[aaron1867]

Originally Posted by SpiderPete

Don`t go round blaming the pubs for this and that, blame yourselves.

Look at how many will turn up at Sheffield Gay Pride this Saturday ?, are they supporting the gay scene ? = I bet alot done.

Rant over.

Sigh.

You must forget about peoples morales, eh?

If you want to go out and get ripped off, then go for it, but I am definitely not going to support a EMPTY pub that has a £2/£3 door fee and rip off prices.

There are reasons people don't support Affinity and that is one major one. Remember the old Affinity? That was good.

As for Sheffield Pride, I didn't even know or care when it was and no, I shall not be supporting.

[justtev]

Originally Posted by SpiderPete

So the burning question is ; why is the Sheffield gay scene crap for a city this size ?

Answer = because the gay population do no support the existing venues, and this stops the city from growing into a bigger gay scene.

A investor is not going to plow money into something new (eg gay pub/club) when no bugger supports what is already there.

This is a fallacy, and a common one among small businesses.

No business has the right to be "supported" - they need to offer something that customers want, innovate, find a niche in the market, provide something others don't. If they're not doing well (I obviously haven't seen Affinity's or Dempsey's finances, they might both be doing well) then they should change their ways and adapt to the market.

As long as the gay bars in Sheffield are not providing what the gay people in Sheffield want, there is a gap in the market.

The burden here is on the businesses to attract the custom.

[SpiderPete]

Originally Posted by justtev

As long as the gay bars in Sheffield are not providing what the gay people in Sheffield want, there is a gap in the market.

But what do the gay people in Sheffield want if they are not supporting what is already there ? They obviously want something, but what is it.

Affinity do listen to what people want, I believe the female crowd wanted a "ladies night" and they got one

If people dont tell the venues what they want how are they going to change ?

They are not mind readers.

[justtev]

Originally Posted by SpiderPete

If people dont tell the venues what they want how are they going to change ?

They are not mind readers.

Ask them? It's called market research!

Who's off to Pride/Climax tomorrow? I heard if you get your Climax tickets in advance, you can use your ticket to get into Pride for free - is this true? If so, where do we get the tickets from? HUBS or UoS Union?

[SpiderPete]

Its not upto me to ask them

yes Pride day today, off to the march at 11.00

The tonight its Affinity for the Cheeky Girls.

[andrey k]

how can an event such as this charge people to enter? Isn't this against the whole philosophy of "INCLUSION" i mean after all local community groups and the chair and organisers should have secured council/arts council/ etc funding many months ago! What about people who are economically restricted how can they afford to become involved? I'll answer my own question, you can't and you will be discriminated against upon those who can afford and those who cannot! Organisers you should be embarrassed! Look at other PRIDE events such as Manchester London Glasgow etc do they charge or do they INCLUDE ALL - YES" YOU GUESSED THEY INCLUDE ALL AT NO COST!

[jamesogt]

Originally Posted by andrey k

how can an event such as this charge people to enter? Isn't this against the whole philosophy of "INCLUSION" i mean after all local community groups and the chair and organisers should have secured council/arts council/ etc funding many months ago! What about people who are economically restricted how can they afford to become involved? I'll answer my own question, you can't and you will be discriminated against upon those who can afford and those who cannot! Organisers you should be embarrassed! Look at other PRIDE events such as Manchester London Glasgow etc do they charge or do they INCLUDE ALL - YES" YOU GUESSED THEY INCLUDE ALL AT NO COST!

No they don't. End of discussion. Manchester charge £22 for a weekend pass. Or you can watch the parade for free just as you could have today.

They charge as the event is not profit making and people still need paying such as licences and entertainers and a whole host of other people. Had some visitors made a few more donations in the prior years they wouldn't have to charge but since the donations from 4000 people last year came to circa £200 on the day, something had to change. Without a large sponsor who is meant to pay for it?

If anyone really can't afford £3 then they should really be considering a way to hep fix their financial situation.

