Popular bar set to close

5:36pm Wednesday 17th September 2008

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A BASINGSTOKE bar at the centre of the town's live music scene is set to close.

The Light Lounge, in London Street, will hold its last night of live music on September 27 with a 12-hour charity gig.

Landlord Derek Green, who opened the venue 16 months ago, said the strain of working behind the bar had taken its toll.

He told The Gazette: "My health has suffered in the past eight months and it is time to move on to pastures new.

"We have held our own in a difficult financial market and we are proud of what we have done here to regenerate a strong Basingstoke music scene."

He said he told staff the news on Sunday (Sept 14), and has since told DJs and bands that had been booked to play at the venue after the closing date.

The 42-year-old added: "It has been very tough to manage and run the business on my own. I will take a couple of months off first to de-stress and during that time I will consider my options."

He also revealed the bar had been close to bringing in Dirty Pretty Things, fronted by Carl Barat, former member of The Libertines and former pupil of Testbourne Community School, for a gig in October.

He said: "The deal was 95 per cent done but we were waiting for their management to confirm it. If it had been done before Sunday then I would have stayed open until then, but it would have still been my intention to close."

The bar, owned by Admiral Taverns, opened in May last year, occupying the London Street building which had been closed for a year.

Laurence Hoare, who organised the Three on Thursday night at the Light Lounge, paid tribute to the venue.

He said: "I'm gutted really - I have had some great times in there.

"It was the hub of the Basingstoke music scene. It was the essential place for anybody involved or interested in music to go to because they had such a great variety of acts."

He added: "Derek has been entirely responsible for regenerating the music scene in this town."

On September 27, the Light Lounge will host a 12-hour gig for the Sam Wharton Memorial Trust - the charity set up in memory of the rock and blues musician from Basingstoke who died earlier this year.

The event will last from 2pm to 2am, and will feature music from local bands in one-hour slots.