Leicester · grassroots venue · Verified open

Dover Castle

One of the UK's oldest LGBTQ+ venues, with cabaret and Thursday open mic.

Capacity to be confirmed, live music 2 nights a week, house PA. Cabaret, Open mic, Pop.

Nearby venues

Duffys Bar, Leicester Grand Union Inside No 9

See what's on Claim this venue

Updated 12 November 2026

At a glance

Checked 4 Nov 2026

At a glance, Dover Castle in Leicester is summed up below. It has live music 2 nights a week. It books cabaret, open mic and pop acts.

–

Standing
capacity

grassroots room

In detail

Live music	2 nights a week
TodayClosed	18:00–01:00Opens in 10h 23m 18s
Backline	PA provided
Books	Cabaret · Open mic · Pop

01 — Inside the room

4 photos

4 photos show the inside of Dover Castle, from the stage to the bar. It books cabaret, open mic and pop acts. Tap any photo to open it at full size.

Photos: Google

140

page views on GigXchange. Is it your venue?

0 members voted to bring it onto GigXchange

Claim this venue

Views Booking & Hours What's on

Open mics Claim

02 — The details

Before you book

Everything you need to know

Before you book Dover Castle, here are its size, live nights, genres and website. It has live music 2 nights a week. It books cabaret, open mic and pop acts.

Member votes

votes to get this venue on GigXchange

The facts

Capacity	–
Live nights	Thu, Sun
Curfew	–
Sound limiter	–
Genres	CabaretOpen micPop
Website	thedovercastle.uk

The check

Status	Verified open
Last checked	4 Nov 2026
Checked against	Music directory

03 — Find Dover Castle

Leicester

Getting there

Dover Castle is at 34 Dover St, Leicester, LE1 6PT. The map below opens step-by-step directions in Google Maps. It is one of 40 rooms in our Leicester venue directory.

34 Dover St,
Leicester LE1 6PT

Directions Open in maps

The nearest station is Leicester (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away.

Leicester venues Open mics Music scene

Upcoming gigs Find a band Get gigs here

04 — Booking

Want to play here?

Dover Castle for artists: Dover Castle has not joined GigXchange yet, so acts vote here to bring it on - to hire the venue for a private event, choose Private hire.

The open micEvery Thursday20:00 · Free entry

Booking email and phone	Locked
Fee range per act	Locked
How far ahead to book	Locked
Payment terms	Locked

Rate calculatorWhat should you charge here?Live UK rates by role, city and venue size.

05 — Opening times

Open 5 of 7

Dover Castle publishes its opening times for 7 of the 7 days. These are the venue's own opening hours, not the gig start times. Check the venue's own website before travelling on a bank holiday.

Mon	Closed
Tue	Closed
Wed	18:00–00:00
Thu	18:00–00:00
FriToday	18:00–01:00
Sat	17:00–02:00
Sun	16:00–00:00

06 — What's on stage

1 provided · 6 TBC

Dover Castle has an in-house PA for visiting acts. The list below shows the PA, drums, amps and mics we know about. Played here and the kit was different? Tell us and we will update it.

PA system	Provided
Drum kit	TBC
Guitar amp	TBC
Bass amp	TBC
Keys / keyboard	TBC
Vocal mics	TBC
In-house engineer	TBC

07 — About

Leicester

About Dover Castle

This is the background on Dover Castle, from the venue and its listings. It books cabaret, open mic and pop acts. It has live music 2 nights a week.

Dover Castle is a grassroots music venue in Leicester. It books Cabaret, Open mic, Pop.

Listing notes

Dover ‌‌‍Castle, at 34 Dover Street in Leicester city centre, claims to be one of the UK's oldest gay venues and holds regular cabaret nights. It stands out for its welcoming atmosphere, where both original acts and cover bands find a platform to perform. The venue features a reliable PA system, making it suitable for a variety of mixed genres. This grassroots hub fosters local talent and offers an intimate setting for music lovers to discover new sounds.

Played here before?One tap

Was the backline right?

It keeps this page true for the next act through the door.

08 — What's on

Open mic

The regular night at Dover Castle on GigXchange is its open mic. It has live music 2 nights a week. Venues often post their next nights on their own website first.

Open mic, every Thursday - 20:00 · Free entry. More nights out in the wider Leicester gig directory.

