A CAFE in Leamington has been nominated as one of the top blues venues in the UK.
Temperance, on Bath Street, was opened by Adrian Gains in 2018 as a café and art gallery by day, and a bar and music venue by night.
And not only has it become a hotspot for live music and launched its own record label – it is now the only venue in the Midlands to make it to the final five in the Top Blues Venue category of the UK Blues Federation awards.
Adrian said: “Obviously, we’d very much like to win it. To be nominated is great, to win it would be amazing. It would put us on the map (and the town of course). No venue outside of London has won the award before and we have a good chance. A great loyal following and we will be pushing like mad.”
The winner will be chosen by public vote, with voting opening on Saturday (February 4).
Adrian said that the pub’s record label was also going well. They have released one live album so far with three more coming out in the next few months.
Temperance has attracted artists close to home and as far away as Australia for its live music nights, as well as famous faces including ex-Dr. Feelgood guitarist Steve Walwyn, Jo Boden from Bellowhead, Horace Panter from The Specials and Chris Difford from Squeeze. Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Kershaw is also a big fan.
Adrian decided launching the ‘Temperance Live’ record label was the best business move after working with Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to raise the profile of the cafe, post-Covid, last year.
To vote for Temperance as the UK’s top blues venue visit https://www.ukblues.org/awards/
