Bradford’s oldest gay venue has been put up for sale.

The Sun Hotel in Sunbridge Road has served the Bradford gay community for more than 20 years, and has been owned by licensee Ronnie Thompson, 60, for 14 of those years.

He has decided the time has come to retire and put the pub on the market.

Mr Thompson is well-known in the city for raising thousands of pounds for charity and for bringing Aids awareness to people’s attention.

His daughter Samantha Thompson, 41, said: “The place is going to be so missed.

“My dad has put so much into the pub and done so much for charity.

“We hope it stays as a gay pub but it is up to the people who take it on.

“I should imagine it will stay as one.

“People who have been going for years won’t stop going and the atmosphere won’t change.”

The pub is undergoing refurbishment after it was partly damaged by a massive fire which ripped through Sunbridge Road last year leaving neighbouring buildings fit only for demolition.

The refurbishment is expected to be completed by Christmas.

Miss Thompson said: “The refurbishment is going really well, it’s being painted and decorated and the living accommodation is all being done up so the new owners will benefit from that.”

Dave Forrest, of the Bradford Equity Partnership, said: “Bradford does have a very lively and vibrant gay community. The closure of the Sun Hotel is a blow to the community because it did so much.

“It was the original, and often the venue for weddings and civil partnerships.

“The pub did loads of work for charity, and hosted events such as Bradford Pride.

“I have no doubt the gay and lesbian community will nevertheless continue to thrive.

“In fact, Bradford has Yorkshire’s only gay community Centre, called the Equity Centre, which opened in 2005.

“The Equity Centre welcomes everyone in the community, regardless of sexuality and offers fantastic facilities such as radio and drama groups.”

The centre is at the Colour Museum in Longlands Street, Bradford.