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G-A-Y Review
Jordan McDowell knows where he’ll be partying this Pride...
THERE’S a new ‘it’ bar in town that goes by the name of G-A-Y. No, not Gay - Gee-Aye-Why. Do keep up.
G-A-Y’s rooftop is loud, proud and bigger than the rest. Complete with garden furniture your mother would approve of, the terrace is a haven with views out across Princess Street.
You’ve perhaps already passed it, whilst journeying down Princess Street, and seen emaciated scene queens dangling precariously from the rooftop? You’ve perhaps already visited the venue and heard pop’s best (mainly Gaga) pump at high volume throughout the two dance floors?
The London super-club brand took over the now defunct Spirit Bar earlier this summer to make their first mark on the Mancunian gay scene. After a lick of paint, a glittery bar and the installation of a few dozen TV screens, the latest addition to the North’s gay capital was fully moved in. Despite the obvious upgrade in the visual aesthetic to the bar, the changes are relatively minimal, due to the building’s peculiar set up.
A large glazed fascia highlights an open plan two story venue with a mezzanine floor complete with snogging sofas. The two main floors stretch behind neighbouring bars but are windowless and dark which, although perfect for night time frivolity, limits the bar’s appeal in the daytime. One major plus for the bar is the roof terrace - one of only a handful in the village.
Whilst next door neighbour, Manto, boasts a balcony that was the first scene shot in Channel 4’s Queer As Folk and The Molly House on Bloom Street has a red-brick hidden gem, G-A-Y’s rooftop is loud, proud and bigger than the rest. Complete with garden furniture your mother would approve of, the terrace is a haven with views out across Princess Street and that Origin building site. What’s more, drinks don’t have to be decanted into plastic beakers because all glasses behind the bar are polycarbonate (hard plastic) so no bouncer will tell you off. Speaking of the bouncers, expect a vigorous “security” rub-down upon entering the establishment. Enough to make one blush.
G-A-YDrinks are supremely cheap, much to the disgust of some of the other Village bars - just £1.50 for any pint, bottle, single or soft drink on Monday through to Thursday and on a Sunday. Fridays (including Pride Friday) is just £2 per drink, Saturday’s apparently more although I couldn’t find a price list. Feel free to party the night away with a late license until 4am (opens noon every day).
Both bars are long enough to avoid ever being too busy, whilst topless twinkie bar staff are always pleasant. Nevertheless, it’s best to send the prettiest gay you have in your party to ensure being served promptly. Also, ensure that members of the LGBT community make up the majority of your party to avoid being turned away at the door. Whilst certainly a controversial move (and not officially the venue’s door policy), the Village’s fight back against hen-party domination is well and truly on.
Other bars along the canal have become hives for homophobic abuse at the hands of lads following intoxicated ladies in feather-boas (and even the ladies themselves). G-A-Y is a world away from this without being totally anti-female/anti-hetero like some other venues, particularly on the Richmond Street strip.
G-A-Y’s northern excursion was a welcomed dose of super-status that has given the Village the kick up the pert bottom that it needed. Join the beautiful club kids before they get bored and move onto the next ‘it’ bar.
Jordan runs Manchester fashion blog www.fashionrambler.com
Follow Jordan on Twitter @jordanjmcdowell
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It's a very welcome addition to that end of Canal Street, which was becoming a no-go area earlier this year with the amount of fights and drunken carnage going on down there.
The security is a little overwhelming but, in the context of what I've written above, I'll take that in exchange for making the bar a safe, fun place to be.
Oh, and the bar staff are very nice!
G-A-Y does very well in London and should do the same in Manchester. I fully understand the need to avoid hen/stag/homophobic trouble but this type of 'unwritten rule' whereby the majority of the group needs to be gay may perhaps lead to some seriously bad amateur dramatics by heterosexuals who are desperate to get in!
Love G-A-Y great atmosphere, much better as there's not tons of "straights!" well done on the security, in this day and age I feel it's only right.
