The Sheffield gay scene part 2

[jamesogt 11]

probably the same amount of money has anyway been collected at Sheffield Pride by the volunteers carrying around buckets; this method of fundraising has worked well for a few years now.

 

 

 

Last year (2010) I think the estimate was 5000 people. The buckets collected something like three or four hundred pounds, 0.08 per person......not good enough!

 

 

It's up to Pride to play hardball and say they refuse to be associated with a venue unless it shows accounts for the fundraising night, and pays an agreed %age of profits. If a venue's donations aren't to be accepted, the venue can't legally call it a fundraising night.

Another way for Pride to build, though a bit of a gamble, is to book performers before they can be afforded, then the extra money brought in can pay for them. Manchester does well, though, because it's held in a gay village - so most people go for the drinking rather than to look at leaflets on paste tables while listening to bad drag or a heavy rock band.

 

Totally agree

 

Sounds good to me - plenty of gay families.

 

I disagree, Manchester, Brighton, London are not targeted as 'family' events they are Gay pride events. And I question how many gay 'families' i.e. Gay parents with children under the age of 16, are in Sheffield.

Edited October 25, 2011 by jamesogt

[LionsLair 10]

Hi All,

 

Thought I'd just mention regarding the 'Is Lions even gay' comments etc... I find it amusing that people are making statements along these lines, surely it is only our place to say whether it's gay or not, as the owners?! I hate the term gay friendly, it kind of insinuates that if somewhere doesn't say they aren't gay friendly that any gays will get bashed on entry! Maybe that's just my wappy mind thinking too much!

 

Lions is advertising in both the lgbt magazines and the main student mags too. We are also going to be heavily involved in Pride again this year - for the third year in a row. Do any other bars aside from Dempseys, Affinity or Xes do this? We also host the lgbt joint uni social every week offering free food and £1 drinks, to which we have been getting a steady 60 attendees this academic year. So we are definitely more gay than not!

 

Anyway, think what you will, we are what we are, and we get a lot of gay guys and girls in. Just because we don't have a rainbow flag up, play camp music and shout from the rooftops saying we are gay doesn't make us not gay!

 

We hope you have enjoyed the new look if you've been down, we've had a lot of compliments about it all and have been getting busier and busier week on week since our reopening four weeks ago. If you haven't been down yet why not try it and spend loads of dosh?! Yeaaahhhhhhh!!

 

Cheers all

Graham :-)

 

P.s. some people take this forum wayyyy too seriously and need to take a reality check, others need to move on from their past!

 

P.p.s. Whoops, the signature below is wrong, just change it but our opening times are actually:

Fri & Sat: 8pm - 6am

Sunday: Midday - Midnight

Mon - Thurs: 8pm - Midnight

Edited October 25, 2011 by LionsLair

[AndrewDillon 10]

The buckets collected something like three or four hundred pounds, 0.08 per person

I didn't want to damage the reputations of honest volunteers who work hard for the community, but collecting with buckets does enable theft. And people don't like being sent on guilt trips. Further, if £2 x 5000 people was collected in buckets, it would be a high security risk. There needs to be 1 price for advance tickets, purchased via the website, and another on the day - with a big differential. That would provide advance funds for paying the deposits for artistes, and give them peace of mind that they'd be paid the balance.

 

If there was a compulsory admission price, and Pride was condensed into a shorter period (quality not quantity), at least 4000 of that 5000 would be there most of the time, so there'd be a much better atmosphere.

 

I question how many gay 'families' i.e. Gay parents with children under the age of 16, are in Sheffield.

About 1 in 5 LGBT men & women I know are parents, mainly from straight relationships. If most gay people you know do the scene, you won't know many, as gay parents spare what time they've got with their children.

[jamesogt 11]

Hi All,

 

Thought I'd just mention regarding the 'Is Lions even gay' comments etc... I find it amusing that people are making statements along these lines, surely it is only our place to say whether it's gay or not, as the owners?! I hate the term gay friendly, it kind of insinuates that if somewhere doesn't say they aren't gay friendly that any gays will get bashed on entry! Maybe that's just my wappy mind thinking too much!

 

We are not an outright gay bar, nor are we outrightly straight.

 

(Gay friendly to me!) Your words not mine or others, looks pretty clear to me you are not that different to most of the bars in town.

 

Lions is advertising in both the lgbt magazines and the main student mags too.

 

Why was it in that case omitted from Exposed LGBT student section in September?

 

 

We are also going to be heavily involved in Pride again this year - for the third year in a row.

 

This part I disagree with most, for a start it has been running 4 years and neither yourself or Lions had anything to do with it in its first year. Secondly in it's second year I attended all the comittee meetings and also not only ran and organised the volunteers and equipment for the bar but also ensured that £1800 of bar profit went back to the committee for the following year. Again nothing to do with yourself.

