
Bunkers Hill pub (36-38), Movers (15). Hockley was known as 'Walker Gate' from about 1285, after the cloth-softening trade; Jesse Boot was born in the area in 1850.
Goose Gate
The Model bar, Goose Beauty (28) - both Your Spaces Too signatories (2025).
Getting there
- Nearest station: Lace Market tram stop (NET)
- Nearest station: Nottingham railway station
- NET tram: Lace Market stop is the closest.
- Bus routes about 50 m from the Lord Roberts.
- On Notts Pride day (25 July 2026) trams terminated at Royal Centre and Nottingham Station 11:30-14:30, with Old Market Square and Lace Market stops closed.
- Parking: No official parking guidance specific to the Quarter was found in sources read; check Nottingham City Council car park listings.
More about the Rainbow Quarter
Walk the Rainbow QuarterA live, venue-by-venue walking guide on your phone.HistoryFrom the earliest venues to today, and the places we have lost.Pride and what's onNotts Pride (Nottinghamshire Pride), regular nights and resident drag stars.Support and safetyHealth, helplines, hate-crime reporting and community groups.
Sources
- Nottingham City Council e-bulletin: Nottingham Rainbow Quarter officially opens (GovDelivery) (19 June 2026)
- It's In Nottingham (BID): Nottingham Rainbow Quarter opens in the heart of Pride Month (May 2026 (launch 17 June 2026))
- Marketing Nottingham: Nottingham celebrates the launch of its new Rainbow Quarter (June 2026)
- Nottingham Pastel Project campaign page: Nottingham Rainbow Quarter (2026)
- Crowdfunder: Nottingham Rainbow Quarter (launched Nov 2025; marked funded 20 Feb 2026)
- Council-opened Rainbow Road on Broad Street (2019, report of council launch and 8 July 2019 council motion) (16 July 2019)
Other rainbow quarters
Blackpool: Rainbow QuarterOur home: the council-backed Be You quarter around Lord Street, Queen Street, Dickson Road, Springfield Road and Banks Street.Manchester: Gay VillageCanal Street, Richmond Street, Bloom Street and Sackville Street, beside the Rochdale Canal.Liverpool: Pride QuarterStanley Street, Victoria Street, Cumberland Street and Eberle Street, home of the UK's first rainbow street signs.Birmingham: Gay VillageHurst Street, Kent Street and Lower Essex Street in Southside, beside the Hippodrome and the Chinese Quarter.Bristol: Old MarketOld Market Street and West Street by Cabot Circus, plus The Strip on Frogmore Street.Leeds: Freedom QuarterLower Briggate, Call Lane and The Calls, under the rainbow Freedom Bridge, next to Leeds station.Newcastle: Pink TriangleTimes Square, Scotswood Road and Westmorland Road, between Central Station and the Arena.Every quarterAll the UK's rainbow quarters and gay villages.