What is The Gates?
The Gates is an exciting new spot that will be in Brighton, designed to be a safe, inclusive,
and vibrant space for lesbian, queer women, and their transgender and non-binary friends. We
will offer a unique blend of delicious food, tasty drinks, and fun events. Our venue is a
versatile space, serving as a café, restaurant, and speakeasy bar with events to cater to all
your needs.
What made you come up with the idea?
The idea for The Gates came from noticing a big gap in Brighton’s scene. I’ve lived in
Brighton since I was 18 and had the pleasure of working at the legendary CandyBar when I
was a baby lesbian. Back in the day, it was an incredible place to meet other queer women.
However, when other venues started opening their doors to women for the first time, the
dedicated lesbian spaces couldn’t compete with the big clubs and their cheap drinks offers.
This excitement for finally being allowed into other gay venues led to many lesbian-led
spaces closing as they struggled financially. the closure of so many wonderful venues for
queer women over the years has been sad to see, and I have been waiting for the right time to
bring a modern-day version of what we used to have back… and now, queer women want
their spaces back and I know I am the right person for the job to do this properly.
It’s shocking that Brighton, the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK, doesn’t have any places
specifically for queer women. Most LGBTQ+ venues are geared towards men, leaving many
of us without a dedicated space. With my years in hospitality, I saw a chance to create a
special place where queer women can feel safe, welcome, and celebrated.
I’ve worked in hospitality for 18 years, overseeing areas for the largest hospitality company
in the UK and then serving as an Operations Director for a smaller company. My friends have
been nagging me for years to do this because they knew I had the right experience. But it
wasn’t until recently that I finally found the courage.
A few months ago, I had an awful employer who lacked good ethics. This made me think,
why am I working to benefit other people's pockets when I could be helping our community
instead? That night, I turned on the TV and a documentary about ‘Gateways Club’ came on. I
was suddenly inspired by how much joy it brought to the community and how it was a big
step for lesbian culture, providing a safe space for lesbians to be themselves without the risk
of losing their jobs or children. People in the documentary shared their memories, and I
thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a space like that again?
With the rise of the movement called ‘The Lesbian Renaissance’ and the community’s
support for a new venue in London (there are now only three venues in the UK for queer
women), I thought, screw it! This is the time! And as such, the idea of The Gates was formed.
Tell us about yourself?
I’m Isabella Hersom, but my friends call me Izzy. I am the founder and director of The Gates.
I’ve spent my life working in hospitality industry, working my way up from General
Manager to Operations Director in both large and small businesses. I know what it takes to
create and run successful venues. As a queer woman, I’m passionate about creating spaces
that promote inclusivity and community.
Where will people find The Gates?
You’ll find The Gates right in the heart of Kemptown, Brighton, a vibrant area known for its
strong LGBTQ+ community, making it the perfect location for us. I’m currently negotiating
for an amazing site with a late-night license. It’s a wonderful space, and I’m super excited
about it. The moment I saw it, I knew immediately – this is it!
You are doing a crowdfunder for The Gates. How can people support you?
Supporting The Gates is easy! Just head over to our Crowdfunder page and make a donation.
Every little bit helps us get closer to opening our doors. You can also support us by sharing
our Crowdfunder with your friends and on social media to help spread the word.
I've managed to raise £50,000 in personal funds, which secure the site, but I’m currently
living on beans on toast to be able to give every penny I can to this. I need a further £100,000
to get the site operational. I'm actively pitching to investors and hope the community will
rally behind this concept and help us raise as much as we can through the Crowdfunder too,
this will come true if the community get behind it.
You mention that it will be a welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant environment specifically for lesbian, queer women, and their transgender and non-binary friends. Will their straight/gay friends be able to come with them?
While The Gates is designed as a haven for lesbian and queer women, and their trans and
non-binary friends, we warmly welcome allies from our broader community.
However, we have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind, including
homophobia, biphobia, sexism, transphobia, and racism. If anyone feels unsafe, please let our
team know right away. Anyone who touches someone without consent will be asked to leave.
Remember, no means no. We also ask our guests not to assume someone’s gender or
sexuality and to always ask for pronouns.
The Gates was primarily created as a safe space for queer women, and anyone who doesn't
respect that will not be welcome. Our goal is for everyone to feel safe and celebrated at The
Gates.