What is The Gates? 

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The Gates is an exciting new spot that will be in Brighton, designed to be a safe, inclusive,
and vibrant space for lesbian, queer women, and their transgender and non-binary friends. We
will offer a unique blend of delicious food, tasty drinks, and fun events. Our venue is a
versatile space, serving as a café, restaurant, and speakeasy bar with events to cater to all
your needs.

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 What made you come up with the idea? 

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The idea for The Gates came from noticing a big gap in Brighton’s scene. I’ve lived in
Brighton since I was 18 and had the pleasure of working at the legendary CandyBar when I
was a baby lesbian. Back in the day, it was an incredible place to meet other queer women.
However, when other venues started opening their doors to women for the first time, the
dedicated lesbian spaces couldn’t compete with the big clubs and their cheap drinks offers.
This excitement for finally being allowed into other gay venues led to many lesbian-led
spaces closing as they struggled financially. the closure of so many wonderful venues for
queer women over the years has been sad to see, and I have been waiting for the right time to
bring a modern-day version of what we used to have back… and now, queer women want
their spaces back and I know I am the right person for the job to do this properly.
It’s shocking that Brighton, the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK, doesn’t have any places
specifically for queer women. Most LGBTQ+ venues are geared towards men, leaving many
of us without a dedicated space. With my years in hospitality, I saw a chance to create a
special place where queer women can feel safe, welcome, and celebrated.
I’ve worked in hospitality for 18 years, overseeing areas for the largest hospitality company
in the UK and then serving as an Operations Director for a smaller company. My friends have
been nagging me for years to do this because they knew I had the right experience. But it
wasn’t until recently that I finally found the courage.
A few months ago, I had an awful employer who lacked good ethics. This made me think,
why am I working to benefit other people's pockets when I could be helping our community
instead? That night, I turned on the TV and a documentary about ‘Gateways Club’ came on. I
was suddenly inspired by how much joy it brought to the community and how it was a big
step for lesbian culture, providing a safe space for lesbians to be themselves without the risk
of losing their jobs or children. People in the documentary shared their memories, and I
thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a space like that again?
With the rise of the movement called ‘The Lesbian Renaissance’ and the community’s
support for a new venue in London (there are now only three venues in the UK for queer
women), I thought, screw it! This is the time! And as such, the idea of The Gates was formed.