Petition to save Leeds LGBTQ+ bar from closure: ‘Heart of our community’

A petition has been launched to save Leeds LGBTQ+ venue Blayds Bar from closure, after the local council’s licensing team objected to a renewal of its licence. 

Leeds City Council has received 47 letters in support of the venue after the application was opposed on the grounds of complaints about “alcohol-related crime and disorder” in the area. The venue, in Blayds Yard, off Lower Briggate, is within the council’s “red zone,” meaning it’s subjected to tougher licensing rules than in other parts of the city. 

Council complains of area suffering from licensed premises

In response to the applicant, the council said in a letter: “The area in which the site sits is recognised as an area suffering from the density of licensed premises. These issues are generally related to the high levels of people, in drink, who use this area late at night. These problems cannot be attributed to one specific premises.”

In addition, people living close to the venue complained, saying said they expected “a peaceful life without such disturbance”. 

Duncan McCallum and his husband Robert Payne took over the bar in 2007. The latter died of a heart attack in 2021. In 2022, Leeds Pride parade was named after him.

‘It would be a travesty for it to have to close’

Drag DJ Daisy DuPont, who frequently performs at the venue, told PinkNews: “Blayds Bar has been in operation on the Leeds scene for over 30 years and has long been a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community.” 

As an “independently-run bar”, it has been able to cater for everyone, she added.

After his husband’s death, McCallum decided to keep the bar to “carry on his legacy, even purchasing and installing a defibrillator machine for use around the area,” DuPont said. Its location in a courtyard means it can “operate with minimal hassle from outside sources, leaving customers and staff alike feeling safe and free to enjoy the night”.

DuPont went on to say: “A key player in all activities including Leeds Pride, Blayds is a centre point of the community and it would be a travesty for it to have to close. Over 1,200 signatures on the petition in less than 24 hours demonstrates the popularity of this amazing bar.”

‘It’s about preserving our past’

The petition in favour of the venue notes that granting the licence was “not just about saving a local business, it’s about preserving our past, present and future LGBT+ history, supporting the local economy, and maintaining a diverse and inclusive community, where those of minority genders and sexualities feel safe”. 

‘The venue is the heart of our community’

In response to the council’s concerns, one person wrote: “Never any trouble in the bar,” while another said: “The venue is the heart of our community”. 

Someone else wrote: “Blayds is an LGBTQ institution and a kingpin in the LGBTQ community in Leeds. The bar is proactive in supporting charitable causes and a key player in Leeds Pride, which brings much needed revenue to businesses.” 

If approved, the licence would allow alcohol to be sold until 1am, Monday to Saturday and 12.30am on Sundays. A licensing sub-committee will consider the application on 1 October.

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