A POPULAR music venue in Newport has been bought by a company that supports grassroots music and is looking to secure the venue’s future and bring more people to the city centre.
Le Pub has been a cornerstone of Newport’s music scene since opening in 1992.
Today, Friday, January 10, Music Venue Properties (MVP) announced it has bought the pub as part of its mission to safeguard grassroots music venues across the UK.
Samantha Dabb, manager of Le Pub, said: “We are very excited to be part of the Music Venue Properties family of owned venues. Having a landlord who is as passionate about live music as we are, will make a massive difference to us and guarantee the venue’s future in Newport.”
Music Venues Properties set up their #OwnOurVenues initiative in 2022, which focuses on removing grassroots music venues from vulnerable commercial leases by placing them into community ownership.
“It’s been a long and complicated process, but we got there, and Music Venue Properties have been amazing every step,” said Ms Dabb.
With the hope of guaranteeing more footfall in the city centre, the move has been met with enthusiasm from other local businesses in Newport.
“It’s nice to see Le Pub doing well. It’s really positive for Newport,” said Pea Robins, who works at the nearby Murenger Pub.
“Hopefully it brings more people into town,” said Sue Reynolds, the manager at another nearby pub, Slippin Jimmy’s, who said footfall has decreased since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“People are spending more time at home so hopefully this gets more people into Newport,” said Ms Reynolds.
The takeover was supported from the Community Ownership Fund including £250,000 given last year to buy Le Pub.
Ms Dabb said Le Pub has already benefitted from the pilot scheme, saying: “In the two and a half years since we applied to the MVP pilot scheme, we have grown our staff and increased our live offering.
“We have also built a practice room and studio in the basement which enables us to support the Newport music scene even more.”
The takeover could mean positive changes to the venue in the future too.
“Now that we are secure in the long-term future of the venue, we’d love to look at renovating the upper floors of the building so we can open them for our community to use,” said Ms Dabb.
Matthew Otridge, chief operating officer of Music Venue Properties, said: “I’m grateful to be a part of this amazing story and look forward now to working alongside Le Pub and its community of investors to help realise its vision for the rest of the building.”
The move is another boost for Newport’s storied live music scene, following the opening of the Corn Exchange in March, 2024.
Le Pub is MVP’s second venue purchase in Wales.
Newport Council leader Dimitri Batrouni said: “This is absolutely fantastic news for Le Pub and the city. We know that music has played, and continues to play, an integral role in the life of the city.”