Our Vision – Community Need for a coffee shop

One of the key aims of the LGBT Network is to encourage participation, raise the self worth and achievement and reduce the isolation of all LGBT people and their families. This is no easy task, particularly in North Staffordshire where the term ‘gay community’ doesn’t really exist. To allow us to engage with people who are LGBT, it is necessary for us to be creative in our approach. We believe an outreach facility to contact individuals i.e. through a coffee shop style drop-in centre is crucial to achieving this aim.

In support of this, in a recent survey carried out at Stoke Pride 2009, the LGBT Network found a high percentage of the LGBT community wanted to access somewhere gay or lesbian in the day where they could not only relax and socialise, but which was clean and trendy. Currently there are no Lesbian or Gay venues open in North Staffordshire before 7 o’clock in the evening.

In response to this feedback the LGBT Network proposes to create a LGBT /attitude free environment where an individual can buy good coffee and eat light snacks, while accessing service providers’ information. The proposal would close a gap on the scene and provide direct support to the community. What we are not doing is creating a new ‘gay bar’ in competition to the current venues; the coffee lounge will simply complement current venues and provide something for people in the day.