Pressure is mounting on Young’s brewery to reconsider plans to potentially close Putney’s iconic Half Moon pub as a live music venue.

Hundreds have lent their support to a campaign to preserve the legendary pub as one of London’s last independent live music venues.

Last week we revealed how the pub, which has been running since 1963, could be forced to close in January due to the recession.

Falling custom has resulted in the tenant owing money to the landlord, Young’s.

The pub has been a launchpad for hundreds of up-and-coming stars since the 1960s, including the Rolling Stones, U2, Kasabian, Small Faces, Wombats, Newton Faulkner, Natasha Bedingfield and Jamie Archer of X Factor. Manager James Harris is due to have a crunch meeting with the brewery today (Wednesday) to discuss his future at the pub.

In response to rumours the venue could be turned into a gastropub, Young’s said it would be up to the next tenant to decide what to do with the venue.

Mr Harris said on Tuesday: “Young’s seems to have backtracked. It’s now putting the onus on the tenant over what its future function will be.

“I dispute the figure they claim I owe them. Ironically, business has picked up since the story broke a couple of weeks ago.”

Martin Glover, music producer and founding member and bassist of the band Killing Joke, says new bands need launchpads like the Half Moon.

The Wandsworth-based musician, who works under the name Youth, said: “It would be incredibly sad to see a venue like this be turned into a gastropub, not least because of the fantastic history associated with it.

“This news has ruffled a lot of feathers in the music industry. Lots of people, including some well-known faces, are opposed to this.”

A Young’s spokesman said: “Young’s has worked extensively with Mr Harris over the past 24 months to help him manage his debts and business more effectively.

“Sadly, Mr Harris has allowed his financial position to worsen to the extent that he now owes us more than £100,000.

“Despite this, we have worked hard to maintain an open and constructive dialogue with him on how best to remedy this situation.”

Mr Harris has been told he must leave the pub by January 31, 2010.

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