New live music venue set to be launched at the West Coast Rock Cafe in Blackpool

A former Blackpool mayor is launching a live music venue in a move which he says will take the town centre business back to its roots as well as supporting homegrown talent.

Robert Wynne has given a new lease of life to the ground floor of the West Coast Rock Cafe on Abingdon Street and will open the new venture on March 14.

Robert, who is a former Liberal Democrat councillor and was mayor in 2007/08, has owned the restaurant and bar with his family since 1987 and up until 10 years ago it hosted regular live music.

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After taking over the former Greenwood's Menswear shop in 2020 to expand the premises, he is now launching it as a space for bands to play in. The ground floor closed at the beginning of this year and has been remodelled with a centre stage and new sound equipment and lighting.

Robert said: “Our intention isn’t just to be another live music venue, but to specialise in supporting and presenting new local talent. We are partnering with Ian Hooper from the Upbeat Rock Academy, who organises the rock music tuition of over 300 local Fylde coast students.

“We anticipate lots of professionally produced performances from a diverse group of young local people as well as live music from some of the great local musicians already established on what is a thriving local scene.”

Ian Hooper, who was one of the first people to play at West Coast Rock Cafe in 1988, said: "West Coast Rock Live will be a unique and exciting new live music venue in Blackpool town centre. What better than to enjoy great live entertainment, in a cool rock cafe atmosphere, which I think has been missing from the Blackpool music scene for too long?

"Both Rob and I are putting together a great roster of entertainment for the venue, which includes some local names from the music scene, and new artists too. We're keen to host upcoming talent and provide a springboard for the next generation of musicians."

The new venue officially opens on Thursday, March 14 and will have a full programme of live music throughout the whole of that weekend and on subsequent dates.