Paint Your House
In deciding to paint my house pink I had no idea how ‘on trend’ my colour choice was going to be. This weekend the first gay weddings will take place in England and all over the country young (and not so young) couples will be celebrating the start of their new lives together by going on holiday. And why not?
Already home to a large artistic community, according to Visit England, Hastings old town is now one of the top choices for ‘gay honeymooners’. The vintage shops, the clean beaches, the exacting standards and exquisite taste of the hoteliers all conspire to provide an alternative to overcrowded Brighton – a weekend hub for what is colloquially known as the ‘pink pound’.
The growth is driven in part by the already established gay and lesbian business community, who are aware more than most that their customers tend not to be restricted by school holidays and are able to take advantage of off-season offers. It is also a trend that owes much to its larger sister, Blackpool, now known as the number one seaside destination for gay holidaymakers all over the country.
Barry Morris, Blackpool’s director of tourism, says that the town has just celebrated one of its busiest winter seasons. ‘The pink pound is spent all year round,’ he explains. The fact that it is home to The Flamingo, Europe’s largest gay nightclub (yes, it’s pink), has also proved a force for greater tolerance among younger visitors.
According to owner Basil Newby, in the 15 years it’s been running, they have only had seven visits from the police. ‘It’s pink and peaceful. It has brought barriers down,’ says Basil. ‘People have a fabulous night out and realise gays are not people who go to tacky clubs.’ Several wags have suggested that they might consider painting the famous tower a luminous shade of fuchsia, and even renaming it ‘Gaypool’.
Back on the south coast, there seem no immediate plans to change the stationery to ‘Gaystings’ but it can only be a matter of time – helped, I hope, by my fetching choice of coral paintwork.
Next week: Which worktop?
Already home to a large artistic community, according to Visit England, Hastings old town is now one of the top choices for ‘gay honeymooners’. The vintage shops, the clean beaches, the exacting standards and exquisite taste of the hoteliers all conspire to provide an alternative to overcrowded Brighton – a weekend hub for what is colloquially known as the ‘pink pound’.
The growth is driven in part by the already established gay and lesbian business community, who are aware more than most that their customers tend not to be restricted by school holidays and are able to take advantage of off-season offers. It is also a trend that owes much to its larger sister, Blackpool, now known as the number one seaside destination for gay holidaymakers all over the country.
Barry Morris, Blackpool’s director of tourism, says that the town has just celebrated one of its busiest winter seasons. ‘The pink pound is spent all year round,’ he explains. The fact that it is home to The Flamingo, Europe’s largest gay nightclub (yes, it’s pink), has also proved a force for greater tolerance among younger visitors.
According to owner Basil Newby, in the 15 years it’s been running, they have only had seven visits from the police. ‘It’s pink and peaceful. It has brought barriers down,’ says Basil. ‘People have a fabulous night out and realise gays are not people who go to tacky clubs.’ Several wags have suggested that they might consider painting the famous tower a luminous shade of fuchsia, and even renaming it ‘Gaypool’.
Back on the south coast, there seem no immediate plans to change the stationery to ‘Gaystings’ but it can only be a matter of time – helped, I hope, by my fetching choice of coral paintwork.
Next week: Which worktop?