For many years, Britain has long been thought of as a rather prudish nation. But it’s 2021, and the United Kingdom is shaking off its sexual stereotypes at warp speed. Our UK red light districts guide aims to take it even further.
From swingers clubs to sex hotels, any open-minded visitor who explores off the beaten track in the UK’s towns and cities will see for themselves. In some towns and cities, you can even find dedicated red light districts.
“The apartments usually have a menu on the wall. A basic suck and fuck in one position starts from £20. A plethora of other kinky services can be available upon negotiation.”
Usually associated with countries like Germany, the Netherlands, or Thailand. The UK is not the first place that comes to mind when it comes to RLDs. But in this article, we’re going to provide a comprehensive guide to UK red light district locations and explore things like:
- The notorious realm of Soho sex in central London.
- The sleazy Red Light District in Liverpool.
- Blackpool’s Red Light district which is popular both with visitors and some locals alike!
Bear in mind, that only some of these RLDs have been officially sanctioned by UK councils. Some are unofficial, so don’t expect the same level of security or tolerance as that of Holland or Germany. But anyway, let’s begin!
8Holbeck in Leeds was one of the first legal UK red light district locations
To begin our UK red light districts guide, there is no more fitting place to start than with Holbeck in Leeds. Known locally as the managed approach or MA zone, it was set up in 2014 to allow local prostitutes to work without persecution.
A largely commercial area in the daytime, between 8pm and 6am Holbeck transforms into an open market for sex. Here, prostitutes and their clients are free to work between the allotted hours without fear of arrest.
Of course, normal rules still apply. No outraging public decency, no kerb-crawling, etc. Various women’s charities and sexual health organizations are often also present for the safety of the women working there.
However, the plan has been controversial. Many locals claim it has led to an increase in anti-social behaviour and has protested against the managed zone. This, combined with the effects of lockdown, has left the future of the Holbeck red light district uncertain.
7The Blackpool red light district is quite popular with locals
Next up is a UK red light district we had the pleasure of personally visiting recently. The popular seaside resort of Blackpool is often called ‘The Blackpool of the North’ and has a long history of wild sex, drinking, and a party atmosphere.
So it’s only natural it would be home to its own market of sex. The RLD here is centred around an area called Cookson Street and the roads that run off it. It’s just a short walk from the resort’s main train station.
In an effort to clamp down on the presence of streetwalkers, the local council tolerate the Blackpool RLD to keep it away from the tourist centre of the resort and keep it family-friendly.
Interestingly, many locals have attested to the benefits of this RLD. They claim it has made the area safer, more interesting, and economically better off thanks to the presence of brothels and sex workers.
Most of the brothels here are in the guide of adult sauna clubs or Thai massage joints. But inside, there’s a range of services on offer starting at oily erotic massages with highly skilled erotic girls all the way to BDSM fetishes catered for and more.
Feel free to check out our article on the Blackpool red light district that saw us explore the range of brothels on offer both inside and outside. Our trip climaxed between the thighs of a gorgeous Thai girl with pierced tits who was keen to please.
6The red light district in Glasgow
Next, we head north to Scotland’s most populated city of Glasgow. Well known for its shipbuilding prowess and incredible architecture, and friendly locals, it’s also home to a pretty spread out RLD.
The red light district in Glasgow is spread out between the areas of Blythswood Square, Glasgow Green and Collegelands. These areas are home to unofficial brothels, private escorts working out of apartments, and streetwalkers.
“As soon as the local businesses and shops closed for the day (about 6pm), the street corners soon became the haunt of ‘working girls’ and their clients.”
– A TripAdvisor review from a shocked visitor who booked a hotel in the centre of Glasgow’s red light district.
Far from the most discreet sex industry area on the list, it’s largely situated around the city centre of Glasgow. So the sex trade takes place side by side with the city’s booming nightlife.
In recent months, the local council in Glasgow have begun cracking down on the sex trade. Again, this is another unregulated RLD that is not viewed kindly by the local authorities.
5The Liverpool red light district of Sheil Road
Our UK red light districts guide takes us to one of the more notorious RLDs of the British isles: Sheil Road in Liverpool. This unofficial and unregulated area of prostitution has been around for many years and is well known locally.
In recent months, Merseyside Police has been cracking down on prostitution in the area as well as abuse and attacks of working girls. A heavily residential area, the role of prostitution often clashes with the ordinary lives of residents.
