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adsmills

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About adsmills

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  1. Sheffield Pride is only a few years old, and the momentum it has is great. These events are run on a much smaller scale than Manchester/London/Brighton, who themselves you will note are far more scaled down than in earlier years. its important Sheffield continues to have a Pride and that Pride pays its way. To have a headline act would be great, as even if it is someone cheaper and cheesy, it does give some people incentive to go. Last years Doncaster line up of Liz McLarnon, Toyah, S Club 3 and Adam Rickett was great for the facty it was tongue in cheek but also a good excuse to go and see some acts less likely to be on a bill together. I met some of the organisers of Pride recently and how they stay so motivated in the face of so many doubters is inspiring. Getting involved in organising community groups and events is exhasuting, as so many people think that things could be done better, but that is in the face of having no knowledge of how much time it takes and how many doors are closed in your face all the time, which is so demoralising. Perhaps Pride should do what nottingham did, and have the entrances manned and a suggested donation fee with lots of people stood around. there is nothing like shame to entice a donation. Also, dont hand over a programme of events to non-donators, as then they wont know when the acts are on or offers for post pride parties? Its an idea. And I note that people are now complaining about too much choice for LGBT events now in Sheffield. On the same forum where everyone has been bemoaning the limited options for years. Lets collectively give up....
  2. Everyone has an agenda, eh? Nottingham is a nice city, but to be honest if anyone is looking for a night out with students (and why would they?) then the two universities here in Sheffield mean we have more than enough. And Climax is exactly the same as Poptastic. Without that embarrassing Shag-Tag thing they used to do.
  3. I doubt the recent riots are endemic of the fact that Tesco sells booze cheap. Otherwise I think we would have had much worse pre-recession at a time even the worse off were better off than they are at the moment. And as for the suggestion that we should be shunted into a forum for over 18's, I think that the forum member had failed to read this thread. This is, at best, a rather dry thread....
  4. I cannot see why you would have a "mini-conference" on this point. What is there to discuss? Less people go to pubs and bars these days. The cost of living plus the lower cost of booze in supermarkets has the bigger role in this. I can remember years ago when bars started putting computers in for people to use to go on gaydar etc. they sat empty half the time. Im sure there are more important issues people may want to talk about, this is a non-issue.
  5. Its quite depressing that there is a general resignation by some people that the city wide scene is rubbish. I admit, it seems quite provincial for a large city, but it is what it is. Sheffield is somewhat behind with its city centre strategy, and I would hope that the scene would develop as the face of the city develops. As a former Birmingham resident, I can remember when Hurst St was part car park, part adult shop mecca and part grimy gay venues. Its only over recent years that newer, more up market establishments have developed any footing. Its delusional to think that gey venues "thrive" elsewhere. they dont. Manchester, Birmingham- I can reel off the names of the bars that have come and gone in the last 10 years or so since I have been going out. Even smaller cities gay venues have come and gone. Its not unique to us. Its a risky business plan at the moment to target a minimal market when scores of licensed venues are closing daily.
  6. I really want people to know that this forum is in no way a total representation of the people you meet on the scene in Sheffield. Through going out, and groups like Out of Office, I have met lots of varied, interesting and lovely people who are intelligent, funny and are willing to get involved and make the most of the opportunities out there. A lot of people on here show a real interest in Sheffield's future, but a lot also seem rather retrospective in their focus. I know a lot of people end up here from search engines, and would be a bit put off about venturing off to a gay venue in the city, but I just want to put out there that its a much friendlier scene than this may reflect.
  7. The text message system worked, and replied when I registered. In the spirit of community, a much maligned word in the LGBT world, I hope that it succeeds. What Dempseys needs is a bit of healthy competition, and this venue is well located for Lions Lair and Affinity to feed into. What I hope is that Fuel learn from their previous incarnation. A lot of the big gay clubs in the UK, like Nightingale in Birmingham, have had to change their programme and bring in monthly events, get sponsors in to make a quietening Saturday night trade work, clubs like Essential have since gone, it costs next to nothing to get into Heaven these days due to the constant promos around soho. The management will need to keep people interested if a bigger club in a bigger premises is going to survive, as the last thing people want is to rattle around in the place, which is why Dempseys does well, as it never looks particularly dead due to its modest size. But as I said, I think there is room for a competitor, and maybe it will spark Dempseys into the refurb it needs. I for one wont miss the depictions of a swimming baths changing room that adorn the walls.
