We booked a Blackpool hotel for Rebellion Festival last year, now they won't answer our emails or calls

Excited festival-goers gearing up for the groundbreaking 30th anniversary edition of Blackpool’s iconic Rebellion Festival have been dealt a cruel blow over their accommodation.

In the lead up to the festival, music fans who booked rooms at a North Shore hotel - many of them having stayed there before - have found their bookings cast into doubt at the last minute, leaving them at a loss.

Just three weeks before the sold-out festival is set to kick off, numerous punk rockers have seemingly been left high and dry after they tried to contact The Manhattan Hotel on Cocker Street at which they had pre-booked, only to receive no reply. Despite reaching out by both phone and email, guests heard nothing back.

Many have since taken to social media to voice concerns, with Brighton-based photographer Cris Watkins asking: “Anyone else pre-booked their stay for Rebellion Punk Music Festival at The Manhattan, Blackpool on Cocker Street and can no longer get hold of them?

“I'm kinda thinking that they've done a bunk, changed owners or closed down. Tried calling and emailing, but no answer. Anyone local who knows anything would be cool to know…”

The Gazette attempted to contact the hotel on five different occasions over the course of the day, using three different phone numbers. Each time, the number rang out without any response.

‘Such a disappointment’

Cris, 56, who stayed at The Manhattan on two previous occasions, said: “It’s such a shame because the lovely thing about this hotel was that a lot of the people staying there during Rebellion are the same faces from the year before - it’s like a reunion.

“The couple who were running this place have always been really welcoming. I had no hesitation last August in booking the room for next time, one year ahead, face to face with the owners, and paid a deposit of £35.

“It’s not about losing the money, it’s about not being contacted about what is happening there. It looks as though new owners have come in but there’s been no contact at all. I know the people now running it have opened the email I sent a week or so ago, but they’ve not bothered to reply.”

No reply

Cris is particularly disappointed because, for the first time, he was bringing his wife along and they planned to stay in Blackpool for a few days. He said: “I only realised there was an issue when I tried to ring up and ask if they could include an extra breakfast for my wife. No reply, despite several attempts.”

He says others have experienced the same thing there.

Cris says that, sadly, his wife will not be coming with him as he has now been scrambling to book alternative accommodation during one of the busiest times of the year for Blackpool. His new booking is not really suitable for his wife.

He added: “This isn’t the first time people have experienced this at the festival - many times I know festival-goers have found that their chosen hotel has changed hands and they’ve lot their booking.

“I’ll still enjoy the festival - Rebellion is the biggest and best punk festival in Europe and the atmosphere is always brilliant. Punks don’t go out to cause trouble, they just want to have a great time. Being able to go and see the music I grew up with being performed live really is the best.”

Rebellion Festival 2026

Running from 6 to 9 August 2026, Rebellion Festival takes place at Blackpool’s famous Winter Gardens and is set to feature over 300 bands across nine indoor stages, with genres ranging from classic punk and hardcore to ska, post punk and acoustic performances.

This year’s anniversary line up includes some of punk’s most influential acts such as The Stranglers, Sham 69, Cock Sparrer, Stiff Little Fingers, UK Subs, Anti Nowhere League and Cockney Rejects.

Beyond the live bands, festivalgoers can enjoy a literary festival, an arts and crafts market, acoustic stages and a range of fringe events that have become a hallmark of the Rebellion experience.

Ex-owner must cease contact

Former Blackpool hotelier Ian White, who is a member of tourism group StayBlackpool, said there were often sales contracts which restricted what hoteliers could do when they were selling a hotel.

Buyers typically secure the hotel's "goodwill" - the value of its reputation and customer base- by explicitly writing restrictive covenants into the contract. These clauses legally prohibit the seller from soliciting, dealing with, or contacting former customers for a specified duration—usually between 1 to 5 years.

Mr Wwhite said: “It’s part of the goodwill understanding but it can create some awkward situations for people who have booked with the previous owner before the hotel changed hands”

However, under general consumer contract laws in the UK (such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015), if a hotel changes ownership and cannot provide the services promised at the time of booking, the customer is legally entitled to either have their reservation honoured or receive a full refund.

UPDATE: This evening, Cris said that the new management of The Manhattan Hotel rang him to apologise for not getting in touch, explaining that they only took over the management of the hotel recently. Cris says they have offered a refund and said they have contacted other guests as well.