New documentary delves into one of the UK’s most important queer spaces

An iconic Manchester venue is getting its flowers in a new, 11-minute short film. Inside One of the UK’s Most Important Queer Venues from Manchester Finest chronicles the Derby Brewery Arms, a seemingly typical Cheetham Hill pub on the outside, which conceals a boundary-pushing safe and inclusive space for all.

Formed in 2021, the Joseph Holt pub has become an epicentre of the ‘Strange Quarter’ in Cheetham Hill, an unexpected beacon for the queer community set against the shadows of Strangeways. You can expect insights from staff, customers, and resident DJs in charting the venue’s transformation from a typical boozer to queer hotspot hosting the likes of Bent Hedonism, Sticky Heat, Mukes, and more. 

Dubbing the venue as “quietly one of the UK’s most radical venues”, the documentary’s description says the DBA “really isn’t like anywhere else, which is why we spent some time there making this film. Oh, and you can still pop in for a pint and a game of pool if you like.”

Check out the full documentary below. 

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