Leicester gigs Open mics Next 4 weeks

09 — Leicester league

Next 30 days

The Leicester league ranks live music venues by the gigs listed over the next 30 days. It refreshes every night, so a busy month moves a room up.

#13

of 40
live rooms

Ranked by gigs on the calendar over the next 30 days, refreshed nightly.

01	The Donkey	5 gigs
02	2Funky Complex	1 gig
03	2Funky Music Cafe	1 gig
04	Duffys Bar, Leicester New	1 gig
05	Firebug down1	1 gig
06	Old Plough down1	1 gig
07	The Emporium	1 gig
08	33 Cank Street	0 gigs
09	45 West	0 gigs
10	Baton Rouge Leicester	0 gigs

Not seeing your venue? This ranking counts gigs listed in the next 30 days. Create a page free or add your gigs - it ranks on the next nightly refresh.

Run this room?

This page - and this ranking - is yours.

What you get

01	Edit your profile and photos
02	Set your fee range
03	Receive artist enquiries
04	Update backline and capacity

Claim this venue Free account · no card · 30 seconds

Live music on stage: a band under the lights

Leicester · Grassroots

Dover Castle

Q: What genres does Dover Castle book?

Dover Castle books Cabaret, Open mic, Pop. Browse artist profiles by genre on GigXchange.

One of the UK's oldest LGBTQ+ venues, with cabaret and Thursday open mic.

–
Capacity: 2 nights
Live music: 18:00
Open today: PA
Backline: Cabaret
Books: Verified
Directory status

Nearby venues Duffys Bar, Leicester Grand Union Inside No 9 Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern All Leicester ›

People are already finding this page. Here is what they came for — and how to take it over.

Capacity, backline and PA
How to get on the bill
What is on here soon
Claim it free to keep those details right

Find out more Claim this venue

Opening times

7 of 7 days listed

Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed 18:00–00:00
ThuLive 18:00–00:00
FriToday 18:00–01:00
Sat 17:00–02:00
SunLive 16:00–00:00

Booking What a free account unlocks

Vote to bring the venue on
Live UK fee benchmarks
Other rooms in the city that book acts
Open mics and gigs nearby
Claim it free if you run it
Free account — 30 seconds, no card
Sign up free to view

Gigs at this venue ride the What's On rail below — here's the wider picture

Leicester's live gigs, sorted by date
Free and ticketed shows
Every gig links its venue
Refreshed continuously

Find out more Join free

See the night, sign-up time and slot length

Sign-up times, slot lengths and fees
Filter by night of the week
Most are free entry
Re-verified on a rolling cycle

Find out more Join free

Free account — update details, respond to artists, manage bookings

Edit your profile and photos
Set your fee range
Receive artist enquiries
Update backline and capacity

Find out more Claim this venue

Run Dover Castle? Claim your page free — keep specs current

Last updated: 12 November 2026

Dover Castle — Quick Facts

One of the UK's oldest LGBTQ+ venues, with cabaret and Thursday open mic. Here are the key facts on Dover Castle at a glance. It has live music 2 nights a week.

Venue status Last verified 04 Nov 2026

How sure we are

Verified open

Checked against the venue’s own listing View Dover Castle open mic nights →

Capacity Not listed yet No capacity listed yet - the venue can add it by claiming the page.

Know how many it holds?

Today18:00–01:00Opens in 10h 23m 18s

Directory statusVerified open

This pageNot yet claimed

Websitethedovercastle.uk

SizeGrassrootsvenueCapacity to confirm

Live music2nights a weekThu · Sun · from 20:00

BacklinePAPA providedDover Castle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.

BooksCabaret+2 moreGenres listed by the venue

Opening times

Dover Castle this week

Mon Closed

Tue Closed

Wed 18:00–00:00

Thu 18:00–00:00 Live music

Fri· today 18:00–01:00

Sat 17:00–02:00

Sun 16:00–00:00 Live music

Dover Castle for artists: Dover Castle has not joined GigXchange yet, so acts vote here to bring it on - to hire the venue for a private event, choose Private hire.

Member votes 0 votes to get Dover Castle on GigXchange GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - every vote tells the venue artists want to book it here.

Want to play here?Sign up free to vote →

Dover Castle hasn’t claimed its page yet, so nobody from the venue is on GigXchange to message. Vote to bring it on - free account, no card, 30 seconds.

