Live music is making a comeback in Ottery St Mary, with the reopening of the King of Clubs at the King’s Arms on Friday, December 10.

There will be an evening of alternative rock with two local bands, The Supermercados and Bag That Weasel, and further gigs are planned there next year.

The King of Clubs is a self-contained music venue in what was originally the pub’s coaching stables. It has a bar, stage area, lights, a projector and a PA system, and can hold 150 people.

It used to hold regular gigs, but in recent years the number dwindled, and then the Covid pandemic put an end to live shows and social gatherings.

Now the landlord wants to put the venue back on the live music map and The Supermercados will be helping to promote it, as well as performinng on the opening night.

David Knox from the band said: “My family have lived in Ottery for a decade and The Supermercados are delighted to be involved in the re-opening of the King of Clubs.

“When we were offered the chance to be part of bringing live music back to Ottery, we jumped at it! We’re hoping to make the most of our launch event and start running regular live music events in partnership with the Kings, for the local community.”

The pub’s landlord James Kirkness said: “The Kings Arms has been in Ottery for hundreds of years and I’ve been the landlord since 2017.

“There used to be regular live music here years ago, but there hasn’t been any in Ottery for a long time. So we’re hoping to be part of bringing live music back to the Kings by re-opening our venue.

“A buzz has already started to build and tickets started selling the day the 10th December launch was announced. This shows that there is an unfulfilled appetite for live music in Ottery, so I’d advise people to buy tickets now to avoid disappointment.”

Doors open at 7.30pm and entry is £5. Only 150 tickets are available for the concert, so booking in advance is recommended. Tickets can be purchased from the bar at the Kings Arms or online at the band's website.