The Latest Music Bar bought by Brighton music college WaterBear

Brighton-based music college WaterBear has acquired The Latest Music Bar, an independent venue which has long been a cornerstone of the city’s live music scene.

Previously known as the Joogleberry Playhouse, the bar has welcomed the likes of Amy Winehouse, The Kooks and Chris Difford of Squeeze.

Adam Bushell, co-founder and CEO of WaterBear has shared plans for the venue’s future – starting with a rebrand to The WaterBear Venue.

The basement is set to remain a dedicated live music space hosting a diverse range of gigs and events, while the ground floor will feature a bar and intimate performance area.

WaterBear students will also be able to access to the venue for classes, rehearsals, performances and stagecraft development.

The bar will complement the college’s existing venue on Brighton seafront.

Bruce Dickinson, fellow WaterBear co-founder, said: “It’s incredible to think that we now have two live music venues in the city.

“It’s so important to ensure we don’t lose these spaces.

“We recently launched the Keeping Music Live Campaign with the Music Venue Trust to highlight the crisis facing independent venues across the UK.

“We want to encourage young people to go out and support their local music venues.

“These are the places where the magic happens – where talent and careers take shape and where artists, bands and songwriters grow and mature to the point of making great records.”