  8. It is a bit of a narrow view point to put the hopes and dreams of the gay scene in Sheffield into the hands of one venue. Venues in other cities have popular monthly events, attracting different groups of people to clubs and venues for nights. Be it a bear night, an indie night, an electro night, there are things that can be done. revolution are doing it, Climax are doing it. If things are proper Y thought out, and the scene works together on publicising these, a diary of events for LGBT people could develop. Whilst Fuel may be looking to come back (or not, who knows) as we saw with the original Fuel and Affinity, a very busy venue can tire and become less popular, that's not necessarily the answer to the question. In the current economic climate, the fact so many venues have failed is not going to bode well for attracting an investor to open an exclusive venue. Where would they open? Where is an ideal location in a city where the gay venues are dispersed across the city? But creating events which happen monthly like Climax at present could work. However, the first Rah Rah Rah at Stardust Bar was great but lost momentum in my opinion due to the changing venue. A commitment from a venue would be essential at letting word spread and loyalty build.
  9. Covert surveillance is fairly common or garden to be fair, kudos to a company looking to authenticate its operation. The only thing I can see to pick up on is "everybody's happy". obviously no one is particularly happy if they dont trust one another or the other party is cheating!
  10. Really great to see some investment in venues on the scene. Really good news. Personally, it would be nice to see Lions Lair being run more functionally as a pub/ bar weeknights and early evenings again, as the lights out loud music effect makes it a bit impractical when meeting with friends. But will come along and see the finished result when it's done!
  11. Moving swiftly on!!! Sheffield Out of Office have announced their June event, a preview performance of the play The Pride, on 23rd June 2011. Out of Office is a group for LGBT professionals in Sheffield and South Yorkshire launched last November, and so far we have managed to hold some great events. Please check out the website http://www.sheffield-outofoffice.co.uk to find out more. We are also on facebook, just search for Sheffield Out of Office and like our page to be kept in the loop with event invites and updates. We are shortly going to be launching our first Sheffield LGBT Census, to gather a snapshot of what the LGBT Community in Sheffield, on a wide scale, look like today, as well as gathering views about the gay scene and how people would like to see it develop. I'll update you all when we launch it and post the link to gather as wide a selection of responses as possible.
  12. Hi, im looking for two places for this Sunday. I will pay cover price for both. Please DM me or e mail adam@sheffield-outofoffice.co.uk to let me know if you can help me out with getting places. Live and work centrally so can arrange to meet with cash to collect race packs. Thanks in advance.
  13. I think nights like this are probably the way forward. The opportunities are out there, and I dont think anyone would argue the LGBT community would welcome them. Id rather that than people try to resurrect dead clubs and pin their hopes on a pipe dream of the gay superclub landing in our fair city. Whenever I go out, I notice that if you actually counted the numbers on Dempseys dancefloor, its tens not hundreds of folk. So I do wonder, if I opened a big club or got a big space, would it fill up week in and week out? I think maybe if people helped diversify the scene a bit more, attracted more and more people to the city, then we could expect more supply for increasing demand. But I wish that some promoters would come and inject a bit more ooomph into Sheffield. Right venue, right approach, I think that the magic could happen.
  14. I dont think its true that customers wont be rushing out. When Affinity first opened on Campo Lane, for months it was very busy, and I think we were all optimistic at first, and that was late 2007 and early 2008, when things first started getting quite difficult. What places find hard is to maintain momentum and keep people's interests. Dempseys does not have a magic formula, but it has kept a steady trade, but they keep it simple and in the face of no competition it works. As the numbers of people who turned up to the launch of Out of Office proved, there is still a hunger for something different out there. I think location will always hamper things, here in Sheffield. What would possibly be successful would be a pub/bar that could offer a lead in to Dempseys. What wont be successful is a gay pub on West St, which would be a real clash of cultures, which Tyranna seemed to suggest to former Fuel Management.
  15. I think service in this country needs to go a long way before the tipping culture improves. I tip if I get service I think worthy, but hold on to my discretion not to tip in light of anything substandard. Its variable in the US, had a horrendous experience recently when a woman was openly hostile asking for her tip, when I said I would leave it on the table rather than hand it straight to her (simply because I was not giving her 20% as we had to go to the bar both times as she was talking to the other staff rather than providing table service). The expectation of a tip can blur the line between demanding good service and greed. The service in Bar and Grill was good enough when I went, although it echoed the other forum member's experience of "I have a steak here, not sure what one, not sure how its cooked".
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