It's the end of an era for one Blackpool pub this weekend, as it hosts its last rock gig before closing its doors for a complete change of image.

The Belle Vue, Whitegate Drive, will rock to the sound of Oscar's Park on Saturday night (February 11), before closing for a month long transformation into a food-focused 'community pub'.

Out will go live music and Sky television, in will come more pub food and a family focus, along the lines of nearby Sizzling Pub Co site, The Raikes Hall Hotel, Liverpool Road.

The Victorian built Belle Vue has been a leading live music venue in Blackpool for many years, and many local rock fans and musicians were shocked to find they'd be losing their popular ground floor venue.

The pub even achieved celebrity status when pop icon Robbie Williams shot part of the video for his hit, Advertising Space, in the landlord's upstairs flat. Some fans claimed the star chose the venue specifically because his singer father had performed there years before.

Despite its brand change, the pub will still be owned by leading UK pub firm, Mitchells and Butlers, which owns several Blackpool pubs, including two other Whitegate Drive venues, the No 3 and The Saddle.

But a spokeswoman for Mitchells and Butlers said the brewery didn't want live music fans to lose out.

"I know there's been some local comment about the fact that this venue has been known for live bands," she said.

"The live bands are still going to continue, but at another of our Blackpool pubs, The Royal Oak, on Lytham Road. We are hoping that customers will enjoy seeing bands there, and I know The Royal Oak are very much looking forward to it."

She said: "We do look at our pubs from time to time, and sometimes take the decision to rebrand them."

The investment in the Belle Vue will bring a change of decor, a new, larger menu, and more outdoor seating. But the venue would not lose its 'pub atmosphere' she said. And the car park, which will shut during the revamp, will re-open with the pub in mid-March.

The spokeswoman added: "People will still be able to watch the sport, and there'll be things like quizzes for everyone to enjoy. The important thing is, the Belle Vue is going to remain a pub in the community."