Two friends bidding to open a new bar hosting live bands hope it will attract people from all over Kent and revive the world’s first “music town”.

Earlier this year, John Biggs and Simon Lock saw their plans to bring The Dracula Parrot to Dover rejected by councillors - but now they are trying again, eight miles along the coast in Folkestone.

They have applied for a premises licence at the former Leas Lift Lockout escape rooms building in Sandgate Road, where punk, rock, metal, ska and goth acts would take to the stage.

It comes as popular Folkestone music venue The Chambers prepares to close on December 7.

Bosses there previously told KentOnline they had “never been quieter”, with social changes, lockdowns and the cost of living among the factors to blame.

But Mr Biggs and Mr Lock insist The Dracula Parrot can be a success in Folkestone, which five years ago was named a “music town”. This means the area has formally recognised music as an asset to boost economic growth, tourism, health and wellbeing.

Over the years, the town has hosted gigs from some of the world’s biggest bands, including Fleetwood Mac and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, with Folkestone resident Noel Redding playing the bass guitar for the latter.

Mr Biggs told KentOnline: “I’m very sad to see The Chambers is closing. They did a brilliant job and in an ideal world we’d be working together to help revive the scene in Folkestone.

“It is supposed to be a music town and I don’t feel it's living up to its name at the moment.

“It’s no secret that the town centre is struggling at the moment. Our aim is to bring more people here.

“We want to see people travelling from all over the county to Folkestone for a night out again.”

In June, councillors unanimously rejected the pair’s plans for The Dracula Parrot to open in Snargate Street, Dover, describing it as a good business but in the wrong location.

It came after residents in the area feared they would be “forced to listen to rock music late into the night”.

Referencing a classic comedy sketch, one of the protesters quipped: “In the words of Monty Python, this is a deceased parrot.”

But Mr Lock said at the time: “This parrot will always rise again.”

Speaking this week, he told KentOnline: “There seems to be a real need for something like this in Folkestone.

“It’s something we are both incredibly passionate about.”

Mr Biggs added: “We really want to support local bands who play their own music.

“The problem is people aren't coming out anymore because not much is being offered. This is something we want to change in the area.

“If we can get the students coming down and supporting the area as well that would be amazing.

“Folkestone is a historical music town and we want to make it stand out.”

Mr Lock confirmed that live music would be played in the basement of the Sandgate Road venue.

“There are two floors in between the basement and we will be putting some sort of soundproofing up on the bottom floor,” he said.

“We want to work together with local people and we don't anticipate that it will be an issue.

“Everyone we have spoken with has been incredibly supportive.

The duo, who both currently work in IT, say the bar would be “reasonably priced”.

They aim to be open seven days a week from 11am to 11pm on Monday to Thursday and 11am to midnight on weekends.

If their bid is approved by Folkestone and Hythe District Council, they hope to open the bar in the early part of 2025 with live music being played on weekends.

If successful, this could also be included on weekdays.