Crossbeats - Link-Up Coffee Bar (Burton-on-Trent)

"Link-Up" Coffee Bar
Burton-on-Trent

I am not sure whether we ever played at the Link-Up Coffee Bar in Burton-on-Trent, but it may be one of those that are missing from the bookings page. In November 2004, I received the following e-mails from Robert Young in Germany. They have been edited slightly.

12 November 2004

Hi Eddie

You forgot to mention Link-up coffee bar in Burton-on-Trent which I helped to set up. The Crossbeats came to some events I think. It really was a big start to my evangelistic ministry. Now I live in Germany doing prison ministry. Our church also has a coffee bar work where I now work and we get far more visitors than in the day of Link-up. Some very important personalities got saved through Link-up such as Nick Pettingale who later led Youth for Christ in the Midlands.

Yours in Christ

Robert Young

15 November 2004

Dear Eddie

Link-up coffee bar existed between 1967 and 1971 and was held in different venues in Burton including the swimming baths. Finally we rented and renovated a building behind the ten-pin bowling. I created a mural painting on a wall in the building. I was pretty sure that the Crossbeats came a few times but maybe there were also copy groups. Amongst Christian songs, also songs like "Nowhere Man" were sung. I was only around 16 during this time but it changed my life learning to witness and lead people to the Lord.

Now I am also working in a cafe work in my church in Germany where we get sometimes 50 young people in an evening who never go to church. I also do prison ministry in Germany. But everything started with my involvement in Link-up in the old days. A man called Dave Guyett was the leader of the work (edited). The work folded up soon after I left Burton to go to university.

Yours in Jesus

Robert Young

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