 

The third year I was abroad so you may well have done something, and this year there was no sponsorship or supplying of acts, in fact I believe your only involvement was through Andrew who was on the comittee, now he is no longer associated with Lions running will you be arranging fund raisers or sitting on the committee?

 

Out of interest how much did the Lions Pride BBQ fundraiser actually contribute to the event this year?

 

My current employer that has nothing to do with the LGBT scene as such but also donated £500 of food and drink to the organisers, volunteers and commitee. It will also look in to one of it's sponsor packages for next year too.

 

As for moving on lol, Lions was only re-opened for what was supposed to be 6 months due to it being demolished, I got a year and a half and in that time had many great nights with loads of great customers. So many things have changed since with the demise of Xes and Dempseys having a late licence anyone would struggle to recreate some of the gay events we had there. There was also a strong customer base that has since graduated and moved on.

 

It really is little wonder that Lions has had to aim for more of the straight market, but don't hide behind it, personally I would just prefer people support the venues that are open and have a clear LGBT strategy, lets face it Sheffield needs all the help it can get.

[AndrewDillon 10]

I would just prefer people support the venues that are open and have a clear LGBT strategy

Why's it necessary to have an LGBT strategy? 'Straight' venues don't have a straight strategy. People go where they enjoy, regardless of labels.

 

Personally, I'd rather go to a 'mixed' venue which is busy with a good atmosphere, than attend one with an 'LGBT strategy' which is quiet.

[jamesogt 11]

Why's it necessary to have an LGBT strategy? 'Straight' venues don't have a straight strategy. People go where they enjoy, regardless of labels.

 

Personally, I'd rather go to a 'mixed' venue which is busy with a good atmosphere, than attend one with an 'LGBT strategy' which is quiet.

 

Of course the straight venues have some type of business plan and or strategy. They are just sub-conciously straight!

 

In regards to the mixed venues that covers most of Sheffield as I have mentioned loads of times before, that is partly to the citys demise for it's gay scene that so many LGBT people feel comfortable visiting places like The Leadmill, Plug, Players, Cavendish etc. My point is if people want to support gay owned/staffed/LGBT marketed then they are now left with Dempseys, Affinity and Xes, and unless they do the city will be left with no LGBT bars.

 

Though I doubt Dempseys will ever be closed as it manages to be openly gay and be packed, funny how people pay to go there when others are free. But it goes to show if you provide what people want they will pay.

[AndrewDillon 10]

Of course the straight venues have some type of business plan and or strategy.

I agree. You make it sound as though I think they don't :s

 

They are just sub-conciously straight!

Their business plans aren't based around any sexual orientation. It doesn't bear any relevance.

 

My point is if people want to support gay owned/staffed/LGBT marketed then they are now left with Dempseys, Affinity and Xes

And Lions Lair, according to posts #597 #599 #602. Sheffield's never had a big gay scene - it's nothing new.

 

I would just prefer people support the venues that are open and have a clear LGBT strategy, lets face it Sheffield needs all the help it can get.

People go to venues they enjoy. I don't get this obsession with the need for more gay venues. Why does it matter?

[Roger123W 10]

Is it true Kelly Lorena is on in Affinity on Sat night ? I'm not gay but I might go and see her - is it only for a gay crowd ?

[Bulgarian 10]

In regards to the mixed venues that covers most of Sheffield as I have mentioned loads of times before, that is partly to the citys demise for it's gay scene

 

Obviously if gay people wanted to go to a gay-only place then there would be a gay scene in Sheffield, the fact that the city is so safe/friendly that most gay people feel happy to go anywhere they want should be applauded.

 

Do we have to have gay-only places, really, in this day and age ?

[aaron1867 10]

Is it true Kelly Lorena is on in Affinity on Sat night ? I'm not gay but I might go and see her - is it only for a gay crowd ?

 

Hi Roger,

 

Kelly was in Affinity on Saturday, did you come see her? She wasn't very good, just screamed down the mic for a couple of songs and I couldn't bare listening to her for much longer, so I left.

[Roger123W 10]

Hi Aarron I did not go in the end but I went in another night to the Affinity bar and I must admit I was impressed - it seems a very plush place, plush furniture, carpets and even chandeliers ! I am a bar sort of guy so a few bar stools would not go amiss :-) Is this the best gay bar in Sheffield or are there others?

[367squadron 10]

Hi Aarron I did not go in the end but I went in another night to the Affinity bar and I must admit I was impressed - it seems a very plush place, plush furniture, carpets and even chandeliers ! I am a bar sort of guy so a few bar stools would not go amiss :-) Is this the best gay bar in Sheffield or are there others?

 

Agreed! I went in on the Kelly Llorenna night and had a good time. It was my first time downstairs. I'll deffo be going back.