The council said there have been ‘inconsistencies with how access to the area was managed’
Manchester Council said there have been some ‘inconsistencies’ in terms of people being able to access the Gay Village during Manchester Pride(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Manchester Council has said it will be investigating a number of ‘inconsistencies’ with Manchester Pride after some attendees said they were denied entry to the Gay Village over the weekend.
From Friday to Monday (August 22-25), the annual LGBTQ+ event took place across the city centre drawing in close to 100,000 attendees. Across the weekend, Pride featured performances from the likes of Nelly Furtado, Olly Alexander and Leigh-Anne.
Whilst the headline performances at the Gay Village Party, on Sackville Gardens and the Bloom Street car park, and at the new Mardi Gras area at Depot Mayfield required tickets to access, some attendees reported across the weekend that they had been denied entry into the Gay Village area altogether without a ticket.
On Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, attendees without wristbands reported being “turned away” from the entrances to the Village, despite tickets not previously being required to enter because it is a public area.
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Signs stating ‘no wristband, no entry’ were on display at the entrances of the Gay Village during Manchester Pride
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, several attendees alleged that they were stopped from entering, or had to argue with security staff to get into the Village via the East Gate on Minshull Street, which is nearest to Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station.
Others claimed that they were told that a new policy was in place, whilst others alleged to have seen other attendees being asked to pay for a wristband at the entrance in order to get inside to the bars and venues within the Gay Village area.
Signs also appeared on some of the entrances. One sign on Minshull Street read: “For everyone’s safety no wristband, no entry. CCTV in operation for the purpose of safety and security.”
At the time, Manchester Pride bosses said that a ‘clear safety and wellness policy’ was in place ‘at the Gay Village Party, of which the Gay Village is at the heart of’.
The Gay Village during Manchester Pride 2025(Image: Manchester Pride)
As it is a public right of way, Manchester Council has now told the M.E.N that it is aware of ‘inconsistencies with how access to the area was managed’ and is in dialogue with event bosses to further understand the situation.
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “Over the Pride weekend tens of thousands of people flock to Manchester to celebrate our wonderfully diverse city and our proud history when it comes to standing up for LGBTQ+ rights.
“The Council understands there were a range of wristband options open for attendees, ranging from the Mardi Gras events, to wider Village events, and free access passes for residents or people wanting to make their way through the area. This was managed on site by security which was arranged via Pride’s organisers.
Those heading to The Gay Village were told they need a wristband to enter
“We are aware of a number of people who encountered issues during the weekend and we are in dialogue with the organisers of Pride to understand why there may have been inconsistencies with how access to the area was managed.”
in a statement issued to the M.E.N today, a spokesperson for Manchester Pride commented: “Throughout Manchester Pride, there was a clear safety and wellness policy in force at the Gay Village Party, of which the Gay Village was at the heart of. The policy was created to support the delivery of a space for our communities to celebrate their identities safely.
“We requested that everyone using the space respected the safety and wellness policy. By displaying your village supporter bands on entry people were sending a clear message that you support the event and the safety of those attending.”
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