[justtev]

Originally Posted by andrey k

how can an event such as this charge people to enter? Isn't this against the whole philosophy of "INCLUSION" i mean after all local community groups and the chair and organisers should have secured council/arts council/ etc funding many months ago! What about people who are economically restricted how can they afford to become involved? I'll answer my own question, you can't and you will be discriminated against upon those who can afford and those who cannot! Organisers you should be embarrassed! Look at other PRIDE events such as Manchester London Glasgow etc do they charge or do they INCLUDE ALL - YES" YOU GUESSED THEY INCLUDE ALL AT NO COST!

Sheffield Pride had a lovely and inclusive feel. I always avoided Manchester Pride because of it's (percieved) focus on drinking, partying and cheesy music. Sheffield Pride was the polar opposite, with lots of different styles of music and a good mix of LGBT/straight/families in attendance. Shame about the weather!

If you really couldn't afford §3, I'm sure there were probably volunteering opportunities that would've got you in for free.

Climax at HUBS was a bit disappointing! The karaeoke room was empty half the time, as was the house room - I'd have made one an indie room and one a cheesy retro pop room.

[Roger123W]

I went along with my dog to my first Pride festival yesterday afternoon and I must admit I was very impressed. The quality of the stands and the diversity of them were very impressive. Good to see a stand all about Edward Carpenter too an important historic Sheffield person. I did not think it was at all commercial and seemed to be more about the community. I was happy to pay the £3 entrance.

If the Manchester and Leeds ones are the total opposite and not about community and inclusion and just making money out of the day then thats very sad for them !

The variety of acts was also very impressive from the main stage to rave music in the Lions den and to barlasq with Warren Peace to the Alternate Zone tent with poetry readings, hypnotherapies, singing lesbians and of course the very lively and the very lovely Tyranna Her Titanic theme was very moving and got the whole huge crowd singing along .. why she was not on the main stage I just do not know as there were so many people crowding into the tent that it had to be held outside for safety reasons ...

All in all I really enjoyed my first Pride and I think my dog enjoyed his burger and chips - congratulations to Sheffield Pride - and I will be back again next year !

[justtev]

Originally Posted by Roger123W

...and of course the very lively and the very lovely Tyranna Her Titanic theme was very moving and got the whole huge crowd singing along ..

I went along to watch Tyranna, but was put off by her rudeness interupting the previous act while setting up, along with her uprooting everyone and moving everyone outside, introducing lots of sound issues. We left at that point for a Spar beer run in time to see an ace Reggae band on the main stage. Anyone else see Smiling Ivy?

[SpiderPete]

Originally Posted by Roger123W

and of course the very lively and the very lovely Tyranna Her Titanic theme was very moving and got the whole huge crowd singing along .. why she was not on the main stage I just do not know as there were so many people crowding into the tent that it had to be held outside for safety reasons ...

Oh Patrick, Patrick Patrick, lol

What huge crowd was this ?, it wasnt huge at all, she was rude I feel, Titanic was a sinking feeling she gave.

Does she deserve to be on the main stage .... definitely NOT, as for her blackmailing the Sheffield pride committee saying she wont sing Withering Heights unless she was on the main stage was damn right rude of her.

No doubt she will want this post removing, but I speak the truth, maybe she should listen to feedback then she might improve.

[aaron1867]

I was toying with the idea of going to Sheffield Pride in the day, but my morales got to me too much. I knew the event was pathetically organised and I definitely wasn't going to pay £3 to sit in a park.

Although I did go out in the night and it was a fantastic atmosphere. I got a taxi onto Arundel gate, saw Affinity was dead as usual, then went to the HUBS for Climax! It was fantastic. I was unsure if it would live upto the normal climax's, but it most definitely was very good and for a change Scott Kelly played some decent music.

Headed to Dempsey's and of course they have put their prices up! Entrance fee was £1 more than usual! But as usual, Dempsey's can hardly fail to ramming the place and also was a good finish to the night.

