Outdoor tables and protected seating areas are set to change the feel of two Gay Village streets this summer, as Manchester City Council begins a trial aimed at giving neighbouring venues more space.
The Trial of extra outdoor seating in the Gay Village starts on 10 July on Bloom Street and Richmond Street, Gay Village. No start time has been given. Access is public and the scheme is free to use, with seating intended for nearby bars, cafes and restaurants.
The trial is aimed at visitors, local residents, workers and businesses who use one of Manchester city centre’s busiest nightlife and hospitality areas.
Bloom Street and Richmond Street get more space for tables
The new outdoor seating areas will be introduced at two locations in the Gay Village.
On Bloom Street, the trial covers the stretch between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street, creating space in front of New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle. On Richmond Street, the scheme covers the section between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
Manchester City Council said the idea came through ongoing work on the Gay Village Action Plan, where the need for more outdoor seating had been identified. Similar schemes have already been put in place elsewhere in Manchester, including Thomas Street and Stevenson Square.
The council says the trial is designed to support venues during the summer months while testing whether more permanent changes could work in the area.
The traffic changes visitors need to know
The seating trial will also alter the road layout 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.
The council said arrangements will be in place so deliveries, loading, daily waste collection and resident access can continue during the trial. The source information does not give a fixed end date, but says the scheme will continue throughout the summer to allow feedback to be gathered.
For people heading into the area, the key practical point is that the streets will remain part of the Gay Village hospitality setting, but vehicle movement around them will change from 10 July.
What is confirmed for the summer trial
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Event | Trial of extra outdoor seating in the Gay Village |
| Start date | 10 July 2026 |
| Time | Not specified |
| Venue | Bloom Street and Richmond Street, Gay Village, Manchester |
| Cost | Free / public access |
| Organiser | Manchester City Council |
| End date | Not specified; due to continue throughout the summer |
Consultation will decide whether the layout lasts
The summer trial is not being presented as a finished long-term change. Manchester City Council says it will use the period from 10 July to evaluate whether the seating and road layout could become a viable longer-term solution.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said the Gay Village is one of Manchester’s most-visited places and that the council wants the changes to work for people who live and work there.
She said: “Above all this has to work for everyone, so I would urge people to take part in this consultation and help shape the future of the Gay Village.”
Source: Manchester City Council
Source check Source trail
This preview is based on Manchester City Council's published notice about the Gay Village outdoor seating trial.
- Confirmed the start date as 10 July 2026.
- 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 the end date, time and accessibility details unset where the source did not provide t...
- Source
- Manchester City Council
- Scope
- Manchester
- Updated
- 2026-06-24 11:51
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