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Halfmoon's live music off the menu as brewery plans new gastropub
Katharine Barney, City Hall Reporter26.11.09
One of London's last independent live music venues could end performances after nearly 50 years.
The Halfmoon in Putney has hosted bands since 1963 including performances by The Rolling Stones, U2, Badly Drawn Boy and Kasabian.
But the recession has seen takings fall by 20 per cent and an increase in business rates and doubling of rent has led to the tenants falling into debt.
Now the landlord, Young's brewery, has told manager James Harris that he must leave the pub by 31 January. It is likely to be turned into a more profitable gastropub by another of Young's tenants.
Mr Harris said: "We are at the grass roots of live music and the Halfmoon is an engine room for rising bands throughout the UK, who are now running out of quality venues to play."
Wandsworth council leader Edward Lister added his support for the venue. He said: "We're proud to have the Half- moon in our borough. It's like the boat race: it puts Putney on the map. It would be devastating if it became the latest victim of the recession."
A spokesman for Young's said it had done all it could to continue to work with Mr Harris and had spent £200,000 on refurbishment.
Reader views (12)
Breweries used to be part of the community but are rarely so these days. Youngs should see the Half Moon for what it is, a superb music venue that is a great advert for the well run local as well, serving good beer with friendly staff and introducing Young's beers to those who might otherwise not know them. These sentiments cut little ice with accountants and business school types so show them the way they understand; if the Half Moon closes, boycott the beer and Young's pubs. Let's use Fuller's pubs and Wetherspoon's pubs instead.
- Chris Meyer, London, England
Always enjoy travelling to the 'moon', more people go to the gigs there than stay in the bar. It did have a lick of paint a couple of years ago, but 200k worth, no way. Hope Youngs listen to the punters.
Great venue, long may it play. Roll on Hank [ 20th ].
- Peter King, lymington hampshire uk.
just want to add support to what has already been said by everyone, i,m a musician currently living in London and had heard of the fullmoon long before i set eyes on it.
What planet are these people on ??? Doubling someones rent! and the council putting up business rates IN THE MIDDLE OF A RECESSION. They should at the very leased freeze them if not cut them to help the tenants through the recesssion. It,s such a very sad sign of the times,don,t these people enjoy Music, Beer,do they not have any affection for anything else other than money????
I,m far from jingoistic but i think it,s time for a bit of bulldog spirit and stand up TOGETHER and say NO to yet more erosion of what we love and hold dear, Good Luck to The Moon and all the management and staff.
- Herbie Hancox, Staffordshire
And what about poor Hank Wangford?
Where will he play now?
Mark, Ruislip
- Mark O'Loughlin, Rusilip, England
I can't believe Young's could be so short-sighted to fail to recognise the significance of this place. Making it completely generic is never going to attract more customers than it gets at the moment. Surely it would be better to keep the legacy going and use its provenance and iconic reputation as a selling point?
I don't really need to go into the shocking disappearance of basically the entire independent music scene, and I don't need to reiterate what an astonishing life this little venue has had.
But if we remove the live music it may as well close completely. I'd rather see it go out with its head held high than have it fall prey to complete corporate lobotomy.
- Laurence Owen, London, England
This might sound daft but the Half Moon has been visited by me more than any other pub in London... to turn it into yet another food house would be a travesty indeed, London is plagued by far too many food houses as it is.
The problem is as far as I see it there are too many spotty faced erks fresh out of the university of depression who are trying to make an immediate impression for their employers only see today for a result and they are not looking into the future.
They have probably never even seen the place and, therefore, have no idea what service it provides for the community and beyond.
It is time the public stood upto these faceless organisations, don't wait until tomorrow do it today... dont let someone else voice your concerns voice your concerns yourself lethargy in a situation like this is fatal for the outcome you want!
A huge facebook campaign has been started and is gathering a lot of speed with over a thousand people signing up for the fight to date and more signing daily.
If you still have not got the message, this is yet another stab in the heart for the future of the music business in the UK without this platform the only hope for musicians in the UK would be if Simon Cowell likes you because it will be the X-factor route only... god help us if it ends up like that... That is not an option that is suicide!
Maybe for once the brewery will listen to reason instead of blundering on against public opinion.
So come on folks sign up for a good cause!
- Nik, Nw11, Hendon
This is one of the best venues for live music around, and people come from miles around - we go regularly from Berkshire. There is a group on Facebook where people can leave comments and help fight to save this wonderful, historical venue.
- Jane Armstrong, Bracknell, Berks
Another music venue closing due to the greed and lack of foresight from the owners.
We've already lost the Hammersmith Palais and the Astoria. These places are where new bands learn their craft and gain their fanbase. Without venues like these we are killing off our live music industry.
Shame on you Youngs.
- Dave J, Poole, Dorset
This is a real shame. Of course music venues will spring up in East London but losing the Half Moon will be another boring gentrification of West London and a dreadful blow to Putney. This area needs a new Gastropub like Oxford street needs a new bendy-bus..
What a dull mentality... swap live music, and a venue that has hosted the Rolling Stones for a bucket of grey paint and a menu with chicken in a kumquat jus for £17.95??
While I am on the point, every time I pass the old Young's Brewery site in Wandsworth I shudder at the prospect of those wonderful buildings being turned into another "Sarfside" shopping centre due to Youngs bailing out of this area, their heritage..
Meanwhile I shall continue to drink Fullers London Pride and shall seriously consider moving East !!
- Bill, putney
Gastropubs are currently fashionable but there are a lot of them in Putney and round about. Music venues like the Half Moon are less common but when I was last there 10 days ago (to see Andy Fairweather-Low)the place was rammed with lots of beer being sold, which should be good news for a brewery-owned pub.
- Robert Hadfield, London, UK
200k on the refurb... i don't think so, and if youngs think we are falling for that, they had better think again. They are the downfall of this most iconic of Pubs. Shame on them for making things worsre when things are already bad enough...
If the Moon closes they will have closed the door on many an up and coming band, as well as the drinkers the staff and not to mention the landlords who have worked so hard to make the Half Moon the historic pub that it is today... This truely is sad news.
- Cathy, London
This is my local, it is one of the few "locals" left in the area. Can't believe they can do this, it's bad enough with the gentrification of the whole of the rest of the area. Plus I would love to know where the brewery had spent £200k on a refurb. Gareth and his team of bar staff are excellent. A travesty......
- Rob, Putney
