Legendary Newport venue TJ’s is to close, it was confirmed in the South Wales Argus on Monday.
The club had run into cash flow difficulties as a result of the recession, leading to owner Jon Sciolo injecting money from his pension fund into the venue in an attempt to keep it afloat. Sciolo had owned TJ’s since 1973, and the venue has played host to the likes of Hole, Oasis and the Manics in its almost 40-year history.
Following 66-year-old Sciolo’s death last month, his daughter has been advised by solicitors to sell the club, which has long been regarded as a key venue on the UK’s toilet circuit.
“I have done everything in my power to try and keep my dad’s pride and joy open,” wrote Sciolo’s daughter, Leanne, on the club’s Facebook group. “Unfortunately, TJ’s was in more financial difficulty than we all thought, and when I sat down with the figures it was impossible for me to carry on.”
All gigs at the venue had been postponed following Sciolo’s death, and it is not yet known whether these will be rescheduled to different venues or cancelled. An open-air tribute gig to Sciolo will continue as planned on July 10.