Is this your venue?Claim This Venue →

Claim your listing to update details, respond to artists, and manage bookings.

Spotted something wrong?

Closed, changed capacity, different backline? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.

Private hire at Dover Castle: we're still gathering Dover Castle's hire details from the venue itself - to play a gig at Dover Castle, choose Booking information.

Private hire Hire details on the way We're gathering Dover Castle's private hire details from the venue itself - the rooms, how many each holds and what comes with them.

Spaces and capacityWe're working on it

Which rooms can be hired, and for how many people.

Good forWe're working on it

Parties, weddings, work events - what the venue takes.

IncludedWe're working on it

What comes with the room: sound, staff, food and drink.

Run Dover Castle?Add your hire details →

Claim the page free and the hire details come straight from you.

What’s on in Leicester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.

Inside Dover Castle

Dover Castle has an in-house PA for visiting acts. It has live music 2 nights a week. Below: the PA, drums, amps and mics we know about, what we know about the room, and its regular live nights.

PA systemProvided

Drum kitTBC

Guitar ampTBC

Bass ampTBC

Keys / keyboardTBC

Vocal micsTBC

In-house engineerTBC

About Dover Castle

Dover Castle is a grassroots music venue in Leicester. Dover Castle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.

Dover Castle books Cabaret, Open mic, Pop acts. This listing is part of the Leicester venue directory.

Listing notes

Live nights

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Nights Dover Castle usually has live music — typical start 20:00

What to know

Live nights at Dover Castle are usually Thu, Sun, with music from about 20:00. Its listed genres start with cabaret. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in. Dover Castle hasn't joined GigXchange yet; vote to bring it on, and in the meantime keep a short EPK and a live clip ready - it is what most venues ask for first. For the rest of the circuit, read how to get gigs in Leicester.

Have you played here? Was the backline info accurate? One tap, no sign-up required.

Find Dover Castle

Dover Castle is at 34 Dover St, Leicester, LE1 6PT. The map below opens step-by-step directions in Google Maps. It is one of 40 rooms in our Leicester venue directory.

Address34 Dover St

AreaLeicester

PostcodeLE1 6PT

DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →

Getting there

The nearest station is Leicester (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away. You'll find Dover Castle in Leicester; LE1 6PT is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the start time before you set off, and see what else is on in Leicester this week, or book a Leicester band for a night of your own.

More Leicester venues

Duffys Bar, Leicester, Grand Union, Inside No 9 and Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern

Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).

Venues Leicester venuesevery room we list, with size and kit Gigs Upcoming gigs in Leicesterevery listing, sorted by date Open mics Open mics in Leicesterfree stage time, night by night The scene Live music in Leicesterthe venues, the gigs and where it happens Fees What should you charge?live UK rates by role, city and venue size UK All UK venuesthe full grassroots venue directory

The Leicester League

Dover Castle is #13 of 40 Leicester venues for live music — ranked by gigs on the calendar over the next 30 days, refreshed nightly. Only gigs in the GigXchange directory count.

# Move Venue Gigs
#1 – The Donkey 5 gigs
#2 – 2Funky Complex 1 gig
#3 – 2Funky Music Cafe 1 gig
#4 NEW Duffys Bar, Leicester 1 gig
#5 ▼1 Firebug 1 gig
#6 ▼1 Old Plough 1 gig
#7 – The Emporium 1 gig
#8 – 33 Cank Street 0 gigs
#9 – 45 West 0 gigs
#10 – Baton Rouge Leicester 0 gigs

Run this room? This page, and this ranking, is yours to take over.

Claim This Venue

Not seeing your venue? This ranking counts gigs listed in the next 30 days. If your room has no page here yet, create one free and it joins the directory. If it is already listed, add your gigs and it will rank on the next nightly refresh.

Rankings like this run across GigXchange: the national Hardest Working Rooms table tracks the UK's busiest grassroots stages week on week, the Pint Index prices a gig ticket in pints city by city, and UK market statistics covers what live music pays. All of it is built from the same directory this page lives in.

Common Questions

These are the 9 questions people ask most about booking and visiting Dover Castle. Each answer uses the details already shown on this page. Can't see your question? Send it to us with a correction.

What equipment does Dover Castle provide?

Dover Castle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue. For venues with gear listed, see the Leicester venue directory.

