Two familiar Brighton gay venues announce permanent closures
Two of Brighton’s best-known gay bars have confirmed they will close permanently after more than 20 years serving the city’s LGBTQIA+ community. R-Bar, on Marine Parade, and Charles Street Tap announced the decisions within days of one another; specific closure dates are yet to be finalised.
The announcements mark the loss of venues that staff and owners say have been part of Brighton’s social fabric for decades. Both venues have been operating for more than 20 years, with Charles Street Tap described as having been open for 25 years by its management.
At R-Bar, director Steve Jones told BBC Radio Sussex the decision was “really heartbreaking” but that the business had become “no longer financially sustainable.” He said the venue had been “struggling for several years” and that trading had been “particularly bad” in recent months.
"We've been doing everything we can to try and keep the pub open. It's the rising costs, wage, business rates and our rent has increased by £1,000 a month," said Steve Jones.
Jones said his main focus would now be on Revenge nightclub, another of his venues, but he expressed concern about the broader nightlife sector, saying the industry had been “under immense pressure for years.”
Charles Street Tap’s general manager, Chris Marshall, posted on social media confirming the pub’s closure after 25 years. Marshall described the decision as a source of “deep personal sadness” and said it had been his “absolute honour” to have worked at a venue he regarded as “a small part of the beating heart of Brighton's LGBTQIA+ community.” He has worked at the pub for 20 years, the statement added.
What the closures mean locally
The loss of two long-established gay venues will reduce the number of dedicated social spaces for Brighton’s LGBTQIA+ residents and visitors. While details of final dates remain outstanding, the immediate effect will be felt by staff, performers and regulars who used these pubs as meeting places and safe spaces.
Owners have pointed to a combination of rising overheads — including wages, business rates and higher rents — and weaker trading in recent months as reasons for the decisions. A rent rise of £1,000 a month was specifically cited by R-Bar’s director as a factor that pushed the business beyond viability despite attempts to keep the pub open.
- R-Bar (Marine Parade): operating for more than 20 years; director Steve Jones says business no longer financially viable.
- Charles Street Tap: open for 25 years; general manager Chris Marshall describes closure as a "deep personal sadness" and an "absolute honour" to have been part of the venue’s story.
- Closure dates for both venues have not been confirmed publicly.
| Venue | Years operating (approx.) | Public reasons given |
|---|---|---|
| R-Bar | More than 20 years | Falling trade, rising costs, wages, business rates, rent up £1,000/month |
| Charles Street Tap | 25 years | Personal sadness at closure; part of community life |
Both statements emphasise the personal and communal loss. Charles Street Tap’s manager framed the venue as a part of Brighton’s LGBTQIA+ history: a place that had “made a difference to so many.” R-Bar’s director likewise described the decision as “heartbreaking.”
The closures come at a time when many hospitality and nightlife venues report pressure from rising costs and changing consumer habits. For Brighton — a city with a prominent LGBTQIA+ community and a reputation for a lively night-time economy — the loss of two specialist venues will narrow the options for community-centred socialising.
Staff and regulars will now be left to see whether other local venues can absorb the social and cultural roles these pubs played, or whether new spaces might emerge in time. For now, regulars and workers must wait for final closure dates and any announcements about staff support or potential re-use of the premises.
This is a developing local story. WE NEWS will follow up with any confirmed closure dates and responses from local councils, licence holders and community groups as they become available.
