The city’s oldest gay bar has reopened under new management.

The much-loved Bulldog Bar in St James’s Street in Kemp Town, Brighton, is back.

The new owners say they want to make it like the “old Bulldog” which was a staple of the city since 1979 before having to close due to financial struggles.

The 120 capacity bar closed at the end of November last year but has been "well received" since reopening.

Lee Wain, co-owner of Over The Rainbow Leisure, which owns other pubs including Marine Tavern, Bar Broadway and The Regency Tavern and Village, said the reception has been good so far.

Lee said: “We got to work pretty quickly and got it open in time for Christmas. There was a lot of work to do inside, we have gone back a bit more of how the Bulldog used to be like.

“The emphasis is on it being a traditional LGBTQ+ place with it being Brighton’s oldest gay bar.

The Argus: The inside has been refurbished. Pictured is one of The Bulldog's staff membersThe inside has been refurbished. Pictured is one of The Bulldog's staff members (Image: The Argus)

“Everyone’s welcome but our target market is gay men. No one is excluded.

“It has been well received. Every Friday and Saturday since then has been at capacity and there’s been a queue to get in.

“People can expect the old Bulldog. We’re not focusing on cabaret so much because we feel there is enough focus on that in Brighton.

“We will have the midnight cabaret on a Friday which was a staple of the old Bulldog. It has gone down very well.”

The Argus: The Bulldog Bar insideThe Bulldog Bar inside (Image: The Argus)

The new owners have completely refurbished the inside of the bar.

The previous owners said in November that they had struggled for around the last four years.

A statement read: “Due to what we have had to endure over the last four years or so, including the pandemic, the current economic climate and excessive overheads we are having to maintain, we have decided that we have no option but to close the doors of the Bulldog Brighton.

“We would like to give a massive thank you to you all for your custom and support during those years with so many fabulous times and unfortunately difficult ones too.”