Gay Guide to Margate
England and Wales decriminalised sex between men in 1967. Margate, once a faded Victorian resort on the East Kent coast, has reinvented itself as a queer cultural hub, drawing artists and weekenders down from London.
The scene clusters along Northdown Road in Cliftonville. CAMP, opened in 2022, is a small, busy queer bar and community space with DJs and a packed events calendar, and the Margate Arts Club, further along the road, is an LGBTQ+-friendly members' space with exhibitions and events.
On the seafront, Margate Beach Club on Albert Terrace is queer-owned and queer-led, with three floors of stand-up, drag and club nights.
Margate Pride in early August is free, community-led and corporate-free, a full day of events with a march through the town. Nearby Ramsgate and Broadstairs now hold Prides of their own.