|
|
 |
| |
Bull and Gate landlady Margaret Lynskey admits she will miss the famous pub when she moves out |
Is Bull and Gate set for an encore?
Fears for live music scene as pub venue that launched careers of stars goes up for sale
FOR nearly 30 years it has been a must-do venue for up and coming rock ’n’ rollers and has seen some of the biggest names in British music perform in its back room.
But the New Journal can exclusively reveal that the Bull and Gate, the iconic pub and music venue in Highgate Road, is up for sale.
Landlords Pat and Margaret Lynskey, who have run the pub for three decades, are retiring and looking for a new owner who will stay true to the pub’s live music tradition.
The Bull and Gate, which is Grade-II listed, has given leg-ups into rock stardom for the likes of Blur, Young Knives, Manic Street Preachers, PJ Harvey, Suede and Ash. Other top British acts who have appeared include Coldplay, Keane, British Sea Power, Muse and The Libertines.
Ms Lynskey said: “It was a hard decision after such a long time, but we have both decided now is the time to retire.”
The couple both hail from County Mayo in Ireland, but met in London and became landlords of the Pegasus in Stoke Newington before taking on the Bull and Gate.
Ms Lynskey added: “I’ll miss chatting with the customers. We have made some good friends.”
She admitted being at heart a country music fan. She says she will also miss the bands that have helped put the place on the map.
“We have seen some great bands here and it is nice to have been the place so many have played before they became well known,” Ms Lynskey said.
“We’re proud that the Bull and Gate is now on the musical roadmap. We started here in the early years with Hampstead Theatre putting on some performances and then we had a Saturday night residency with jazz band Morrisey Mullen for many years before we started putting on other bands.
“It’s been a great life. We’ve served them beer and we’ve listened to them play. However, now it’s time for us to step back and let someone else take it on.”
She added: “We want someone who will continue to build on the traditions of the Bull and Gate as a community mainstay and a must-play musical venue for singers and bands.”
Former Blur drummer Dave Rowntree said yesterday (Wednesday): “London venues are hard places for young bands to perform at – they have notoriously hard crowds. But the Bull and Gate had its own audience. With the Bull, you could always be guaranteed a crowd would show up who wanted to hear good music. A venue like that brings people in – it is like a collectable record label.
“For some time it was hard to make a living out of music venues, but the live scene is flourishing again now. Let us hope whoever buys it does the right thing and keeps it as it is.”
Time Out music editor Eddy Lawrence said the sale was a chance for the Mayor of London to put his money where his mouth is after Ken Livingstone this week published a report pledging to support music venues.
Mr Lawrence said: “This would be one of the first tests of the Greater London Authority’s new policy.
“It would be nice to see the Bull and Gate remain its scruffy yet loveable self and Camden does need some nice venues of that size in order to support its local emerging scene.
“Whoever takes it on is sitting on a goldmine.” |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
