No base for LGBT community a year after bar closure

Members of a Meltown Mowbray's LGBT community say they have struggled to find another "real base" to meet up one year after the closure of a popular bar.

Charlie's Bar closed on 1 January 2025 and since then the council-owned Grade II listed building has remained empty.

Although it was not a gay bar, former patrons describe it as acting like a hub for the town's small LGBT community.

"It's not necessarily that I didn't feel safe in the town, it was just, this was a safe space where you knew you would be looked after and protected," said 48-year-old Hazel Paterson.

"It was a devastating loss for us all... nowhere has really replaced that."

Paterson pointed to last year's Melton Pride event as an example of where the community had lost out.

"It was up at the country park, but I feel it should have been in the town front and centre and made a bit more accessible," she said.

"Charlie's Bar would have been a brilliant hub for that...but sadly it's kind of dissipated.

"The bar was the centre of the web for a lot of communities beyond just the LGBT community."

That also fed into Paterson's frustration that the building remained empty because she said it could have continued to act as that hub.

The venue closed after the leaseholder of 5 King Street, who sub-let it, handed the lease back to Melton Borough Council which said it would cost the taxpayer too much money to act as a landlord.

The council agreed to sell the building at a cabinet meeting in December 2024.

Charlie Donovan, 35, who ran the bar, said she was frustrated the building was standing empty.

"I still could have been here a year on," she said, "if you're going to do something with the building then do it, don't just say you're going to do it," she said.

"It's a big shame. I tried to make it as comfortable, as safe as possible, and doing that just brought everybody in, the range of people that came in was just amazing."

In a joint-statement on the progress of the sale, councillors Sharon Butcher and Sarah Cox said assessment work was ongoing.

"We know this building holds great importance for our community...we have carried out a detailed conservation assessment to understand its condition and the work required to restore it," they said.

"The building has not yet been sold while the council completes this assessment work.

"Specialists have assessed the building's significance and explored how it could be used in the future for community benefit."

They added that no accurate timeframe for the sale could be provided until assessment work was complete.

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