About

Our Aims

  1. To provide a social space for LGBTQ+ people and their allies. We hope that this will address the loneliness and isolation many in our community face, as well as providing a sober LGBTQ+ space that operates during the day.
  • To promote LGBTQ+ work. Through our gallery and bookable spaces we aim to ensure LGBTQ+ people have somewhere to showcase and promote their work, creative or otherwise.
  • To support LGBTQ+ wellbeing. We aim to address as many issues as we can and to hold space for everyone else in our community doing incredible things.

Our space includes a café, gallery and cinema as well as several bookable meeting rooms and (soon to be) a community kitchen for preparing and sharing food together.

Dream Come True

Count Me In Too. LGBT Lives in Brighton & Hove.
James Ledward, a big, gentle-looking man in a relaxed shirt, with a balding head and a grey beard.
Credit: Gscene

First recommended as part of the Count Me In Too research project that ran from 2007-2010, an LGBTQ+ community centre had been a dream for years. After local activist James Ledward’s untimely death in 2019, his friends made it their mission to ensure the centre became a reality and a lasting tribute to the contributions he made to our community.

Though covid delayed opening for some time, the Rainbow Hub moved in in January 2022 and the café, the first operational part of the centre, opened on May 6th 2022.

An A-Board advertising on Jubilee Street outside the Ledward Centre entrance. LGBTQ+ Cafe & Community Centre is written in white on black. The arched top of the board is decorated with a chalk rainbow.

@hey.canitakeyourpicture

Local Statistics

It is thought that about 21% of the adult population of Brighton and Hove is LGBTQ+. The city has the highest percentage of same-sex households in the UK. Whatever the actual numbers, few can deny our status as one of the UK’s queerest cities. Even beyond the historic gay quarter – the area between Marine Parade and St James’ Street in Kemptown – rainbow flags are proudly displayed throughout the year.

During the annual Pride weekend, when Brighton attracts an extra 450,000 people to the city, you could be forgiven for thinking that the percentage of LGBTQ+ people in town far exceeds the figures quoted above!

Connor Pope – Unsplash

Pride flags flying at the entrance to Brighton Pier.