Ledward Centre set to reopen its doors this Brighton Pride

It has been more than a year since the Ledward Centre last welcomed the public through its doors, and the wait is finally, joyfully, almost over. The centre had originally hoped to reopen for Christmas 2025, but that date slipped after a complicated tangle of issues with the building's lease and some lingering legacy matters from the collapse of the Rainbow Fund.

The new team running the Ledward Centre is entirely separate from, and has no connection to, the Rainbow Fund and they have simply been getting on with the job of building something brilliant. The centre will now reopen to the public on Saturday, 1 August, Pride Saturday itself.

Billie Lewis, centre manager, said the past 16 months had been a rollercoaster. “We have faced setbacks, barriers and obstacles well beyond our control, and at times it has felt relentless,” he said. “But we have persevered, buoyed every step of the way by the belief and support of so many people and organisations who share our values and understand exactly what this centre means to our communities. throughout it all, our determination has never wavered, to keep the Ledward Centre a space that is accessible, affordable, safe and inclusive, a true home for our community.”

And honestly, it has been worth the wait. the team behind the Ledward Centre have worked tirelessly to bring the building up to a genuinely impressive standard, and the results speak for themselves. The centre is being finished as a top notch, fully functioning community space, fully accessible throughout, with accessible bathrooms, generous public areas and a canteen where visitors and groups can gather, chat and make themselves at home.

New additions include air conditioning throughout the building and a new accessible toilet within the café. The centre hosts a variety of spaces that LGBTQ+ groups can use, along with public and private event hire.

The team had hoped to have the centre open in time for Trans Pride Brighton this weekend, but have confirmed they have not quite been able to finish the final details in time. Even so, the Ledward Centre is showing up in full support of Trans Pride and the city's trans, non binary and intersex communities, hosting Chris Jepson's award winning Beyond the Binary exhibition, a real celebration of trans joy across the whole run of its windows facing Jubilee Street for the entire Brighton Pride season, a bright and visible welcome ahead of the doors properly opening.

“Even before our own doors were fully open, we knew we had to show up for Trans Pride,” said Billie. “This centre exists to be a true home for our whole community, and that has to include showing up loudly for our trans, non binary and intersex family, not just once we were ready, but right from the start.”

The exhibition is being described as an introduction to the level of visibility the Ledward Centre intends to maintain going forward, with the venue committing to supporting local artists, creatives and activists to be seen and heard from its city centre home.

The road to reopening has not been an easy one. The team has battled numerous setbacks and struggles along the way, all in pursuit of making the Ledward Centre welcoming.

“We want the Ledward Centre to be one of the best community venues anywhere in the south east, and a leading LGBTQ+ space in this city,” said Billie. “Every single setback along the way has only made us more determined to get this right, for everyone who has been waiting for us to come home.”

The Ledward Centre will be fully open to the public on Pride Saturday, 1 August, running from 12 - 6pm, and again on Pride Sunday, 2 August, from 10am - 4pm. So grab your friends, your flags and your chosen family, and come and see the space for yourselves. Every LGBTQ+ person, allies and their chosen family is warmly invited through the doors.

The café will be serving a wide selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes, pastries and snacks, plus baguettes, salads, sandwiches and jacket potatoes, with meal deals available too. Regular opening hours will then begin from Thursday, 6 August, with the centre open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am - 6pm. The team say they anticipate opening on additional days later in the year, so keep an eye on their website and socials for those updates.

“We cannot wait to welcome you back to your community centre,” Billie said. “To everyone who has stood by us on this journey, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”