Best Gay Bars & Bathhouses In Reading
Reading's LGBTQ+ scene looks very different in 2026 than it did a decade ago. The town's last dedicated gay venue, The Blagrave Arms, closed its doors at the start of this year, leaving Reading without a permanent queer bar for the first time in a generation. That means the scene Reading locals actually engage with is Bristol's — roughly 75 minutes by train or just over an hour by car on the M4 — along with a handful of community-organised nights and online spaces that keep things alive closer to home.
The Reading LGBTQ+ Scene
The Blagrave Arms closed long-term on 1 January 2026, currently seeking new tenants — and before it, the Wynford Arms served the LGBT+ community from October 1992 until it closed in May 2015. That back-to-back loss means Reading has no permanent gay bar at this moment. F.O.D. Club had been organising regular LGBT+ nights at The Blagrave to provide dedicated safe spaces for all members of the LGBT+ spectrum, and those nights will need a new home. Community infrastructure does still exist in town: Support U is a LGBT+ wellbeing centre operating from a pop-up location in Minster Street in Reading town centre, the Thames Valley Gay Chorus is a group for LGBT people from around the Thames Valley who are based in Reading but perform all around the area, and the LGBT+ Society is run by and for LGBT+ students at the University of Reading, welcoming anyone who identifies as a sexual or gender minority. For bars, clubs, and bathhouses, though, Bristol is where Reading locals go.
Top Gay Bars & Bathhouses for Reading Locals
Queenshilling
Type: Gay club / LGBTQ+ nightclub
Location: 9 Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA — approx. 75 min from Reading by train, 65 min by car
Located on Frogmore Street, Queenshilling is one of Bristol's longest established gay venues, running regular themed nights, a wide variety of music, and exciting collaborations with Pride, student societies, and Bristol's alternative scene. They host a monthly Pride fundraiser on the last Friday of the month.
Website: https://www.queenshilling.com
OMG Bristol
Type: Gay club
Location: Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 — approx. 75 min from Reading by train, 65 min by car
OMG runs Wednesday through Saturday on Frogmore Street, with up-to-date dancefloor fillers and a friendly crowd; Wednesday is student night, Thursday and Friday are pop chart nights, and Saturday is the main weekender.
Bristol Bear Bar (BBB)
Type: Gay bar — bear-focused
Location: 2 West Street, Bristol BS2 0BH — approx. 75 min from Reading by train, 65 min by car
Bristol Bear Bar is described as the only bespoke bear bar in the UK, with a great range of music and an atmosphere created by friendly clientele that attracts people from across the country. Open Tuesday through Sunday; closed Mondays.
Website: https://www.bristolbearbar.co.uk
The Old Market Tavern
Type: LGBT-friendly pub
Location: Old Market, Bristol — approx. 75 min from Reading by train, 65 min by car
With a beer garden and comfy conservatory, the Old Market Tavern is a traditional pub with great service and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, and it hosts Bristol Pride's monthly quiz on the first Sunday of each month.
Old Market Assembly
Type: Mixed LGBTQ+ bar and performance venue
Location: Old Market, Bristol — approx. 75 min from Reading by train, 65 min by car
The Old Market Assembly hosts regular LGBTQIA+ club nights and theatre and cabaret shows at The Wardrobe Theatre. It is one of the more versatile venues on Bristol's scene, drawing a broad crowd across events.
The Phoenix
Type: LGBT-friendly pub / club night venue
Location: Behind Future Inns Hotel, Cabot Circus, Bristol — approx. 75 min from Reading by train