NEWS: The Loft to close - final gigs announced

HUGHELY popular Cambridge venue, The Loft, will close at the end of August. It is being taken over by the Barfly chain who will reopen the venue in due course. The Loft, situated above the Graduate pub in Cambridge, has been responsible for giving many

HUGHELY popular Cambridge venue, The Loft, will close at the end of August.

It is being taken over by the Barfly chain who will reopen the venue in due course.

The Loft, situated above the Graduate pub in Cambridge, has been responsible for giving many new bands an opportunity to play live for the first time, and for giving the more established bands a good venue to play.

Last summer, there was an all-day concert called Save The Loft which it did - for one more year.

But financial restraints have finally ended the hard work put in by promoter brother and sister partnership Jo and Roy Tomkins. The venue, in its present form, will close on August 27 with the last gig on August 25. The next month and a half will see many bands playing at the Loft for the last time.

Jo says: " I'd like to get as many of the great bands we've had play in the last two years come back and do one last show for us. We're also planning on doing a couple of all-dayers possibly on August 18 and 25 and go out with a bang."

As soon as we get the full listings for the final gigs we'll let you know who's playing, and also any more news about the re-opening of the venue as the Barfly.

RICHARD PAUL