An LGBTQ+ retail store in Cardiff has slammed the decision to grant a premises licence to a popular London cocktail bar which is due to open next door. The Queer Emporium on St Mary Street issued a statement on its social media platforms today expressing its strong opposition to the opening of cocktail bar Blame Gloria on the opposite side of the arcade to them.
The bar was granted a premises licence by Cardiff Council last week, despite concerns among some members of the public that having a bar where people would be daytime drinking next to the Queer Emporium could threaten its position as a 'safe space' for people, especially young people, in the LGBTQ+ community. You can read more about the council's decision here.
The statement from Queer Emporium reads: "As some of you may know, an English chain bar aimed towards the hen party market is opening next door to the Queer Emporium. We always knew something would be opening adjacent to us but, as detailed in that article, we really hoped it wouldn't be this and we hoped Cardiff Council would see protecting a space that has so many queer kids and other marginalised parts of our community coming through its door as more important than large daytime drinking venues."
