Located at Lane 7, the Gay City Bowlers have provided a safe space for the LGBTQ community to connect through the use of tenpin bowling.
The Liverpool chapter of the only nation-wide LGBTQ community-based bowling club is steadily growing into a vital space for friendship, queer connection and inclusion.
Started in Manchester in 2017 by newlyweds Marc and Luke, the Gay City Bowlers was created with a desire to make new friends in a new city:
Founder and Director of Gay City Bowling, Marc Geoffrey said:
“We didn’t know many people when we first moved so we just invited a thew people to go Bowling and 17 showed up”
While Liverpool’s chapter is smaller than Manchester’s, it has been gaining momentum over the past two years since it started hosting events in 2023.
“Last month, for example, was our first time we hit five lanes, which is super exciting for us in kind of that elusive fifth lane.
“We’ve got a brilliant local host who works really hard to make sure everybody’s made to feel welcome, and it’s really encouraging to see it growing bit by bit by bit and as an offshoot of that”
Image courtesy of Gay City Bowlers
The events offer a rare social space for people who may not feel comfortable in traditional LGBTQ venues.
“We’ve got neurodivergent people coming to come to our bowling groups that wouldn’t dream of walking into one of the clubs on Canal Street.
“We’ve got people part of the elder LGBTQ community which did all their partying back when they were younger, so now the only time they mix with other gay people is at one of our social events.
“I cannot tell you how happy I am, it’s done its job as I’ve seen so many friendships made within the community as a result of our events”.
The group are now setting up plans to expand and host events in more cities within the country, but in Liverpool the focus remains of providing a safe social space for the LGBTQ community.
