The Gay Village
The Gay Village is a truly unique and vibrant area of the city centre. Located next to the Rochdale Canal, it has a mix of residential, commercial and leisure destinations. It's home to the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. The flourishing gay culture created a safe and welcoming village-like community. And it's world-famous for its night-time and leisure scene.
We've collaborated with the local community to create an action plan for the Gay Village. It looks at how we can preserve the character and spirit of the area. And how we ensure the needs of the LGBTQ+ community are at the heart of anything taking place in the Village.
As part of our commitment to the Gay Village, a series of listening exercises have taken place. So we better understand the priorities, wants and needs of the community who live in, work and visit it.
There are a range of proposals to enhance the area in the short and long-term. They include:
- Developing a neighbourhood management plan for improvements to the physical environment
- Replacing damaged trees in Canal Street
- Ensuring resident and business safety by conducting an audit of CCTV coverage. And improving relationships with Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
- Identifying opportunities for street art and murals
- Developing a social history and heritage trail for the Village
It's important to note that collaboration has been at the centre of the development of this plan. And it will continue to be important during the roll out of any changes. Action groups will engage with key stakeholders and encourage participation.
Gay Village action plan update and outdoor seating trial
About the action plan
In 2024, we published the Gay Village Action Plan.
We worked with:
- local residents
- businesses
- community groups
- the wider LGBTQ+ community
The plan sets out how we will:
- protect the area
- keep its character
- make it better for everyone
What we’ve done so far
Over the last two years, we have made progress.
This includes:
- sharing updates at a “one year on” event
- installing new “progress bee” street signs
- planning new artwork for Sackville Street bridge (coming this summer)
Making the area safer and more welcoming
The Gay Village is busy, with many visitors.
One key goal is to create spaces that are:
- safe
- easy to move around
- designed for people, not just traffic
This includes adding outdoor seating. This helps:
- people spend more time in the area
- support the day and night economy
- improve the look and feel of the streets
Why we are testing new changes
Canal Street already has space for outdoor seating.
Other nearby streets do not.
We want to test new ways to:
- support local businesses
- create more outdoor space
- improve visitor experience
Where the trial will happen
We will test changes in two locations:
Bloom Street
- between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street
- outside New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle
Richmond Street
- between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street
What will change
To create safe seating areas, we will change how traffic works.
Bloom Street
- will become one-way
- traffic will move from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street
Richmond Street
- will be closed to through traffic
- access will remain for essential use
How the trial will work
The trial will:
- create protected outdoor seating spaces
- use barriers designed to fit the character of the area
- support local placemaking
We will also make sure:
- deliveries can still take place
- refuse collection continues as normal
Share your feedback
We want to hear from you.
Tell us:
- what works well
- what could be better
- how you use the space
Email: city.centre@manchester.gov.uk
What happens next
We will use your feedback to:
- improve the trial
- explore similar changes in other parts of the Gay Village