LGBTQ+ barPrince's Street

The Actors

Brighton's beloved queer pub, formerly The Marlborough

9.6/10

Local score · A local favourite

No. 5 of 212 pubs & bars on r/brighton, from 87 locals across 73 threads.

94% would send a mate. Some say it’s gone downhill lately.

The Actors (formerly The Marlborough) is repeatedly named as Brighton's go-to queer and trans-friendly pub, praised for its warm, inclusive crowd and friendly staff. It hosts regular events like Dyke Night, poetry nights, and comedy/cabaret shows in a small upstairs theatre, and is often recommended to solo or nervous visitors as a safe, welcoming spot.

Go for
Queer/trans-friendly nights out and community events

What locals say

Sadly the days of a real lesbian bar scene in Brighton (eg the Marlborough, Princess Victoria and Candy Bar within yards of each other era) are long gone. Only the Marly remains. Now called The Actors it’s admirably trans/non-binary in focus with a female identifying skew. Charles Street is amongst the most lesbian friendly of the big mainstream bars on the 'gay village' seafront, meanwhile. I’m not au fait with Arcobaleno or Bottoms Rest but they sound like possible options. PS Take the Bat &…
u/RandomPerson712, 202448 upvotes“lesbian/queer girl bars?”
…you mentioned above. The sea front can be quite crime heavy during the summer evenings, especially on your own (more so if you're a women), so I'd avoid it after around 11:00, or when it gets dark. As for stuff to do, most of the queer pubs, bars and clubs are very friendly (The Actors near the Pavilion gets a shout out from me) and the staff are lovely. Green Door Store under Brighton Station will have some music playing. Might be live or might be a DJ. Good vibes there and they're usually open into the early morning. If you're looking for a cheapish meal, Pompoko gets a thumbs up from…
u/FullTimeHarlot, 202522 upvotes“Bit nervous about traveling to Brighton alone, do I need to be?”
I would highly recommend The Actors, it's a queer pub with a huge range of people there who will be kind and supportive…
u/EmergencyBilbo, 2023179 upvotes“If a 40 year old man wanted to go out late on a Saturday in Brighton for a drink whilst wearing a dress, which bar would you recommend to get the least hassle?”
That's gross to hear of biphobia happening here in Brighton :( makes sense that you're a bit worried about it. I was looking up a specific night at The Actors last week and saw that there's a Dyke Night that happens there on Thursdays, so probably best to avoid going there on those nights if you want to avoid your friend's experience. There are so many good venues and events for bi people here, so we may be able to give more ideas of where to go depending on…
u/TheLonelyN00dle, 20255 upvotes“Looking for recommendations on a Bi friendly places in Brighton.”

Ranked from 21,200 r/brighton comments. Summaries are written by AI from what locals said; quotes are word for word. Not affiliated with Reddit. Back to the guide