Popular gig venue The Swan in Ipswich closes
A popular music pub which has hosted acts including Ed Sheeran and Mumford & Sons has closed.
The Swan in Ipswich built up a reputation for being one of the main venues for live music in the town, regularly hosting local bands and up-and-coming artists from further afield. The pub, which dates back to the 17th Century, closed on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for Ei Group, which owns the pub, said it was "in talks" about the future of the venue. "We are currently in talks with our partner at The Swan, Ipswich and hope to reach a solution as soon as possible," she said. Along with The Steamboat, Cult and the Smokehouse, The Swan is among a small list of venues in Ipswich offering a stage for local artists performing original music. Ed Sheeran performed there in 2010, treating fans to a post-set show on the street outside, shortly before he started to gain national and international fame. Regular promoters at the pub, along with some bands, were told about the closure on Tuesday. Some already had events booked, and are seeking an alternative venue. Kulk, a two-piece band from Suffolk, recently supported New Yorkers Sharkmuffin at The Swan and were due to play two more shows there. "The owners were really supportive of the local scene and created a very DIY outlook which we are so grateful for," the band said, adding that the closure "reduces the amount of opportunities" open to them. Rapper Scott French said he played The Swan "close to 100 times", and as a promoter brought in hip hop acts from the United States. "It was always a really lively atmosphere - everyone was there to have a good time," he said. "We brought a lot of out-of-town acts to Ipswich, which would never have been possible if it wasn't for The Swan allowing us to do that." The annual Swanfest event gave dozens of local acts the chance to share the bill with artists brought in from outside the town.