Back in September 2020 we headed to The Crypt on Birley Street, an attraction that somehow managed to open during the worst of times but fast forward 3 years later and the owner and the attraction have moved one door down. The same premise in a much more fitting premises, we bring you our Scream and Shake Horror Cafe review.
Now when we visited The Crypt we mentioned in our review that it was far from finished when we visited, there was so much empty space, racks with clothing on them but nothing of any note other than some wonderful standee horror figures and backgrounds. The unit looked absolutely huge and everything within it looked rather tiny in this large space.
It seems as though the unit next door became available and being much smaller in size they picked up everything that laid within The Crypt, added it into the cafe next door, renamed it, added and bar and now there’s one hell of a place to hangout in Blackpool if you’re a horror fan.
Scream and Shake Horror Cafe contains lots of horror movie winks and nods from the old school vintage horror posters that line the walls to the figures from the previous building including Nosferatu, Freddy Krueger, Jason, The Mummy and more.
Each figure comes complete with a themed background screwed into the wall and in this smaller space the walls are now covered with theming as opposed to the wide open spaces of the previous unit.
Sofas, fancy chairs and even bar stools make up the variety of seating available at the venue and its narrow layout makes it feel cosy before it opens up at the bottom of the unit for a really relaxing space.
Table service involved the gentleman behind the bar (I wasn’t sure if it was Kurt the previous owner, I haven’t seen him in 3 years and I can barely recognise my own family sometimes) approached us and took our order.
The cafe offers up bubble tea, milkshakes, alcoholic milkshakes, coffees and more and they were ever so affordable. For quite a large milkshake (in themed glasses might I add) it came to £3.50 per milkshake which I thought was an absolute bargain for what you get for your money!
You can see the full Screams and Shakes menu below:
One thing I would say about the menus is that they need laminating instantly, this was the one menu I found that wasn’t either soaking wet or falling apart. A quick laminate over them would do the trick, you’re better than this, this isn’t Wetherspoons!
What I was gutted to find not on the menu was the rather quirky addition of Pot Noodles that the previous place had. I thought it was absolutely genius to have something so random on the menu and with them looking a bit like mashed up brain I’d have personally kept them but served them in skull bowls so you could really indulge in a good ol fashioned British meal right out of the top of someones noggin!
If I see my skull bowl idea at any point in the venue in the future. I want a creative commission. Just saying.
I did see on social media that the cafe was selling food (and still Pot Noodles) but when we were there I didn’t see anything advertising any food whatsoever so I’m not sure if it’s still a thing or not. Might be best to ask behind the bar just to be sure.
Some themed food items would be great too or even hot wings or similar, something that adds a little devilish heat to proceedings or even hot snacks or little challenges people can take part in.
After the affordable drinks arrived at our table we just sat down, listened to the metal music playing in the bar, music videos on the television and just took in the atmosphere.
People were taking selfies with the horror backdrops, Ash from Evil Dead lies waiting in the corridor for anyone wishing to go to the toilet and the place was very busy for a Tuesday early afternoon. I can only imagine how busy it gets in the evening and when events are on.
It’s a great place to get a horror themed photo opportunity and Halloween in Blackpool this place will be THE place to go. If it’s bustling on a grey and moody Tuesday in Blackpool you just know it’ll thrive during October and rightly so!
Whilst absolutely packed full of rockers it never felt like one of those bars where you walk in and everyone turns and stares, the staff were friendly, the atmosphere was very celebratory of everything we were surrounded by and it was that horror community vibe as opposed to angry rocker vibe which was a welcome relief for me in my jeans and Blink 182 T-Shirt.
From the second you walk in and see a Pogo the Clown figure you know you’re in strange yet tongue in cheek company. I’m not quite sure I’d have had John Wayne Gacy (one of America’s most notorious serial killers) greeting me at the door but hey, who am I to judge. I’d have had Ted Bundy at the front instead, he’d lure you in with charm before beating you around the head at least.
Whilst The Crypt next door felt very unfinished Scream and Shake feels well put together. There’s so much more they can add and swap around here and there to really amp up the attraction even more so but it’s at a point aesthetically where its at the owners discretion.
It’s great when you have an attraction that just looks the part and the rest is simply just additions, improvements and tweaks. That’s a good place to be in as an owner and it certainly feels as though the attraction fits the space. It’s much more cosy and welcoming now as a result and a great place to hang out with your friends.
Scream and Shake events include live DJ’s and even retro music events where people are encouraged to dress up in their best 90’s gear or any other era of their choosing and have a cracking night in this wonderful little space.
Unlike the Horror Bar at the exit of Pasaje Del Terror this place is open from 11am to 11pm so out of the two, you know which one is the more reliable!
Blackpool definitely needs more quirky attractions like this. It’s a sorry state just walking through the town lately, it’s never been great and attraction offerings of the independent variety are very limited but it’s getting there, slowly. Hopefully the upcoming Central Development plans come to fruition as Blackpool will certainly start changing for the better and incredible little attractions like this will compliment this tourist hotspot in need of a little sprucing up and quickly!
Whilst the cafe don’t have a website they do have a Facebook page and you can check that out right HERE
