from the day we opened our doors, we have embraced an egalitarian approach. we have strived to be a safe place where people can come together and sit all on one bench, ensuring that everyone is included, no matter who you are, what your story or how you identify

whether one of our guests or part of our team, we’re honoured to celebrate the incredible lgbtqia+ individuals that form our vast + diverse community this pride season + beyond

because we’re at our most proud when we’re together

soul sessions

after an amazing response to these summer events last year, we’re bringing them back + better than ever. on weeknights between 1 august and 7 september, we’ll be hosting live music events in a selection of our outdoor dining spaces, where we will platform the diverse voices of musicians who identify as lgbtqia+. enjoy live music sets over cocktails + your favourite soulful bowls in the sun this summer

participating restaurants + artists listed below

lincoln toby corton plays tuesday 1, 8, 15 + 22 august

bankside kitty perrin plays tuesday 1, 8, 15 + 22 august

ashford toby corton plays thursday 3, 10, 17 + 24 august

victoria bessi plays thursday 3, 10, 17 + 24 august

manchester spinningfields laeeqa plays tuesday 15 + 22 august + 5 september + lo lauren plays tuesday 29 august

ashton moss toby corton plays wednesday 16 + 23 august

birmingham new street lo lauren plays wednesday 16 august + DEJA plays wednesday 23 + 30 august + 6 september

cardiff library liam j. edwards plays thursday 17, 24 + 31 august + 7 september

all events run from 18:30 – 20:30. quote ‘soul sessions’ on arrival to get a cocktail or mindful drink on us

meet the artists

toby corton (he/him)

an artist-creative making waves in the queer live music scene, and the founder of state is flow music collective

bessi (they/them)

a queer artist-producer celebrated for their soulful voice + songwriting, they were picked as one-to-watch in clash magazine

kitty perrin (she/her)

a singer-songwriter based in norwich who shares intimate and personal stories with her listeners through melancholy indie-pop, coloured by smart and sometimes caustic lyrics

laeeqa (she/her)

an alternative rnb soul singer-songwriter, laeeqa’s sound is influenced by the likes of lauryn hill, jorja smith + pip millet

lo lauren (she/her)

a fresh emerging artist, whose music blends the playfulness of noughties nostalgia with the euphoria of current alt-pop

DEJA (she/her)

a pop powerhouse with infectious rhythms and vivacious energy, DEJA challenges conventions + is a force to be reckoned with

liam j. edwards (they/them)

a singer-songwriting pop sensation with an unforgettable stage presence, who sets powerful vocals to high energy pop

ts + cs | one free cocktail or mindful drink on purchase of a main when quoting soul sessions | valid at soul session locations only on event days between 6:30pm - 8:30pm | one free item per person per bill | not valid in conjunction with any other offer | must be age 18+ to redeem cocktail | wagamama reserve the right to remove this offer

pride house parties

this year we are super proud to partner with the creative collective, elevate east, whose work focuses on the artistic development of queer nightlife artists. with them, we organised a series of pride house parties, where our restaurants played host as we invited lgbtqia+ and ally team members from across our network to come and celebrate pride season

with djs, dancing and drag queens + kings, each event was truly a showcase for the joy seen in our teams. we want to say a special thank you to the amazing hosts + performers that brought the house down at every party across the country

supporting queer spaces

we want to make sure that our work not only uplifts our own team members but extends into the wider queer community. this year we are working with lgbtqia+ organisations across the uk to offer support and resources, so that they can continue their vital work within their communities

through this, we have partnered with:

the spencer trust an east midlands-based organisation who work to bring the local queer community together to empower others and support each other's mental well being

across rainbows a café in brighton who are on a mission to redefine queer identity + celebrate the diverse stories and experiences of their community, through events + workshops 

the london lgbtq+ centre a sober, intersectional community centre and cafe that opened in december 2019 from a need to urgently tackle the isolation + loneliness the community was experiencing, through hosting regular groups, meditation, yoga, theatre groups and exhibitions

we are offering each of these groups a range of support. this varies from financial donations to aid their missions, providing space for events + networking opportunities, offering catering + food drops for events and opening the floor for our team to volunteer