THE ALLEY BAR - a venue dedicated to radical, queer, feminist and inclusive live art and performance - to launch in Ramsgate

Next month, Kent-based LGBTQ+ cabaret collective Screaming Alley will launch THE ALLEY BAR, a new members-only underground venue tucked beneath a barbershop in the iconic harbour town of Ramsgate.

Dedicated to radical, queer, feminist and inclusive live art and performance, the venue will fund artists to develop their craft, experiment with new ideas and push the boundaries of their practice, as well as strengthening the area’s cultural scene by hosting regular live performances, performance workshops, and open mic events.

Built on a paid membership model, THE ALLEY BAR ensures fair pay for artists, crew and producers while safeguarding the company’s future. Every membership and every drink sold goes directly towards artist fees and creative development so that artists and the local community can experience and make groundbreaking work at a time when such opportunities are rare.

Lara Clifton, Screaming Alley founder and creative producer, said: “We’re not opening a bar for frivolous reasons. We’re doing it because we believe our communities need access to performance, to get paid, and to have their voices heard. 

“The art I’ve made throughout my whole career and here at Screaming Alley has always been a way to stand up against what tries to divide us and seeks to bring us together, which is needed more than ever in the current political climate. 

“Funding has dried up. Access to Work is being slashed. Cabaret, community performance, and live art do not need to be gateways to ‘more acceptable’ careers - for many of us, they’re the actual destination. And a lifeline. The Alley Bar is queer, feminist, working-class, tiny - and all ours.”

Founded in 2018, Screaming Alley is a Ramsgate-based cabaret production company creating space and infrastructure for independent artists, with a focus on queer, feminist, working-class artists and community-driven experiences. Its events, open mics, artist mentoring, and alternative training programmes support performers whose grassroots work massively influences the mainstream cultural sector but is rarely prioritised or recognised by it. 

For the past seven years they have hosted cabaret nights in Thanet, London and across the south-east with a mix of local performers as well as London-based artists like Jonny Woo. Alongside this, they facilitate open mics, mentoring, and alternative training programmes such as the Screaming Marys, a performance group for local women aged 18-75 who meet to learn dance, burlesque, and build community.

The bar’s opening also paves the way for Screaming Alley Management (SAM), a new artist management arm launching in spring 2026. The initiative will represent and support independent performers, helping them develop sustainable careers and reach wider audiences across the UK and beyond. 

THE ALLEY BAR was partly made possible by Ramsgate Space, a local initiative that pairs businesses with vacant shops on the town’s high street, where nearly one in four premises stand empty which is well above the national average. 

The post-opening weekend lineup is starting to book up with drag legend Diane Chorley hitting the stage on Saturday, 6 December, followed by Jonny Woo in January with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.