[EarthBoy]

Originally Posted by Roger123W

.. and of course the very lively and the very lovely Tyranna Her Titanic theme was very moving

It certainly made your bowels move.

Originally Posted by Roger123W

.. why she was not on the main stage I just do not know

Because her act is complete excrement; that's why.

Originally Posted by Roger123W

.. there were so many people crowding into the tent that it had to be held outside for safety reasons ...

It didn't have to be held outside at all. The audience were more than happy to be indoors, and the tent was perfectly adequate for the previous act. Unfortunately, overcome by delusions of her own importance, Tyranna thought that she deserved a bigger audience so she banished everybody outside in the mistaken hope of there being a large crowd waiting to see her. Although she quoted "health and safety" reasons, this was a figment of her overactive imagination.

[andrey k]

James! OGT

It may have escaped your attention that my posting was about the "inclusion issue" not one about casting aspersions on my character i.e. maybe i should do something about my financial situation, and to fix it! This is not an educated or mature response, for your information I am from a professional background 2 jobs 1 car and income which clearly makes me afford £3 entry! The point about Manchester charges i accept i maybe wrong, but the point is in a few years time, success dependent the Sheffield festival may or may not take on the same direction and preclude people from attending on financial basis, my whole point is if you have good fund managers or experienced fund raisers you can quite easily make the festival a true free for all event which doesn't depend upon your financial ability! Do not go the same way as other more corporate leaning pride events! If you reply please focus and make it a fair, intelligent and comprehensive one!

[justtev]

Originally Posted by andrey k

James! OGT

It may have escaped your attention that my posting was about the "inclusion issue" not one about casting aspersions on my character i.e. maybe i should do something about my financial situation, and to fix it! This is not an educated or mature response, for your information I am from a professional background 2 jobs 1 car and income which clearly makes me afford £3 entry! The point about Manchester charges i accept i maybe wrong, but the point is in a few years time, success dependent the Sheffield festival may or may not take on the same direction and preclude people from attending on financial basis, my whole point is if you have good fund managers or experienced fund raisers you can quite easily make the festival a true free for all event which doesn't depend upon your financial ability! Do not go the same way as other more corporate leaning pride events! If you reply please focus and make it a fair, intelligent and comprehensive one!

I understand your point and I wouldn't want a corporate event either, but I think a §3 entry is not too much.

Also your point about fundraisers, people with these specific skills are not a dime a dozen and I'm sure the volunteers who run Pride are trying pretty hard!

Maybe if next year is bigger and better there could be tiered tickets including a concession for the unemployed and those in education, in addition to more volunteering opportunities.

[jamesogt]

Originally Posted by andrey k

James! OGT

It may have escaped your attention that my posting was about the "inclusion issue" not one about casting aspersions on my character i.e. maybe i should do something about my financial situation, and to fix it! This is not an educated or mature response, for your information I am from a professional background 2 jobs 1 car and income which clearly makes me afford £3 entry! The point about Manchester charges i accept i maybe wrong, but the point is in a few years time, success dependent the Sheffield festival may or may not take on the same direction and preclude people from attending on financial basis, my whole point is if you have good fund managers or experienced fund raisers you can quite easily make the festival a true free for all event which doesn't depend upon your financial ability! Do not go the same way as other more corporate leaning pride events! If you reply please focus and make it a fair, intelligent and comprehensive one!

Manchester is clearly the biggest 'Pride' in the North.

Part of the reason it is attended so highly is the fact it is heavily backed by the Council, gay bars and other establishments of the Canal St area. It also generates massive income for the city as a whole.

I can find figures up till 2010, it cost over 1 million pounds to stage! Looking at the figures it also spends almost exactly the income it generates. As well as that it also generates large amounts for local charities. (More than Sheffield costs to stage!) Do you really think it is possible to raise £1 million pounds without charging for them?

