Sundowners gay bar margate

Once a rundown seaside town, this relatively small coastal resort has blossomed into one of the country's most exciting queer hubs. As a gay man born in the English coastal town of Margate, in East Kent, I've often pondered the appeal of seaside resorts for queer people.

Goodbye Sundowners, hello Thanet LGBTQ+ venues

In the sundowner Census Margate's annual Pride weekend in August attracts more than 15, people each year. It's a laidback affair: the day begins at the Oval Bandstanda restored Victorian amphitheatre on the chalk cliffs above Walpole Bay, followed by a joyously friendly and colourful seafront parade. Unlike bigger events in Brighton or London, it's non-commercial and community-run.

Often called " the margate seaside ", Margate is one of the UK's oldest coastal resorts, dating to the 18th Century when visitors flocked here to bathe for health reasons. Yet, its longest-running gay bar, Sundownersonly opened in In fact, the town's queer history is neither as deep-rooted nor as well-documented as Brighton'swhich can be traced to the early 19th Century.

However, certain parallels exist. There's often a rich history of artistic and bohemian culture too, which attracts those who value creativity, diversity and non-conformity, and may feel marginalised in more traditional settings. This is true in Margate, and especially in Cliftonville, a mile or so uphill from the cobbled streets of the Old Town.

When I grew up here in the s, its main thoroughfare, Northdown Road — built gay century ago as Margate's most fashionable quarter — was a perfunctory shopping stretch. After falling on hard times in the s, it's been reinventing itself in the last 15 years, although Margate as a whole is still one of the most deprived areas in the country.

The catalyst for much of this change was the launch of the harbourside Turner Contemporary gallery inwhich inspired creatives — often East London transplants — to take over derelict studios and shops across town. More like this:. Shops were empty, the high street was on its knees, but it felt like anything was possible and people were keen to support anyone that was giving it a go.

Cliftonville became the go-to because "it was the cheapest area to live back then", Richards said. And glorious beaches. That year Redmond, better known by her sundowner name Amy Zingopened the pioneering queer and "femme-focused" Margate Arts Club on Northdown Road, which throws diverse and inclusive events like the gay Cockles and Muscles.

But as she modestly maintains, "We're just a small part — and yet so proud to have brought this space to town. Meanwhile, South African-born Derek Du Preez, who moved to the area inis one of margate owners of nearby neighbourhood bar CAMP Margatewhich opened in and hosts everything from open mic nights to pop quizzes and queer panel discussions.

People are invested in the community in a way I never experienced in London and show up and support each other. This is the first time I've had a queer support network of neighbours. I think end-of-the-line places attract the bohemians and bar and artists and, of course, the queers. The artist and queer community are so intertwined that the two often live side-by-side.

These places are diamonds in the rough — often misunderstood, bar through some highs and lows — but with lots of potential. Gaulthier offered a note of caution for transplants and long-term visitors. While the presence of new communities injects economic activity, it's a double-edged sword.