Rendezvous Bar and Rooms

What it is

Rendezvous is a cosy bar on the ground floor of a small guesthouse on Lord Street, right behind Funny Girls. It is the kind of bar where people actually talk to each other. Regulars come for an afternoon pint, visitors stop in before a show, and there is usually some entertainment on at the weekend. It is open to the public as well as hotel guests.

The entrance is a little different from most bars: you ring the bell in the hallway to be let in. That keeps the atmosphere calm and friendly, and it is nothing to be shy about.

History in brief

The building was previously the Granby Lodge, which had been part of Blackpool's gay scene since the 1990s under owners who ran it for almost 25 years. In summer 2022 it was bought by Lee and Chris Taylor-Hone, the couple who also run Lee & Chris's Belvedere on Dickson Road. They relaunched it as Rendezvous Bar & Rooms, with a new licence granted at the start of 2023.

What's on

Rendezvous opens every weekend and has entertainment on most weekends, with local drag and tribute acts visiting. In October 2026, for example, drag performer Marigold Addams returned for an evening as Jane McDonald. Occasional Thursday openings are announced in advance.

Drinks

It is a proper little pub as well as a gay bar. There is usually one cask ale on, often from Lancaster, alongside the usual lagers, wines and spirits.

Who it suits

Rendezvous suits anyone who prefers a calm, sociable bar to a loud one: older visitors, couples, solo travellers looking for a friendly first stop, and people killing an hour before a Funny Girls show. Because it closes relatively early, it pairs well with a later venue afterwards.

Entry

The bar runs Challenge 25: anyone who looks under 25 needs photo ID proving they are over 18. Drunk visitors are turned away. Last entry is half an hour before closing. Late drinks after midnight are for hotel residents and their guests only.

Accessibility

There is no published step-free information. Phone ahead if you need help getting in.

Rooms

Upstairs are a handful of guest rooms, booked directly through the venue, which also runs rates and promotions through its own channels.

Location and nearby

Rendezvous is at the station end of Lord Street, close to Funny Girls, Oscars and the Northern Star guesthouse. Mardi Gras and Trades are a short walk along Lord Street, and the Flying Handbag is around the corner on Queen Street.

Staying or visiting: Rendezvous Bar and Rooms

What it is and who it welcomes

Rendezvous, at 15 to 17 Lord Street, is a cosy public bar with guest rooms upstairs. It sits right at the start of the Rainbow Quarter's main guest-house street, almost opposite Blackpool North station. The business has been part of Blackpool's gay scene since the 1990s. For most of that time it traded as Granby Lodge under the same pair of hosts, who ran it for almost 25 years.

In summer 2022 it was taken over by Lee and Chris, the married couple behind Lee & Chris's Belvedere on Dickson Road. They set out to keep the old regulars and give the place a refresh. The bar is open to residents and the public alike. It has the feel of a friendly local, with a crowd of gay men, lesbians and friends, and it is good for a relaxed afternoon drink or the first stop of a night out.

Rooms

The bedrooms have been refurbished in stages. The current room types and recent prices per room per night (room only, based on two sharing) are:

• King: about £75 Monday to Thursday and £85 Friday to Sunday. It has a fridge and premium toiletries.
• Deluxe Double: the same price as the King. It has a fridge, a coffee machine and premium toiletries.
• Standard Double: about £65 midweek and £75 at weekends.
• Small Double (refurbished): about £50 midweek and £60 at weekends. It is for single occupancy only.

Room promotions are announced through the bar's social media from time to time. Breakfast has been offered if you want it, although the published rates are room only, so check what is included.

The bar

The bar has opened at weekends, from mid-afternoon into the evening on Fridays and Saturdays, and from late afternoon on Sundays. Midweek opening has been on the cards. It puts on occasional cabaret, for example tribute drag nights, which are announced locally. Like most Lord Street bars, it can get busy on Pride and event weekends.

Location

You could hardly be closer to the station: Blackpool North is about a minute away. Q Accommodation, Mardi Gras, Trades and Hotel Neon are all along the same street, and Funny Girls and the Queen Street bars are around three to five minutes on foot.

Parking

Rendezvous does not publish parking details. On Lord Street, one side is free and unrestricted, and the other side has daytime restrictions in the main season. Bank Street car park is about three minutes away. See our parking and arrival guide.

Accessibility

No access statement is published. The rooms are upstairs in an older terraced house, so expect stairs.

Booking tips

• Book through the booking enquiry form on the Rendezvous website, by phone or by email. Replies can take up to a day.
• Rates are per room, not per person. The small double is for one person only.
• If you would like a quieter night, ask how the bar's hours fit your dates.