It's a shame about their extremely over-zealous door policy. I've been turned away there for not being a 'member'. As a gay man, I find that totally ridiculous. I also know of several other people (both gay and straight) who have had the same problem. I won't be trying to go again, as I can't be arsed with the hassle. I'll stick to the venues where they don't insist on punters fitting the stereotypes. It always puzzles me when certain gay venues facilitate prejudice and discrimation, they should be fighting against stuff like that, not making it worse
I should add that I fully understand the need to stop large groups of hen parties/straight lads etc from getting in, but g-a-y are going well beyond that.
Cringe.
Iv tryed 3 times (just me and girlfriend) and 3 times been told wont be coming in because we are stright!! God help the world if a gay person was told they wasnt allowed in a bar for being gay
I totally agree
Isn't this some kind of "inverted" discrimination ? ....surely if a member of the LGBT community went into say "Yates Bar" ....and was turned away for "not being straight" I wonder how quickly it would be all over the M.E.N. ...how ironic that the community that has been discriminated against for so long is now the perpetrator ...
It's a tough one really. In an ideal world, there would be no need for gay venues. But we're not at that stage yet, not even in Manchester City Centre. The LGBT community needs safe places to go on a night out, and it is understandable that some venues choose not to allow certain people in, who could potentially stop it being a safe place. The comparisons described above are a bit flawed in that respect, as the same issues don't apply for straight people. The issue with g-a-y is that they go way beyond this, to the point of being discriminatory.
The women bouncer on G.A.Y use to work at molly house,and didnt let us in there for the same reason,I complaned on there facebook page and she added me to try prove there was no discrimination and then did the same thing and said same reason the next time I seen her, They all seem to moan about the Hen do's yet still let a lot in, We have been going the Village for about 8years but this last year or so has been a complete joke
Back in the 90s you didn't get in anywhere in the Village without passing some sort of gay test. I can remember having to snog friends to get let in to some places. That was a sign of the times when there was much more discrimination and anti-gay violence than there is today. Having said that I'm glad that there's a fight back against the hen's and homophobes. It's a GAY Village and you're only there because we welcome you in - don't be surprised if we withdraw our invitation when you misbehave!
It depends where you are coming from ... The higher you are, the bigger the fall. Stephen, do you wait with trepediation when you attempt to enter a bar/restaurant/club with your straight friends?
trepidation
Yes because of the fear they'll be allowed in. I'm kidding but I know what you mean. Still lots of venues gay or straight are selective about who they let in, I think that is more what happens rather than anti-straight discrimination.
When your blatantly told your not coming in because your stright then that is " anti-straight discrimination"
I think it's a good thing for bars to have different door policy's. Why does every bar have to let everybody in? There are plenty of mixed bars, plenty that cater for the twinks, we have men only bars and women only ones. Lots of gay men don't want to have to look at hen nights or talk to straights in every single bar they go in. I'm sure lots of straights don't want to see gays kissing or copping off in Yate's. There are plenty of bars - pick the ones that cater to the group of friends you've brought out with you. If you can't get in to a bar just be grown up and take your custom elsewhere. Simples.
that's all well and good, but where do you draw the line? 'No blacks and asians here tonight thanks, it'll ruin the ambience?!' It's dodgy territory. I think that if you have the right attitude, you respect gay people, you're not drunk, they should just let you in. Camp, not camp, twink, lesbian, raving tranny, straight..., as long as you keep out the troublemakers, then who actually cares? That's what the gay village is all about
"Lots of gay men don't want to... talk to straights in every single bar they go in"
What fucking planet are those people on though, really?
Wasn't allowed in Oxford Road's Font because I'm a gayer. Very embarrassed to admit that I was trying to get into that dive, honestly, I wouldn't have tried if I wasn't meeting people. Ha.
If you were the only one not allowed in, maybe it's just your attitude.
Haha, perhaps! There were three of us and at least one of us actually likes the place so then again, perhaps not.
I get turned away from places just for looking like trouble, seemingly. I don't even open my mouth, and as far as I know I look just normal! haha
Thought we give it 1more chance on Sat, Was told wasnt get in this time because there was to many people in there that "were dressed like me". I said what with yellow trainers on and a tshirt with a pic of Frank Butcher on?? You be surprised to hear the half-wits on the door didnt have a answer to this