Blackpool's West Coast Rock Cafe adds 'Punk Rock' to iconic name ahead of Rebellion Festival
“Young people are talented from all walks of life and sometimes all they need is the opportunity to develop that talent.”
An iconic part of Blackpool’s music scene has been renamed to coincide with this weekend’s Rebellion Festival.
People may have noticed the West Coast Rock Live bar on the corner of Abingdon Street and Birley Street has a new sign pinned to the front changing the name to ‘West Coast Punk Rock Cafe’
It’s a nod to the festival which is giving Blackpool a mega-punk vibe as the festival gets underway.
.jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
The cafe has also announced that takings during this week’s Rebellion performances will be donated to the Upbeat Rock Academy, specifically to help provide free music tuition to young Blackpool students.
West Coast Rock Cafe owners Robert and Gaynor Wynne, who have run the cafe for 40 years, devised the plan with Upbeat Rock Academy owner Ian Hooper and Californian punk rocker and musician Erick James last year and the scheme has already delivered £2000 in funding.
They also provide a free facility in the rock club above the West Coast Rock, where free tuition sessions take place throughout the year.
Ian Hooper said: “Over the course of the last 12 months, the West Coast Rock Cafe sponsorship for Upbeat Rock Academy has allowed us to initiate a program that helps children and young adults facing economic hardship to have sponsored places at our academy, free at point of entry.
.png?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
All the latest news and top stories from across Blackpool and the Fylde coast directly to your phone
Never miss a thing.Click here to join
“In addition to this, the funds meant we could buy some much needed music equipment for use at our Blackpool base at West Coast Rock Cafe, and allowed us to welcome in the children from St John’s C of E primary school who have weekly rock band sessions at the cafe every week!”
The funds are kindly donated by Erick James and West Coast Rock themselves in a collaboration initiated by Erick.
Erick lives in California where he programs the shows for Rebellion fringe at West Coast.
Both parties saw the benefits that Upbeat was providing for youngsters on the Fylde coast and together they donate a percentage of the bar take throughout festival week.
“The results have been fantastic, and all the team at Upbeat are truly grateful for the opportunity to do more great work with the funding from this year’s event,” said Robert.
“Young people are talented from all walks of life and sometimes all they need is the opportunity to develop that talent.
“We think that this is an amazing way to use the crowds that come to Blackpool for Rebellion to help local talent shine”