Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ nightlife faces further uncertainty

The ‘heart of the city’s LGBTQIA+ nightlife and clubbing’ faces an uncertain future after its owners issued a second notice of intent to appoint administrators (NOI).

GB Holdings (UK) and The Nightingale, which is one of the most popular LGBTQIA+ venues in the region, have posted their second NOI in just under a month.

TheBusinessDesk.com broke the news in late May that the group was lining up administrators, sparking fears for several of the city’s flagship venues and festivals.

GB Holdings’ website claimed to own Birmingham Pride, Nightingale, The Village Inn, one of Birmingham’s oldest LGBTQ+ venues, The Loft Bar & Kitchen, located next to the Hippodrome, Solihull Summer Fest and Paric Festival, Ireland’s largest . musical and cultural event at the Irish Center in Birmingham.

But Birmingham night economic adviser Lawrence Barton, who was described as the owner of GB Holdings (UK) on the company’s website, told TheBusinessDesk.com that Birmingham Pride is not affected by GB Holdings and is a separate entity.

After our article was published on May 30, the company took its site offline and now describes the site as “defunct.”

Before it was removed, the website of GB Holdings (UK) described the company as “a family group of high-performing businesses operating in the entertainment and hospitality sectors. These include three major music festivals…”.

Elsewhere on the main page, under the heading ‘Our Festivals’, it listed Birmingham Pride, Paric Festival and Solihull Summer Fest.

By filing a notice of intention to appoint a receiver, creditors are prevented from taking action for 10 days. GB Holdings (UK) has delayed filing its 2023 accounts by almost three months, and the Companies Registry issued a mandatory delisting notice on 27 May.

A spokesperson for GB Holdings told TheBusinessDesk.com: “We are unable to comment while legal and financial processes are ongoing.”

Barton is also Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, a leading commissioner of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and a board member of the Birmingham Southside BID.

The Nightingale’s current directors are David Nash and Terence Runcorn. Both Nash and Runcorn are also part of the GB Holdings management team, with Nash looking after festivals and venues and Runcorn in charge of operations.