Queer Compass was born out of frustration.
Too many of the existing resources available to LGBTQ+ people in the UK feel disjointed, incomplete, out of date, or too thin on the details that actually matter when you are deciding where to go, who to trust, or what kind of welcome to expect.
We kept running into the same problem: there was no single directory resource that brought together LGBTQ+ businesses, organisations, venues, and community support in one place with the kind of practical information people really need.
Why we built it
We wanted something more useful than a basic name-and-address listing. We wanted a resource that helps LGBTQ+ people navigate daily life with more confidence and less friction.
That means not just showing that a place exists, but building a directory that can explain whether it feels inclusive, whether it is accessible, whether it is community-rooted, and whether there is anything visitors should know before they arrive.
In practice, that can mean surfacing details about access, support, safer-space context, ownership, opening hours, community relevance, and the kind of environment a person might encounter once they step through the door.
Who Queer Compass is for
Queer Compass is for people looking for more than generic directory clutter. It is for LGBTQ+ people who want a clearer way to find businesses, services, organisations, and community spaces that can support their daily lives.
That includes everything from cafes, bars, restaurants, and shops to arts and culture spaces, support organisations, healthcare providers, groups, meetups, and practical local resources.
We also want the platform to be useful for allies, visitors, and organisations themselves, but the primary goal is simple: serve the LGBTQ+ community first.
Created from within the community
Our staff are 100% part of the LGBTQ+ community.
This project was created by people who know what it feels like to search for somewhere welcoming and then find almost no meaningful information beyond a postcode, a vague description, or a stale social profile.
We built Queer Compass because we were tired of that gap. We were tired of hunting across scattered websites, half-finished directories, and inconsistent listings trying to answer basic questions about inclusion, access, or community fit.
There was not a single directory resource to look up LGBTQ+ businesses, organisations, and community resources in one place. Until NOW!
What we want to improve
We want to make queer discovery in the UK feel less random, less fragmented, and more trustworthy.
We want businesses and organisations to be able to explain themselves better. We want visitors to have more context before they travel. We want community spaces to be easier to find. We want access and inclusivity information to stop feeling like an afterthought.
Over time, that means building a stronger, more detailed, and more community-aware directory that does justice to the breadth of LGBTQ+ life across the UK.
The direction of the project
Queer Compass is still growing, but the ambition is clear: a dedicated, practical, and genuinely useful resource for queer life in the UK.
We are building it because we wanted it ourselves. And if we were frustrated by how hard this information was to find, we know plenty of other people were too.
If you run an LGBTQ+ friendly business, organisation, or community space, we want you in the directory. If you use the site, we want it to save you time, reduce uncertainty, and help you find places that feel right faster.
Contact
Want to claim a listing, suggest an organisation, or ask about the project? hello@queercompass.co.uk