Outdoor tables are set to spread further through Manchester’s Gay Village this summer, with a trial scheme bringing extra seating space to parts of Bloom Street and Richmond Street from 10 July.
The Trial of extra outdoor seating in the Gay Village is free to access and is aimed at the general public, local businesses and residents. No fixed daily start time has been stated. The venues affected are Bloom Street, between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street, and Richmond Street, between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
Manchester City Council says the scheme will run on a trial basis through the summer so it can test whether the arrangement could work as a long-term solution for the neighbourhood.
Where the new seating will appear
The trial focuses on two central Gay Village streets, both close to venues that already draw large numbers of daytime and evening visitors.
On Bloom Street, the seating space will be created between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street, in front of New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle. On Richmond Street, the trial covers the stretch between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
The idea is to give neighbouring bars, cafes and restaurants more outdoor space during the summer months, a model Manchester City Council says has already been used in other parts of the city, including Thomas Street and Stevenson Square.
For visitors, the practical change is simple: more outdoor places to sit around two of the Gay Village’s busiest hospitality streets. For residents and workers, the council says the trial will also test whether that extra space can fit alongside daily access, deliveries, loading and waste collection.
The road changes visitors need to know
The extra seating will come with changes to the road network around Bloom Street and Richmond Street.
Bloom Street will become one-way from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street. Richmond Street will be closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
Those changes are being made to create protected outdoor seating areas. The council says plans will be in place so deliveries and loading can continue, along with daily waste collection and access for residents.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Start date | 10 July |
| Venue | Bloom Street and Richmond Street, Gay Village, Manchester |
| Cost | Free public access |
| Time | No fixed start time stated |
| Organiser | Manchester City Council |
| Road changes | One-way section on Bloom Street; Richmond Street closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street |
Why the trial is happening this summer
The seating plan sits within the Gay Village Action Plan, which identified a need for more outdoor seating areas in the neighbourhood.
Manchester City Council describes the Gay Village as one of the most visited parts of the city centre, with dozens of bars, cafes, restaurants and nightlife venues. The summer trial gives the council a chance to collect feedback while footfall is likely to be high and outdoor hospitality space is most useful.
The move also links to wider public-realm changes across Manchester. Similar debates about seating, food spaces and local trading have appeared in other city projects, including Manchester’s Gorton Market revamp, where seating and event space are part of the new layout.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said the Gay Village has a long place in Manchester’s queer history and remains one of the city’s most visited neighbourhoods.
She said the council hopes to bring the same success seen after similar schemes in the Northern Quarter, but added that the trial needs to work for everyone and urged people to take part in the consultation.
What to check before heading there
The confirmed start date is 10 July, with the trial continuing through the summer. Manchester City Council has not stated an end date in the source material.
The seating is intended for neighbouring bars, cafes and restaurants on Bloom Street and Richmond Street, rather than a ticketed event. Public access is free, and no booking requirement has been announced.
Anyone travelling through the area should plan around the one-way change on Bloom Street and the closure to through traffic on Richmond Street between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
Source: Manchester City Council
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This preview is based on Manchester City Council's published details for the Gay Village outdoor seating trial.
- Confirmed the start date as 10 July from the source text.
- Matched the affected streets to Bloom Street and Richmond Street in the Gay Village.
- Checked the stated road changes for Bloom Street and Richmond Street.
- Kept price, booking and accessibility details limited to information provided in the sourc...
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- Manchester City Council
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- Manchester
- Updated
- 2026-06-24 11:51
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