Bar Plus future is brighter

A safe place for All.

Bar Plus is a small public house situated in Moulsham street, Chelmsford, Essex. The business is owned by transgender married couple, Kirsty & Lilly Hebden-Lambird. The couple have nurtured a ten year dream of opening up a dedicated safe haven venue not just for the local LGBT community, but for all individuals who might feel vulnerable, or have a sense of uneasiness when frequenting the standard British pub. They made it their priority to create a venue where all people, regardless of: ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or skin colour, would benefit from a non-aggressive, or intimidating atmosphere.

It is important to note that Kirsty & Lilly do not operate their bar as an exclusive gay bar. The doors are open to everyone so please, if you are heterosexual and you feel you would not be welcome, come to our bar and witness our warm, friendly, and courteous, venue that defies business logic and has created a customer base from the non-pub goer.

Kirsty & Lilly have gone above and beyond with devoting every minute of everyday to developing the bar into a unique and quirky café style bar that celebrates femininity, and offers entertainment every night. Not only that but the couple have heavily invested personal finances on fixtures, fittings, internal and external structures, full painting and decorating refurbishment, and lavished the bar with a huge selection of spirits, wines, mixers, barista coffees, and draught beers named by Kirsty that can only be bought at Bar Plus. They also support Chelmsford's distillery 'Essex Spirits,' who make premium gins, rums and vodkas and have teamed up with Fever Tree to create bespoke drinks menus for the spirits and mixers.

Their passion is for you to have an experience unrivalled anywhere else. It is evident that this bar stands proudly alone with a quiet patient confidence that some might find baffling because of the tough economic times we face and where peoples leisure time habits has changed dramatically over the last twenty years. Our society has a different culture where fear has seeped into our consciousness and in turn fulfils its own prophecy as pubs become places of intimidation and the buildings themselves take a darker and sinister aesthetic.

The existing British pub has lost its identity and evolved into establishments where the only prize is the extracting the last pound from the local students who want cheap shots and alcopops. We see them stumbling home with convulsing stomachs and stained clothing. They are unaware of how a pub used to be a place where friendships were developed, business deals was made, where married couples had their first dates, where the people in the same community felt safe because of the togetherness that survives amongst a community who naturally looks to protect each other.

Bar Plus is reversing the trend against waves of indifference and negativity. It is slowly creating its own community of people who share the same positive outlook and has recently become a Hate Crime Reporting Centre, with three Hate Crime Ambassadors who will come to the aid of anyone who has suffered discrimination just for being themselves. The Bar Plus team strongly feel that homophobic, sexists, racists, transphobic, and all types bigotry should be eradicated from our society. They will not stop trying to educate and inform the ignorant types of how damaging their behaviour is towards vulnerable people whom they prey upon. And yes, they will do all that is in their power to bring those criminals to justice with police collaboration and lawful intervention.

Furthermore, Bar Plus is evolving into an evening/late-night club style venue with a 3am licence where the trained and accredited SIA door security personnel is Kirsty, Lilly, and the third person who makes up the dynamic three person management, Craig - a highly motivated, extremely devoted, intelligent and experienced bar manager in his own right. A forth member of the security team is Craig's mother, Tracy, who inspired the other three to train as professional security officers. There is no limit to the potential achievements that Kirsty, Lilly, Craig, and Tracy, can conjure up. They have the freedom of innovative minds and unique ways for operating a pub in a world where the British pub has declined so much that if the industry was a person. It would be on a life support machine with concerned loved ones crying their sad goodbyes to someone who had a glorious early life yet is now drawing its last breath.

Sadly, we hear people say that they would not be welcome at Bar Plus because it’s a gay bar. The rainbow flag and the celebration for everyone’s differences persuades them that they’d feel unwanted. yet, this could not be further from the truth. We try to alleviated people’s fears of the unknown and different. After all, we are all people making our way through our lives journeys the best way that we can. If they could experience the warmth and joyful atmosphere for themselves. It could actually enhance and enrich their lives in ways they could not imagine, or think possible.

There is a serious message that isn't broadcasted loud or far-reaching enough. British society is in danger of disappearing if the decline of external interaction with others continues in a downward spiral. Connections are everything to human beings. However, habits are also a human trait that can become a barrier for social interaction. The more that we tell ourselves that it is unsafe out in the real world, the more it becomes a reality to us. A belief system is built upon a collective agreement that a certain message is the truth. Once that truth takes hold, it can take generations to change again. In the meantime, the generation who has become fearful and distrusting loses life's gift of exploration and wonder for all that there is to offer on this planet.

The other issue that is obvious to observe is the fact that we can become tribal and suspicious of others who have different alliances. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With that said, to come out of one’s comfort zone can seem scary or unnatural. Individuals may also have pressure from peer groups who put demands on them to remain where they are and not venture towards a place that some aim derogatory language at. Thus influencing these individuals to display the same opinion. What an unfortunate situation it must be for those who do not have the bigoted opinion of their peer group but feel they have no choice in behaving the same way. We often hear confessions from this kind of person who enjoy a blissful moment where they can share their true feelings. Bar Plus offers that freedom to everyone anytime.

Amongst a city’s predominantly white conservative community, Bar Plus stands proud in its belief that it can change perceptions and provide vulnerable people the same facilities that everyone else takes for granted. The aim is to provide a first class entertainment venue for all. The theory is, if we are here long enough, Chelmsford's population will eventually start to realise what an amazing asset their city possesses and start to use the pub and connect with people who they would not usually encounter. And by doing so, become enriched and enlightened. Knowledge is a wonderful gift that we can all give ourselves, and the best thing about it is totally free to own.

Until you step inside, you'll always be outside.

Fundraiser?

The best way to support Bar Plus philosophy is to visit the bar and purchase a drink. There is no magic formula or complicated algorithm to negotiate when deciding to become our ally. This might not be possible for a variety of reasons. Therefore, if you are of the belief that Bar Plus must thrive and develop, then we ask you to aid us in any way that you can.

Thank you

Kirsty x