The girls working here are a mixture of local Liverpool girls, Eastern Europeans, and some other international girls. It’s far from one of the safest areas on this list as crime and drug abuse is common.
4The notorious Soho walk ups
The area of Soho in Central London has long been associated with vice, sex, and crime. In recent years, it’s become gentrified and filled with hipsters. But there is still a presence of sex there, albeit not what it was years ago.
Alongside sex shops and strip bars, one of the most iconic brothels of the area is the Soho walk-ups. These consist of flats on the first floor of the characteristic Georgian buildings of the area.
Often illuminated with red neon and advertising ‘models upstairs’, they’re easy to miss and usually consist of one open door leading into a staircase. You knock on a door to see the girl inside and if you’re not interested you can leave.
The apartments upstairs have a working girl and a female maid who is often much older. This keeps in line with the law as any more than one working girl would constitute an illegal brothel.
The apartments usually have a menu on the wall. A basic suck and fuck in one position starts at £20. A plethora of other kinky services can be available upon negotiation. Overall, it’s a London sex institution and very affordable fuck.
The girls inside are often either British or from Eastern Europe. The majority are absolutely stunning and dressed to impress. But there’s a smattering of more hardcore hookers with evidence of years on the game, for those who are into that.
3A London red light area that’s an alternative to Soho sex
Whilst the Soho sex experience is one I love, there’s another RLD in Central London that is more stereotypical. It’s the area around Hyde Park. Home to a huge number of affordable hotels, it’s a magnet for prostitution after dark.
I stumbled across this RLD by mistake during a work trip to London. In the daytime, the area was as vanilla as you can imagine. But after dark, the streets were packed with a massive variety of sex workers.
I was propositioned by mostly Eastern European prostitutes who offered a quick suck and fuck for £30. I also spoke to a handful of local women who were often more mature and were a little more expensive.
Services ideally take place in your nearby hotel room. I did see evidence of sex taking place down alleyways and discreet areas. But I don’t recommend this as you’ll find yourself in trouble if caught.
2The unofficial Bristol red light district
The city of Bristol is well-known for its rich history of pirates, Clifton Suspension Bridge, and of course, Banksy. But it’s also home to its own red light district stretching between the two areas of St Paul’s and Eastville.
Similar to the Sheil Road area of Liverpool, the Bristol red light district is unofficial. As a result, it’s not regarded as a safe area. Abuse of sex workers and crime is commonplace here.
The area is also in rapid decline. One local charity that works to support sex workers locally estimated the numbers of working girls had fallen from around 150 to just under 50 in recent years.
1Sheffield is home to a very Yorkshire red light district
The home of the British steel industry, the working-class town of Sheffield is quintessentially Yorkshire. It’s also home to a very active red light area reminiscent of the one in Blackpool.
Centred around Attercliffe Road, the area has been notorious for decades with well-established connections to the British sex industry. Today, the presence of erotic massage parlours, sex shops, swingers clubs, and even porn cinemas are characteristic features of the street.
Once a central area to the formerly booming steel trade of Sheffield, Attercliffe road found a new purpose as traditional industries moved out in the 1980s. The area was soon dominated by sex establishments. Although there isn’t as many as there once was, the area still retains its erotic reputation.
Mainstream businesses coexist alongside the sex industry in the area and many attest that the sex trade hasn’t negatively affected their business at all. In fact, some use well-known erotic saunas nearby to give directions to customers to their business.
In conclusion
In summary, there are some councils across the UK that are becoming more tolerant in their attitudes towards sex work. Thankfully, the introduction of legal and regulated areas for sex work has mostly been successful.
On the other hand, the unregulated red light districts of the UK in places like Liverpool and Bristol are often the opposite and are commonly associated with crime, drugs, and crimes against sex workers.
But overall, the UK is home to a wide variety of sex establishments, legal brothels, and unique escort experiences. A far cry from the old stereotypes of prudish Brits, there’s a lot to be explored here.
Related red light district guides
- Which is the Best Berlin Brothel? We Visited 5 to Find Out!
- How to Become a Prostitute in Amsterdam’s Red Light District in 10 Easy Steps
Disclaimer: We only promote legal prostitution and in no way make any attempt to glorify or condone illegal prostitution. This article is designed to shed light on the underreported world of UK red light district locations.
