Extending the opening hours of a York LGBTQ venue could help tackle hate crimes, its owners have said.
But police have disputed claims incidents have surged.
The owners of Little J stated in submissions for a licensing application that extending its opening hours would give LGBTQ people somewhere to socialise without fear of being targeted at night.
The venue, on North Street, has applied to extend its opening hours to 3am from Sunday to Wednesday and to 4am from Thursday to Saturday.
In documents submitted as part of their application, the venue’s owners stated there was a woeful lack of spaces for LGBTQ people which was leading to them going elsewhere.
They added the existence of a late-night safe space would help tackle social isolation among members of the community, benefit their mental health and enrich York’s cultural and creative fabric.
The applicants stated: “Little J will provide a secure environment where individuals can socialise as themselves without fear of being negatively targeted day and night.
“This would reduce antisocial behaviour and mitigate the conditions that contribute to hate crimes, and, by extension, benefit the wider York community.”
Sgt Nigel Collins, who oversees hate crime reports at North Yorkshire Police and liaises with affected communities, said he understood LGBTQ people had a perception that York was unsafe for them.
But he added the force’s data did not support that.
Figures supplied as part of its submissions stated that sexual orientation-related incidents accounted for 18 per cent of all hate crimes between January and September so far this year.
The percentage is roughly in line with the 19 per cent proportion recorded during the same period last year.
Transphobic hate crimes made up two per cent of the total from January to September 2025, down from four per cent during the same period in 2024.
Sgt Collins said: “I am very much of the opinion that just one hate crime where a person is targeted because of any of their protected characteristics is one hate crime too many.
“However the figures do not indicate a growing problem or one that has spiralled or seen any sudden spikes in relation to it.
“That said, we only hold details of those incidents where victims, witnesses or family and friends are confident and brave enough to report what has occurred.”
Late night crime concerns
A City of York Council licensing hearing on Little J’s application was due to take place today (Monday).
It has been moved to Monday, 27 October for further noise assessments and confirmation on whether the venue is a listed building.
The hearing follows calls from members of the local LGBTQ community for councillors to back the venue’s bid to stay open for longer.
Supporters who spoke at the full council meeting on 18 September told councillors they needed a safe space as a surge in abuse had made going out in York increasingly dangerous.
A petition supporting its application was signed by 1,744 people as of Monday, 29 September and York groups including the city’s LGBT Forum and York Pride have publicly backed it.
Little J owners say the later opening hours would bring itinto line with other mainstream venues.
But the police and council objected over concerns about allowing another venue to open late in an area where there is already late-night drinking, antisocial behaviour and crime.
