Waterloo Music Bar teams up with Blackpool's Streetlife charity

The South Shore gig venue has teamed up with the charity, which supports young people who are homeless or struggling in the resort, to collect tins of food during the festive period.

The scheme called on people attending gigs at the Waterloo – which are often free to attend – to bring along items of food such as beans, soup and tinned meat, which Streetlife will distribute to those most in need of the vital food provisions.

Waterloo manager Ian Fletcher said the response at the weekend has been ‘absolutely fanastic’ with a dustbin at the door filled at least six times during the three nights of music.

“Even for the ticketed gig by The Wildhearts on Saturday night, when people have paid quite a bit of money to come, they were still coming with tins for us,” he said.

“And Sunday was a charity night for the Victoria Hospital’s Blue Skies appeal – and still people were donating tins too.

“People have even given £10 or £20 behind the bar and asked if we can get some things when people go shopping, there’s about £70 been collected.

“But really, we would rather ask people for tins than money in a bucket – who doesn’t have a tin of something in their cupboard that they can grab as they leave the house?”

Initially planned to run until the end of January, Ian said the venue is now considering continuing the partnership through 2018.