What genres does Dover Castle book?

Dover Castle books Cabaret, Open mic, Pop. Browse artist profiles by genre on GigXchange.

How do I book a gig at Dover Castle?

Sign up free on GigXchange to see the booking details Dover Castle has shared — contact, fee range and how to submit, where listed. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music or EPK. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.

What is the capacity of Dover Castle?

Capacity data is pending for Dover Castle. Sign up to contribute or contact the venue directly.

Does Dover Castle have open mic nights?

Yes — Dover Castle hosts an open mic. Day, time and signup details are on its open mic listing.

Where is Dover Castle?

34 Dover St, Leicester, LE1 6PT. See the map below for directions. Browse more Leicester venues nearby.

What are typical fees at Dover Castle?

Fee ranges are available to signed-up artists on GigXchange. Grassroots venue fees in Leicester vary by event type, band size, and whether the deal is a flat fee or door split. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles.

What's the nearest station to Dover Castle?

The nearest station is Leicester (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is LE1 6PT. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)

How do I contact Dover Castle?

GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Dover Castle hasn't claimed its page yet — vote to bring it on, or claim it free if you run it.

Venues Near Dover Castle

16 other venues are close to Dover Castle in Leicester. Each one has its own page with its size, kit and live nights. Use them to plan a night out or a run of local gigs.

More live music venues: Grand Union, Inside No 9, Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern and 8 more - size, kit and live nights where listed.

From the Leicester venue directory

11 — Keep up with Leicester

One email a week. Gigs near you.

Our free weekly email brings live music in Leicester straight to your inbox. It keeps rooms like Dover Castle full and costs you nothing. You can unsubscribe at any time with a single click.

Keep up with Leicester

Our free weekly email brings live music in Leicester straight to your inbox. It keeps rooms like Dover Castle full and costs you nothing. You can unsubscribe at any time with a single click.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Leicester

—

A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Leicester. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

See what’s on in Leicester over the next four weeks →

Dover Castle in brief. Dover Castle in Leicester is a live music room that books cabaret, open mic and pop. The live nights are most often Thursdays and Sundays, usually from 20:00. It also hosts an open mic (every Thursday). Nearby rooms: Duffys Bar, Leicester, Grand Union and Inside No 9 - or browse the full Leicester venue directory.

Booking or playing in Leicester? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.

Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.

12 — More Leicester venues

All ›

We list 40 grassroots music venues in Leicester. Or search the full UK directory by town, size or genre. Every listing shows capacity, kit and live nights where we have them.

Duffys Bar, Leicester

Grand Union

Inside No 9

Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern

MMC Venue

Duffys Bar, Leicester

Grand Union

Inside No 9

Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern

MMC Venue

More rooms near Dover Castle: Mosh, Queen of Bradgate, Sally Cinnamon's Music Venue, The Donkey, The Old Horse, The Salmon, The Shed, The Western Pub, 2Funky Complex, 2Funky Music Cafe, Firebug, Old Plough and The Emporium.

Leicester venues All UK venues

Leicester has 40 rooms in the UK grassroots venue directory - why we built it, and what the data shows.

Rankings like this run across GigXchange: the national Hardest Working Rooms table, the Pint Index and UK market statistics - all built from the same directory.

Run Dover Castle?

Free to join. No subscription. 5% only if you want the deposit protected.

I'm an artist Claim this venue

I promote gigs I'm a fan

How GigXchange works for artists, venues, agents, promoters and event organisers.

More Leicester venues

We list 40 grassroots music venues in Leicester. Or search the full UK directory by town, size or genre. Every listing shows capacity, kit and live nights where we have them.

For Artists For Venues For Agents For Promoters For Organisers For Fans

ForArtistsGet booked. Get paid. ForVenuesFill the calendar. ForAgentsRun your roster. ForPromotersBuild the bill. ForOrganisersBook acts for your event. ForFansFind tonight’s gigs.

Spaces and capacity	We're working on it
Good for	We're working on it
Included	We're working on it

Dover Castle

Dover Castle — Quick Facts

Dover Castle this week

Inside Dover Castle

Find Dover Castle

What's On at Dover Castle

The Leicester League

Common Questions

Venues Near Dover Castle

Keep up with Leicester

Help keep grassroots venues open in Leicester

More Leicester venues