Blackpool's Waterloo Music Bar wins two North West awards

The Waterloo Music Bar, owned and run by Ian Fletcher, won double recognition in the North West Music Awards, which celebrates different aspects of the North West's vibrant music scene.

The music bar, based on the corner of Waterloo Road and Central Drive, won the much-prized accolade, Best Grassroots Venue, and Ian himself also won the “Night Time Hero” award for his unstinting efforts to support new music and also his charity work.

Ian has been a long-time supporter of the Blackpool charity Streetlife. which helps vulnerable young people, and The Waterloo has been a collecting point for tins of food to help the charity.

The awards, organised by Red Spot Events, were live-streamed online and the judges included big North West names in UK music, such as Peter Hook from New Order and Rowetta, best known for her work with the band Happy Mondays.

It follows a tough time for the industry because of the various Covid lockdowns over the past 14 months.

The Waterloo almost went out of business last year and was saved by a rescue campaign which attracted major support from Blackpool residents and musicians across the country.

But the venue is open again Ian said: "It's an honour to be given these awards and have this kind of recognition, especially as it covers such a big area across the North West and we were up against some cracking venues in Liverpool and Manchester.

"We were watching the awards on a big screen in the bar and when we won there a huge cheer, it was like being at a football match!

"The award is for everyone who has supported us and for Blackpool - I hope this can help put the town on the map for live, grass roots music."

The Waterloo has become a major live music draw in the past five years, offering a welcome to local bands and also playing host to nationally-known artists.

Support for the Waterloo flooded in after charity The Music Venues Trust identified the Blackpool venue as being on the 'red' at risk list last year and set up a crowdfunding appeal to help.

That campaign raised a magnificent £45,000.