FOR years it has been a mainstay of the city’s music scene.

Hundreds of musicians from across the county have all played at Southampton’s Bent Brief pub including the likes of jazz musician Gordon Haskell and current Southampton rockers Band of Skulls (below).

Daily Echo:

Now the music could be about to stop for good as joint landlords Andy Wade and Maureen Evans call last orders for the final time.

They decided against renewing the lease on the pub in Lodge Road, which is owned by Punch Taverns.

The firm has told the Daily Echo it is in advanced talks over the Bent Brief’s sale but could not confirm whether or not it was likely to remain a pub.

Regulars fear it is likely the Bent Brief will join a long list of Southampton pubs to be lost for ever.

Since Andy took over the pub in 1998 – and Maureen joined him a year later – the pair have put their stamp on the popular watering hole and turned it into a lively music venue.

Every evening the sound of jazz, blues and various genres of music as well as laughter when the pub holds fundraising pantomimes can be heard Its musical heritage can be found throughout with posters on the wall as well as a mural depicting jazz players that used to play in the Joiners pub more than 20 years ago.

Andy and Maureen are sad to be leaving but felt that the time was right to call it a day.

Mr Wade said: “Our lease is up and we had to make a decision whether to stay or go.

“We thought about staying for a bit and Punch Taverns offered us that chance but we thought it was not financially viable, so we decided that would be the end and we would call it a day.

“We will be looking forward to having a rest and thinking about different things, but obviously we will miss it and it is sad for the customers and musicians who will miss playing here.”

One of the regular musicians who play at the Bent Brief every month is Arnie Cottrell, who plays acoustic roots in a trio with Graham Bushell and Rick Foot.

He said: “Andy and Maureen have done more for live music than just about anyone. There is not going to be a place like the Bent Brief anymore where music is put on every night of the week.

“We will not have the likes of the Bent Brief again; it is a sad day for Southampton.”

A closing date for the pub is not yet known – but it will be within the next two months.

A statement from Punch Taverns said that the pub was one they had already earmarked for sale and the company was in advanced negotiations with an “individual purchaser”.

A spokesman for the firm said: “Following a number of discussions, the current licensees at the Bent Brief decided not to renew their lease at the point of expiry.

“As the pub was one we had already earmarked for sale at some point, the pub was placed on the open market and we are currently in advanced negotiations with an individual purchaser. At this point, those negotiations will remain private and confidential.”