Gay York: The Gay Guide to York and Yorkshire
A friend of a friend once asked me, "This city is lovely but, if you are Lesbian or Gay and in York, what is there to do?" So I sat down to think. He was right. York is a splendid place to visit for families with children. Yet, if you are single and gay there just is not that much to do here. Thus my research began.
Gay Friendly Pubs in York
Sorry to say boys and girls there just aren't many. However, attitudes in the city mean that you wont be refused entry to many for being too camp or too butch for that matter. With a population of some 200k in the city, there is ONE main pub known as gay friendly in York. As a percentage that is ... ummm ... why do the words - "Put that in your statistical pipe and smoke it." - come to mind? This pub, The York Arms, has been taken over by new management who are not as tolerant as the last few were. It is located very close to the Minster. Yet, if there is only one, it is going to be next to impossible for them to change its reputation. If you know different then email me and tell me. If I don't know then it doesn't get published here. If it isn't up here then the thousands of gay people all over the world that come here wont know.
Thomas's Wine Bar had a fling at drawing in the gay crowd. So, after a press article saying it was a gay friendly pub I enquired. Are you a gay bar now? "We are NOT a gay bar!" said the reply in no uncertain terms. We are friendly to everyone. Talk about confused messages and being in the closet. SHEESH!
The gay friendly Monroes Showbar has now opened at 54 Gillygate York. I found a mobile contact number but don't want to publish that without permission. This in the same location on Gillygate the Pink Pony used to be at. Lets hope it does well, Marilyn Monroe would have wanted it to wouldn't she.
A new pub has opened its doors as gay friendly and then promptly closed its doors. That being the Yorkshire Hussar on North Street. Having chatted to the Landlord Lenny Harrison it looks like he is going to try his best to keep this place lively and clean for the foreseeable future. A pleasant atmosphere, some interesting but shockingly named cocktails and some good beer was available, when they managed to change the barrel. A good night out was had here tbh. Try it you might like it.
The same man then opened up a pub called "the Pink Pony". It again promptly closed its doors. Seeing a pattern here are we?
Gay friendly guest houses in York
Luckily in todays world if you are not LGBT friendly as a guest house, you probably wont be around for long. But the below identified themselves as gay friendly (I think it was a gay couple running it then) years ago. So they get a friendly mention here.
The Bull Lodge
Address: 37 Bull Lane, Lawrence Street, York.
This establishment is run by a tolerant male couple. Rooms are available from about 35 pounds per night
A small no-smoking B&B guest house, in a quiet location close to the centre, attractions and university. On-site parking and garage for cycles/motorbikes, dogs by arrangement.
Some useful local Gay York contact numbers:
- York Pride contact details on their web page.
- York LGBT forum - an virtual community giving dealing with LGBT matters in and around the city.
- York Gay Switchboard & Helpline- 0300 330 0630
- York Gay Group - 01904 671945
- York Lesbian Line - 01904 646812
- York Mesmac - 01904 620400
- York AIDS Action - 01904 624024
Some useful gay links:
- Gay chat with local rooms - www.gaydar.co.uk
- A great gay chat and info site - www.gay.com
- The only gay news magazine I could find in search 2020! - https://www.pinknews.co.uk/
- Yorkshire MESMAC sexual health service for all in the north - www.mesmac.co.uk