Matt, 23, has been living in and loving Manchester for five years, since moving up to study from London. He is into live music, creative writing, politics and all things Manchester. He works in communications and previously at Manchester Pride. In his spare time Matt writes for SoSoGay & VIVA Manchester & Cheshire magazine.
One of the many reasons that I fell in love with Manchester when I first visited the city at seventeen is that it never ceases to amaze people. This year, Manchester has made me take an active interest in sports. This is what I would call making the impossible possible.
One of the many reasons that I fell in love with Manchester when I first visited the city at seventeen is that it never ceases to amaze people. This year, Manchester has made me take an active interest in sports. This is what I would call making the impossible possible.
This summer, the whole of Manchester – and our
LGBT community in particular – is in sports overdrive.
Over the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend, the
sixth Bingham Cup took place. The tournament is the world’s gay (and inclusive)
rugby championship, and also stands as the second biggest amateur 15-a-side
rugby tournament in the world. More information on the Bingham Cup can be found
here: http://www.binghamcup.com/.
In addition to hosting the Bingham Cup, it won’t
be long until the city begins to gear up for the Pride Games, which will take
place in the city between July 14 and July 21. The annual multi sports festival
for LGBT people includes the likes of squash, track and tennis. For more
information on Pride Games, see: http://www.pridesports.org.uk/#!pridegames/c14tm.
Leading the group of these activities is of
course the London 2012 Olympics, which will impact our city in a number of
ways. Manchester will welcome the Australian Swimming and Brazilian Paralympics
teams for training, whilst we will host some of the integral Olympic football
games at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, Old Trafford.
For those who are less interested in the sporting
element of what’s taking place, the Cultural Olympiad taking place within
Manchester has something on offer for those who are more into arts, history and
all things Africa. ‘We Face Forward’ is a celebration of West African arts that
will showcase paintings, live performance and fashion across numerous
Manchester venues.
In a sort of ‘sports homage’ – two words I
thought I would never actively pull together – we have decided to take an
Olympic-styled look at what Team MCR has to offer visitors to Canal Street and
beyond this summer, and in general…
So if you’re new to the
village, or know someone who is, then this is for you.
The Gaymes: A Guide for Gay Village
Virgins
Sailing
- G-A-Y
Bar
- The
Thompson’s Arms
- New
York New York
As trained as our Olympic sailors may be, this is
a sport that is extremely weather dependent; in this sense, teams could well
end up ‘wherever the wind takes them’… Similarly to Manchester’s gay village,
both locals and visitors often face that same situation: you turn to your
friends to decide that you’ll “come for one, and then play it by ear”… These
nights often turn out to be the wildest…
Representing Manchester in this category include
G-A-Y, with its low-priced drinks and plasma VJ (video DJ) screens, The
Thompson’s Arms – perfect for a few evening drinks before it fills with punters
late into the night, and old school favourite, New York New York.
Gymnastics
- Poptastic
(Tuesdays and Saturdays at Alter Ego)
- Cruz
101
- Legends
Unlike sailing, most of this year’s Olympic
sports can only be affected by your own actions and preparation. In gymnastics,
it is down to precision, choice of routine and the ability to make sure that
you’re able to land on your feet. Sound familiar?
Let’s not beat around the bush – sometimes what
we need most to forget our troubles involves a good group of friends, an even
greater measure of your poison of choice and a lot of bad dancing. Just like
gymnastics, this involves a lot of shape-throwing, and trying your hardest not
to fall flat on your face. If this sounds like you, do not fear: Team MCR’s got
your back.
Poptastic
(Tuesdays and Saturdays at hetero venue Alter Ego), Cruz 101 and
Legends – all village veterans and
all good for practising your best vault – with stage areas for the more daring
gymnasts out there…
Fencing
- The
Molly House
- Richmond
Tea Rooms
- Icon
If you’re looking for something more low-key than
dance floor acrobatics, we’ve got that for you too. Whilst gymnastics is a more
show-stopping, sight-grabbing sport we see in the Olympics – fencing is far
more formal, traditional and perhaps not something you’re a part of everyday.
To draw comparison to that, Manchester’s gay
scene has some real gems that offer something a little different. The Molly House is a wonderful bar/pub
in the village, offering a wide range of traditional ales in a gorgeous vintage
‘lodge’ style feel. Nearby to Molly’s
is Icon, a fantastic new cocktail
bar, often with themed evenings and never too overcrowded. Joining these two is
the opulent Richmond Tea Rooms –
which does what it says on the tin (and then some). The Tea Rooms are
beautifully decorated throughout, with Alice in Wonderland styled furniture and
aesthetics and an exquisite menu of teas and cakes. In addition to this, it
also has a mean cocktail. For the fencer in you – make sure to check out these
fierce competitors this summer.
Women’s 100 metre sprint
- Vanilla
- Coyotes
Many of the sports in the Olympics are seen as
male dominated, which is why it is always important for female competitors to
have their own leagues which they can choose to compete in. If you are a female
in the village, and you feel as though you might be in the minority, then there
is no need to worry. Women’s venues Coyotes
and Vanilla are within running
distance for when you’re feeling at your most womanly – and that is why they
represent Manchester’s gay village women’s 100 metre sprint.
Equestrian
- New
Union
- The
Rembrandt
- Eagle
As many equestrian competitors find, their
sporting horse only gets better as it grows with age, which can definitely be
said about a good old British pub. This is no different in Manchester’s gay
village. If you’re looking for a quiet pint - no frills – then New Union, The Rembrandt and Eagle are your best venues to head
towards. All staple parts of the village, ever popular and long-standing, you
probably won’t find a Gaga t-shirt or Cherry WKD in sight. If you’re a
self-proclaimed alcopop-guzzling Little Monster, you may want to try elsewhere…
Water-polo
- Tribeca
- Eden
- Velvet
Just like water-polo, where you need to be both
good with the ball and fairly nifty in the water, sometimes you want your
village venue to be a pony of more than one trick. Village hot-spots Tribeca, Eden and Velvet are great both
as watering holes whilst at the same time, are the perfect places to grab a
light lunch, mid-afternoon coffee or even a dinner – each boasting fantastic
menus with diverse atmospheres and friendly staff.
Triathlon
- Taurus
And finally, an honorary mention must go to Taurus – the ‘triathlete’ of Canal
Street and Manchester’s gay village. One of the longest standing and best loved
bars in the area – often known as the ‘community’s venue’ of the street – Taurus is a place for quiet drinks, mouth-watering
meals (whether breakfast, lunch or dinner) and is renowned as being a fabulous
place to party!
And there you have it, an Olympic themed
run-through of some of your Manchester gay village ‘must-sees’ whilst you visit
our wonderful city!
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