Swansea's LGBT+ scene has had its ups and downs with a number of venues coming and then quickly going again. But one re-opening is hoped to change that. Utopia - a cocktail bar familiar to many - has come under new management and wants to be a colourful home for LGBT+ communities to thrive.<\/p>\n
Utopia opened in October last year in Little Wind Street, but was not specifically catered towards the LGBT+ community. It featured large neon lights, a penny piece bar counter and large artificial trees 'growing' out of the bar in a space uniquely designed to be a social media hub for party-goers at the start or end of their nights out. The new bar was labelled a bar \"with a difference\" at the time. <\/p>\n
The new management are aiming to make sure that all LGBT+ people can feel at ease there. They are providing sensitivity training to security staff to improve the treatment of trans and non-binary people, and employing various queer acts. You can get more what's on news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here. <\/p>\n
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General Manager, Matthew Thom, told WalesOnline he was hoping the space would become a place for the LGBT+ community to feel safe.<\/p>\n
\"I was given the opportunity to re-open as a drag bar. I wasn't keen to do just that, I wanted to open up a completely LGBT+ friendly venue. I wanted to do this from the get go as there's really not anywhere people can go when it comes to an LGBT+ venue in Swansea,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not reinventing the wheel or anything. But I'm doing things at the moment that add to it becoming a safer space. For example, we're making our toilets all gender neutral, because I don't see the need to have male and female toilets. Our door staff have had elements of sensitivity training when it comes to checking people's IDs if they're trans.<\/p>\n
\"We're looking to get a lot of queer performers and artists in, not just drag queens, because I'm really interesting in getting people like queer poets. I want [Utopia] to be actively involved with the community. I want to try and actually give back to the community in Swansea.\" You can read more stories about Swansea here. <\/p>\n
Utopia bar is now open, and more information can be found via its social media here.<\/p>\n
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The Swansea bar that's re-opening as an LGBT+ venue - Wales Online<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Swansea's LGBT+ scene has had its ups and downs with a number of venues coming and then quickly going again. But one re-opening is hoped to change that. Utopia - a cocktail bar familiar to many - has come under new management and wants to be a colourful home for LGBT+ communities to thrive Continue reading