A DEDICATED music venue in the town centre has closed after just six months.

Live Bar in Barbauld Street launched with the intention of providing more opportunities for emerging bands and artists from visiting performers on the touring circuit to Warrington groups learning their craft.

Earlestown's The Ks were among the bands who performed there as part of a launch party for Aurora, the four-piece's first single on Creation23 – the record label run by Alan McGee, the man who discovered Oasis.

The bar, formerly Rag and Bone, was also recently home to a number of pop-up exhibitions thanks to a partnership between Womanstanley's Sophie New and the venue's managers Joe and Lindsay Hatton.

Warrington Guardian:

A statement on Live Bar's Facebook page announced the closure on Tuesday.

It said: "With heavy hearts we have to announce that the Live Bar's doors have shut for the final time. We’re doing our very best to re-home any gigs that have been booked, unfortunately some are just too short notice to move elsewhere.

"Any and all tickets bought for re-homed events will be valid. Others will be re-funded by Skiddle once we have confirmed the cancellation.

"Thank you to everyone who came down to support live music over the past few months, it was something special and something completely different for the town. You all made Live Bar the sociable, creative hub that it was.

"Thank you to all the bands who came and played their hearts out every week, without you there would of been nothing to begin with. And thank you to all of our staff who worked extremely hard to make the the place a welcoming and warm venue for all."

READ MORE > Inside the town centre's new dedicated live music venue in Barbauld Street

Lee Harman, who runs the grassroots music platform Warrington Music, was due to bring Birchwood's Man and The Echo to Live Bar on December 14. The gig will now be taking place at The Auction Rooms in Legh Street.

He added: "It’s an incredible shame that Live Bar has shut. It had started to establish a reputation for bringing great bands to the town and had created a sense of community among music fans.

"The nature of live music is it ebbs and flows and takes time to bed into the circuit as a place for great music. It’s unfortunate that it’s not had the opportunities it deserved as it was one of the very best stages in the town.

"Simply put, it was the only place in Warrington with a fixed sound and lighting system set up for bands and artists and that will be a huge loss.

"Everybody who has been involved throughout its time being open are passionate about music and wanted it to succeed. I hope it doesn’t end up as flats."

Live Bar opened in the wake of the closure of Old Town House in Buttermarket Street. The DIY venue – which was home to Warrington's alternative scene – closed in April due to financial challenges.