A charity which champions grassroots music venues has voiced its sorrow at the closure of a Calderdale pub.

The Music Venue Trust – which works to protect, secure and improve grassroots venues – said The Blind Pig’s contribution to Calderdale’s music scene, and the opportunities it has created for artists and audiences, “deserve to be recognised and celebrated”.

As previously reported by the Courier, the pub on Tower Hill in Sowerby Bridge – which has hosted many, many bands – will shut on November 14.

Landlady Julie Hall has been running The Blind Pig for the last 12 years but has said “it’s time to say goodbye”.

The Blind Pig in Sowerby Bridge is closing later this month.

placeholder image — The Blind Pig in Sowerby Bridge is closing later this month.

The Music Venue Trust paid tribute to her and the rest of her team.

"For more than a decade, the venue has been an important part of Calderdale’s live music scene, providing a stage for local and touring artists and a place for audiences to experience music together,” the charity posted.

'It's time to say goodbye': 'Heartbreaking' loss of Calderdale pub and music ven...

"Julie has spoken openly about her efforts to find someone to continue running The Blind Pig as a music venue, and her disappointment that this has not been possible.

"What makes this loss particularly difficult is that the value of the venue to its community is not in question.

"The Blind Pig has spent years supporting live music, building relationships with performers and creating opportunities for people to come together around music.

“Yet that history, and the commitment of the people behind it, have not been enough to secure its continuation.

"The closure is another reminder of how vulnerable grassroots music venues remain, and why protecting them requires more than recognising their importance once they’re at risk.

“The sector needs the long-term security and conditions that allow dedicated operators to pass these spaces on to the next generation.

"We want to acknowledge the extraordinary commitment Julie and her team have shown to grassroots music over the past 12 years.

"Running a venue demands an enormous amount of personal dedication, often far beyond what audiences see.

"The Blind Pig’s contribution to Calderdale’s music scene, and the opportunities it has created for artists and audiences, deserve to be recognised and celebrated.

"Thank you to Julie and everyone who has helped make the venue such an important part of Sowerby Bridge’s music community.”