The best gay bars in Thanet
LGBTQ+ gay bars, clubs and venues in Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs for club nights, pop-ups, drag, queer performance and music
Margate has established itself as a gay cultural wellspring along the East Kent coast - with no small help from Margate Pride, which has gone from a small grassroots protest to a festival taking over the town.
And while Margate may wear the queer crown in Thanet, Ramsgate hosted its first Pride in 2024, and you'll find many queer-friendly venues, organisations and nights all over Thanet too. And many of these places know how to throw a bash.
Running any sort of venue these days is hard, and some queer spaces have folded. Yet those that remain have built fortified communities around them, and offer much more than a place to get sweaty and dance.
While there are many inclusive venues and spaces across Thanet that welcome everyone, here are the venues waving the rainbow flag.
La! & Lafayette's, Margate
Opening on the site of the former Madhouse bar, which most recently housed Build-a-Burger, La! is Margate's newest queer venue. An old school, flamboyant gay bar, the night spot is licensed to stay open until midnight Sunday to Thursday, and 2am at the weekend. Look out for bingo nights, classic drag shows, brunches and cabaret nights. Resident bistro-style kitchen Lafayette's serves up lunches, brunches, dinners and Sunday roasts, with plenty of plant-based options to get stuck into.
13-15 High Street, Margate, CT9 1DL. instagram.com/la_margate/
Margate Arts Club, Margate
More than just a club with a calendar of fun party nights and DJs, Margate Arts Club hosts drag nights, queer cabaret and performance art bashes, as well as talks, creative workshops and community events in the daytime.
276 Northdown Road, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2PT. margatearts.club/
CAMP, Margate
Opened in 2022, the small and colourful bar, also has a busy programme of events. From trivia nights and book clubs, to DJs, karaoke trivia nights, shows and kids parties, CAMP may be snug but it packs a lot in.
125 Northdown Road, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2QY. campmargate.com
Sugar Rush, Ramsgate
Once overseeing two venues, the tour-de-force that is Ramsgate's Sugar Rush shut up both the Sugar Rush site and sister venue Salon du Miel in March 2025. Known for eclectic artsy, community and family programming. While the bricks and mortar sites are no longer around, follow them on Insta to find out when, where and how the next incarnation might take shape.
Queer Cuntry, Margate
Not a club but a pop-up event not to be missed, Queer Cuntry is a LGBTQIA+ country-themed club night and a massive hoe down. Come for line dancing, dancing dancing, drag, tunes, silliness and good times. Follow them on Instagram for details of their next show.
Screaming Alley, Ramsgate
Another non-gay club on the list, alt-cabaret group Screaming Alley regularly features drag acts and queer performance as part of their line up. They take over pubs, bars and theatres to put on acts that are any combination of subversive, witty and politically and culturally astute.
screamingalley.co.uk
