Canal Street - Gay Village, Manchester

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The village on Canal Street is known as "Manchester's world famous Gay Village". This exciting village offers a variety of bars, resturants, and clubs. The village runs along the Rochdale canal which was built in 1804 where the canal would transport goods for import and export during cotton trade. The cotton trade declined and the area went into derilict but regenerated and today this is the heart of Manchester's gay community.

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I would not normally start a VT tip by stating that I am a heterosexual male because, frankly, it is irrelevant to a travel related site. However, I mention it here as it has a bearing on the tip. Manchester has a thriving gay quarter centred on Canal Street and it is certainly not shy about advertising it as it features quite prominently in the city's tourist literature. Cliched as it sounds, I have many gay friends and frankly, visiting gay establishments has never bothered me. On the contrary, I have had some great times in gay bars, clubs and restaurants. I do realise, however, that some people are uncomfortable with the idea of overt homosexuality and I offer this tip as a gentle guide to them where to avoid and a recommendation for those who don't mind.

I do hope I have couched that diplomatically enough!

In fairness and in contrast to some places in the world, it would be difficult not to notice that the area was a gay quarter, the rainbow flag and stickers are much in evidence. I will provide seperate tips on a couple of the establishments in due course, but offer this as a generic tip. As the area was just up the road from my hotel, I visited a couple of successive evenings, both by myself and with a straight female friend and I / we had a wonderful time.

If it is your scene you will enjoy it and if not, well, a vibrant city like Manchester has plenty of other places to go.

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Manchesters Gay Village nis deffinatly the Party area of Manchester, There are some great Clubs and Pubs that welcome anybody, You don't have to be gay to Party in the Village.
When we used to go to Rock world a lot we always went to the Village first, great atmosphere and no trouble.

The pics i have put on have been taken in the day when it is quiet, at night the whole area is really buzzing, many of the clubs have balconeys and the party's go on outside as well as inside.

Manchester is proud of its status as the leading gay and lesbo capital of the north...duh! The Gay Village(or simply the village)is right in the heart of the city...just 30 seconds from home! Theres a wide range of gay and lesbo owned business mainly pubs, cafe bars, night clubs and restaurants but also gay taxi companies, solicitors, shops and doctors. Yes..i know...tell me about it. But wait, I'm not finished yet. Theres also the very famous CloneZone sex shop selling all you pre-bedtime needs...haha. The Rembrant and the Union pubs are the oldest around. The Rembrant having the oldest gayboys on earth and the Union with a really friendly old lady calling everyone love. The very infamous Canal Street sign has it's C scrapped off changing it to A.nal Street, in case you think you've lost your way. I've heard many horrible stories about the village too...like drunk people being push into the canal and drown and muggings happening all the time. The canal is also where all the rent boys are...just for your info!