It is the reason the cafe owners donate instruments to city youngsters, who would not otherwise be able to afford them. 

A musician for 40 years, Mr Gibson said he wanted to share his passion for music with the rest of Wagga and the launch of Rhythm and Rhyme had provided a platform to do that. 

“I was brought up with music,” Mr Gibson said. “I love music and we both think anyone who has an interest in music should be able to learn.”

But with the cost of living going up all the time, he said many families could not afford the price tag that came with learning to play any instrument that was not a triangle or plastic recorder. 

To offset the expense, Mr Gibson and his wife, Julie set out to purchase secondhand instruments at low cost, passing them on to someone deserving.  

“We’re doing a push for anyone with an unwanted instrument to either donate or sell for a reasonable price,” he said. “We’re paying for them, but we’ve got a business to run too.” 

Residents can then write to the owners and share the story of a child or teen, who wants and deserves a chance to learn and own an instrument. 

“We’ve got a guitar in the window at the moment, that will be donated to a child,” he said. “Whoever the recipient is just has to come back in three months to show they’ve been practising and they can keep it.”

He said the only other condition was that the instrument not be sold on.

Mr Gibson said wanted to create a business that went beyond the flake and flathead, so he and Julie combined bricks and mortar with a love of music.

“There’s a saying: music soothes the savage beast,” he said. “It is a great calming influence … I just think it’s important in life in general.”

He said anyone with an instrument was welcome to come and play in the shop, or bash out a tune on the cafe’s own guitar and keyboard.

“We don’t pay our performers,” Mr Gibson said. “But we can feed them and take care of them and provide a safe space to play and busk.”