Case Study: The Cycle Hub

Case Study: The Cycle Hub

Partner: The Cycle Hub

Partnership Type: Long-Term Community & Event Collaboration

Timeline: Ongoing (Established Monthly Residency)


Our Approach To Partnerships

At Queers of the North CIC, we believe that true social change cannot be fully achieved through one-off events. Marginalised communities thrive on predictability, safety, and trust, and spaces like this take time to build.

That is why our partnership model prioritises longevity over novelty. We look for local venues willing to go on a journey with us, embedding inclusivity into their daily operations rather than just celebrating it during Pride month. Our long-standing collaboration with The Cycle Hub is the ultimate blueprint for how a business and a community group can grow together to create a lasting cultural shift.


The Queer Coffee Club

The foundation of our relationship with The Cycle Hub began with the first Queer Coffee Club in May 2025. What started with a group of eight strangers willing to give a new space and social group a chance, has transformed into a trusted coffee club with an average of 30 attendees every month.

Held the same day of each month, this daytime gathering has been designed to provide a sober, accessible, and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ people in the region.

    Why The Cycle Hub? Our Venue Criteria

    We don’t choose our venues at random. The Cycle Hub was intentionally selected because their core business values naturally align with our mission. When choosing a venue, we look for:

    • Independent & Local Impact: We will always choose a local independent venue over a corporate chain. This ensures we are investing directly back into the local economy and building relationships that can be genuinely nurtured over time.
    • No One Left Behind: Economic barriers shouldn't stop people from connecting. The Cycle Hub already boasts a brilliant pay-it-forward scheme for customers, ensuring the space remains inclusive to all income levels.
    • Accessibility First: Accessibility is always at the forefront of our minds. The Cycle Hub meets multiple accessibility requirements for our members, including wheelchair access and gender-neutral toilets.
    • Location & Practicality: Situated in a prominent location on Newcastle’s Quayside, the venue is easy to find. For those driving, it boasts a large car park that is considerably cheaper than standard city-centre options, removing travel stress for our attendees.


    Driving Real Social Change

    Because we committed to a long-term presence rather than a single event, the impact on The Cycle Hub organically rippled out into deeper, permanent changes.

    • Year-Round, 24/7 Visibility: One of our proudest joint achievements is a simple one: the venue’s Pride bunting stays up 365 days a year. This ensures that allyship isn't treated as a seasonal marketing exercise. Any LGBTQIA+ person walking into The Cycle Hub on any given day instantly knows that they are in a safe, affirming space.
    • 10% Discount for Attendees: To lower the barrier to entry, on top of their pay-it-forward scheme, The Cycle Hub also introduced a 10% discount for all Queer Coffee Club attendees.
    • Audience Diversification: By introducing our community to a cycling-centric space, we successfully diversified the venue's traditional demographic. The Hub is no longer just for cyclists, it is a vibrant, multi-faceted community hub where entirely different worlds meet and feel at home.
    • Putting the Venue on the LGBTQIA+ Map: Over time, trust grew so deeply that we expanded our offering beyond daytime socials. We have since hosted two sold-out Queer Coffee Club: After Hours evening events. This evolution firmly cemented The Cycle Hub’s reputation as an explicitly queer-friendly landmark in the North’s daytime and evening economies.

    We spoke to Jill, owner of The Cycle Hub, who commented: "One of the things I've loved most is seeing people who might never have visited The Cycle Hub before now calling it one of their regular places to meet. That's exactly what we want this space to be – somewhere people feel comfortable, included and able to be themselves. We're really looking forward to seeing the partnership continue to grow."


    The Outcome


    What started as a pilot coffee club for LGBTQIA+ people has evolved into a deeply rooted collaboration. Through our sustained presence, The Cycle Hub hasn't just hosted a queer event, they have integrated inclusivity into the very fabric of their identity.

    Jill commented further on her experience working with Queers of the North:

    "From the very first meeting with the QOTN co founders, it was clear we were a good match. Watching the Queer Coffee Club grow from a handful of people into a regular monthly community has been brilliant, and we're genuinely proud that The Cycle Hub can be part of that journey. 

    Inclusion is something that is a real and fundamental part of who we are and who we want to be and hosting the Queer Coffee Club is a privilege, one which we don’t take for granted! We hope to be part of this warm and open community, working to build and grow for years to come.

    This partnership has never been about hosting a single event. It's about making sure people know they're welcome every time they walk through our doors. Seeing familiar faces return each month, and new people joining them, has been incredibly rewarding. We want to ensure that our space is somewhere people feel safe and valued every day.