Dickson Road

The shape of the street

Dickson Road runs north from the top of Queen Street, parallel to the Promenade and one block inland. The house numbers start at the town-centre end, where Funny Girls stands at number 5, and climb as you head north towards North Shore and the Gynn. The busiest LGBTQ+ stretch is the first few hundred metres, roughly up to the eighties. Beyond that, Dickson Road becomes a quieter road of guesthouses with a couple of community landmarks.

Springfield Road crosses Dickson Road near the Man Bar, and that junction is the visual heart of the quarter's makeover: it is where the rainbow crossings are.

The rainbow crossings

In March 2024 the council painted two zebra crossings on Dickson Road and the four-way junction with Springfield Road in Progress Pride colours, and wrapped nearby lampposts in rainbow stripes. They were the first visible result of the council's plan for the quarter, and they have become the area's favourite photo spot. One of the crossings was vandalised the day after it was painted. The council reported it to the police and the crossings remain a proud symbol of the street.

Take your photos from the pavement, not the middle of the road. Dickson Road is a working through-route with buses and taxis, and drivers do not always expect people to stop on a crossing.

Venue by venue, heading north

Funny Girls (5 Dickson Road). Blackpool's famous drag revue bar, in a Grade II listed art deco building, has been running since 1994. Shows run on most nights from Wednesday to Sunday through the year, with seasonal productions: a Halloween show in autumn, a Christmas show from mid-November to early January, a spring show and a big summer spectacular. Standing tickets start low on quieter nights and seats rise in price towards Saturday. There is a three-course pre-show dinner in the restaurant, Garbo's, and dinner-and-show bundles usually save money except on Saturdays and New Year's Eve. Some shows use pyrotechnics, so mention any access needs or sensitivities when you book. The founder retired in 2026 after four decades and the venue changed hands, but the show format carries on.

Oscars (above Funny Girls). The lounge bar in the same building. It hosts the after-show party with karaoke and live music, opening late on show nights and earlier on Fridays and Saturdays. It is the natural next stop when the curtain comes down.

Pinkies (14 Dickson Road). A small, no-frills LGBTQ+ bar at the town end of the road, known for karaoke, DJ nights and cheap drinks. It changed licence holder in 2026 and recent visitors describe a warm welcome. It has been cash only, so bring notes.

Man Bar and the Growlr Club (25 Dickson Road). A straightforward gay bar with a pool table, opening Friday to Sunday evenings. Upstairs is the Growlr Club, a men-only cruise club with wristband entry and themed party nights on Fridays and Saturdays. Round the corner on Springfield Road is its sister gin lounge, Gin & Bear It.

Cuban Bar (29A Dickson Road). A small bar a short walk north of Funny Girls that appears on local quarter maps. We haven't been able to confirm its current programme.

The Duke (60 Dickson Road). A bar about five minutes' walk from Blackpool North station. It has been a performance and collection venue during the winter fundraising weekend for Pride, and some local guesthouses have offered their guests discounts here.

Peek-a-Booze (72–74 Dickson Road). A cabaret bar with budget, adults-only hotel rooms above. It opens from breakfast time and serves food during the day, and the evenings run on cheap drinks, bingo, karaoke, guest singers and drag shows most nights. Upper floors are reached by stairs only.

Lee & Chris's Belvedere (77 Dickson Road). An adults-only guesthouse that has been popular with LGBTQ+ visitors for years, with a full English breakfast and a weekend bar. Its owners put it up for sale in 2026. It was still taking bookings at the time of writing, but the bar was due to close for good at the end of 2026, so check before you book.

Lu-Lu's Cabaret Lounge (78b–82 Dickson Road). A friendly, budget-priced cabaret bar with a resident DJ and a small dancefloor, a second lounge bar called Sailor Al's, and around two dozen hotel rooms. Weekend cabaret has historically run Friday to Sunday evenings. There are steps at the entrance, though staff have been reported to help.

Horizon at The Lighthouse (102 Dickson Road). Not a bar, but one of the most important addresses in the quarter. This is the base of Renaissance, the local LGBTQ+ and sexual health charity, which runs an evening sexual health clinic for men who have sex with men on Tuesdays, peer groups such as a fortnightly LGBT+ social and a trans men's group, and harm-reduction support. Renaissance also administers the Be You quality mark for local businesses.

North towards the Gynn. Past the hundreds, Dickson Road becomes residential guesthouse territory. The Gynway at number 205 hosts a long-running trans support group twice a month. The road ends near the Gynn roundabout and the cliffs, which is a pleasant place to walk back along the seafront.

Best order to walk it

For a show night: dinner at Garbo's from about 6pm, the Funny Girls show, then upstairs to Oscars. If you have energy left, walk up to the Man Bar or across to Queen Street.

For a cabaret crawl: start at Pinkies for a cheap first drink, walk north to Peek-a-Booze and Lu-Lu's for cabaret, and loop back down via the crossings to Funny Girls for the late show or the after-party.

For photos: come in daylight. Start at Funny Girls, walk north to the Springfield Road junction for the crossings, and continue up the road to see how the quarter thins into guesthouse land.

Good to know

• The southern end of Dickson Road is lively until the early hours at weekends. The northern end is quiet and residential, so keep the noise down as you walk back to your guesthouse.
• There is a taxi rank outside Funny Girls.
• Some of the smaller venues keep irregular hours outside the summer season and event weekends.