Legendary music venue Thomas Tripp set to close doors after 21 years

THE landlord of Lymington’s legendary live music venue The Thomas Tripp has announced he is closing its doors after 21 years in the town.

The independent public house at the top of the high street on Stanford Road made its name by putting on top local bands and artists, along with its fresh and rustic food offerings, locally sourced drinks selection and large beer garden.

Now landlord Jon Burdge has decided to bid the Tripp farewell after running the business for more than two decades, and saddened regulars have described it as “the end of an era”.

Jon told the A&T: “The pub has reached the end of its 21-year lease and the fact the end was coming up made me really start to think. I am now 51 and I thought that it had been one hell of a chapter and maybe it was time for me to start a new one.

“I have always felt that this place has been about a collective. It has been the wonderful people that have worked for me over the years, it’s been the talented bands, and predominantly our amazing customers that has made the pub so great.

”Without all of those, it would be utterly meaningless and I have loved every single last minute of it.

“The place is so personal to me and I have never regarded myself as some great entrepreneur, I just do what I like doing. It’s been such an important little pub in the community and I feel like the best people to judge us and give an overview of the pub are the people, not me or the pub itself.”

Jon said the pub would likely close while on the market, but did not know when, adding: “I would really love for it to continue serving the community as a pub once it is sold.”

Local musicians whose roots go back to the pub have approached the Tripp to play send-off gigs, such as The Dodge Brothers who started there nearly 20 years ago, and punk rock band The Peeping Toms, who were formed back in 1982 by a group of ex-Lymington school boys who will be performing on 5th October.

Jon said: “I have been inundated with requests from local live bands who love paying here who said to me ‘can we come and do one more gig to say goodbye’ which is really lovely.”

Lymington residents posted on Facebook of their sadness after learning of the fate of the pub.

One said: “Such a shame, great pub and great landlord,” while a second added: “We will miss them for sure, and their amazing Sunday roasts.”

Another said: “End of an era! Spent many a fabulous night in there.”