Colourful, inclusive, and always ready to party, Birmingham’s Gay Village is centred around Hurst Street in Southside. Long established as the heart of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene, it offers everything from drag cabaret, karaoke, themed club nights, to relaxed daytime drinks.
Each May Bank Holiday, Birmingham Pride transforms the area into a city-wide celebration, welcoming tens of thousands of people for the parade, live music, and masses of entertainment. Year-round, the Village remains a place to dance, connect, and feel at home. Here we’ve rounded up our favourite venues.
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Nightingale Club
Open: Thursday–Saturday, 10pm–4am
Address: 18 Kent Street, Birmingham B5 6RD
Nightingale Club: Birmingham’s oldest and most iconic LGBTQ+ club.
A Birmingham icon, the city’s oldest and largest LGBTQ+ venue. Founded in 1969, it has moved from Camp Hill to Aston, Thorp Street, and finally Kent Street. It is a multi-room club with Room 1 for Pop, Hyperpop, House, and DnB, Room 2 for Emo and Indie Sleaze, and Room 3 for R&B, Hip Hop, Dancehall, and Bashment. Regular themed nights, guest DJs, and parties make it a cornerstone of Birmingham nightlife.
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Village Inn
Open: Wednesday–Saturday, 7pm–late
Address: Corner of Kent Street / Lower Essex Street
Village Inn: Classic Gay Village spot for cabaret and themed nights.
A Gay Village classic, now located inside the Nightingale building. Enjoy cabaret, drag, bingo, karaoke, and weekend party nights. On Wednesdays, karaoke warms up the crowd. Thursdays feature bingo and RuPaul’s Drag Race screenings. Fridays showcase headline drag acts, and Saturdays bring the Big Saturday Night party.
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Eden
Open: Wednesday–Thursday 5pm–1am, Friday 5pm–3am, Saturday 2pm–4am, Sunday 2pm–12:30am. Closed: Monday–Tuesday
Address: 138 Gooch Street / Sherlock Street
Eden: Six spaces for dancing, drinks, and live cabaret.
One of Birmingham’s largest and most versatile LGBTQ+ venues, Eden has six unique spaces for dancing, socialising, al fresco drinks, and big-stage drag performances. The weekly line-up includes quiz nights on Wednesdays, gameshows on Thursdays, student nights on Fridays, Big Night Out on Saturdays, and Sunday Club for those who don’t want the weekend to end.
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Missing Bar
Open: Daily from noon; Tuesday–Thursday until 3am, Friday–Saturday until 4am, Sunday until 2am, Monday until 4am
Address: 48 Bromsgrove Street
Missing Bar: Daytime coffee to late-night parties in the Gay Village.
A Village favourite blending laid-back daytime coffee and cocktails with high-energy nightlife. Upstairs, Studio 48 hosts cabaret and community events, reinforcing Missing Bar’s role as a vibrant, inclusive hub.
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The Fox
Open: Thursday 5pm–12am, Friday–Saturday 3pm–2am, Sunday 3pm–12am Closed: Monday–Wednesday
Address: 17 Lower Essex Street
The Fox: Cosy LGBTQ+ bar with karaoke, DJs, and drag shows.
Known as “the little gay bar with the big gay heart,” The Fox is a cosy LGBTQ+ venue popular with gay women and the wider community. Fridays feature karaoke, Saturdays have DJs and live acoustics, and Sundays host drag shows. The outdoor terrace is perfect for warmer evenings.
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Equator Bar
Equator Bar: Relaxed café-bar, welcoming all day and night.
Open: Monday 3pm–11pm, Tuesday–Thursday 1pm–11pm, Friday & Saturday 1pm–till late, Sunday 2pm–11pm
Address: 123 Hurst Street
A relaxed café-bar with over 20 years of history. Friendly and inclusive, serving coffee by day and cocktails by evening. Especially welcoming to trans and non-binary visitors, making it a Village gem for any time of day.