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk...idiaryNumber=0

Sheffield people in previous years often complained that Sheffield Pride was not good. Without generating any revenue how are they meant to pay acts that attract crowds? They were caught in catch 22. Alexandra Burke and Human League do not appear for free.

In many areas of life people are precluded from things due to lack of money, unfortunately you can't base the growth of something on what is probably a tiny percentage of people.

Maybe you know of some fund raisers/managers that you can recommend to the Pride committee for next years event. I am sure they would gladly accept any offers of help they can get. If Sheffield ever reached the heights of a million pound event it would be amazing!

Sheffield now only has 2/3 gay venues. Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton and London (the biggest prides) all have 20+ and that is probably being conservative for some of them. It would be unfair to try and compare them.

Inclusion is all well and good if it was Council money, but I think it unlikely for the next few years at least any Government funding will be little or none.

I am hoping next year maybe they will be able to get a larger sponsor, but asking any company for money at the moment is difficult.

As an outsider I would be interested to see how much Climax and the bars in the park etc help to generate. I think I am also not alone in thinking that the venues could offer more support financially, on top of their fund raisers held in the run up.

Originally Posted by aaron1867

I was toying with the idea of going to Sheffield Pride in the day, but my morales got to me too much. I knew the event was pathetically organised and I definitely wasn't going to pay £3 to sit in a park.

Unfortunately this is often the attitude encountered here. I would doubt Aaron made any effort to attend any open meetings or offer any input at all. But is happy to criticize without even attending the event itself.

[aaron1867]

Originally Posted by jamesogt

Unfortunately this is often the attitude encountered here. I would doubt Aaron made any effort to attend any open meetings or offer any input at all. But is happy to criticize without even attending the event itself.

You're right.

I'd love to know who's idea it was to do the parade to around Eccy Road, that was of course a nice way to put it... a shambles.

I have no intention of adding any input into anything Pride related, because all the comittee need throwing off, instead of vying for 'superioty' on the scene.

[jamesogt]

Originally Posted by aaron1867

You're right.

I'd love to know who's idea it was to do the parade to around Eccy Road, that was of course a nice way to put it... a shambles.

I have no intention of adding any input into anything Pride related, because all the comittee need throwing off, instead of vying for 'superioty' on the scene.

To be fair not many of the committee are 'scene' goers. Maybe 3 of them could be classed as scene, if you consider that to be going to Dempseys every few weeks.

Where other than Ecclesall Rd would you have a parade if you were going to have one? Considering it finished at the Park? Do you think Manchester's parade started as an 1.5 hr extravaganza? It didn't. Like anything else it has grown over the years.

The committee are all voted for at open meetings, why don't you maybe go to one and bring a few friends and get voted in to a position that you think you would suit and then you could offer the input you feel required to make Pride better?

It is very easy to sit behind a keyboard and criticise. It is much harder to actually organise and coordinate an event that 4000 people visit.

[SpiderPete]

Originally Posted by aaron1867

IAlthough I did go out in the night and it was a fantastic atmosphere. I got a taxi onto Arundel gate, saw Affinity was dead as usual, then went to the HUBS for Climax! It was fantastic. I was unsure if it would live upto the normal climax's, but it most definitely was very good and for a change Scott Kelly played some decent music.

Headed to Dempsey's and of course they have put their prices up! Entrance fee was £1 more than usual! But as usual, Dempsey's can hardly fail to ramming the place and also was a good finish to the night.

What time did you go to Affinity ?.

I can asure you it was absolutely packed, I was there with friends.

You obviously went at the wrong time.

[SpiderPete]

Originally Posted by aaron1867

I have no intention of adding any input into anything Pride related, because all the comittee need throwing off, instead of vying for 'superioty' on the scene.

Then why don`t you do something about it instead of moaning all the time.

The election of committee members is a open vote, so why not go along and get yourself on the committe.......... but then you wouldnt have anything to moan about would you.

You are hard work