THE future of a popular Winchester watering hole looks safe for now after raising more than £11,000 so far through a crowdfunding campaign.

The Railway Inn, on St Paul’s Hill, Fulflood, launched a fight to stave off closure, and owner Dan Lloyd said he is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community.

One of the longest running independent music venues in the city, described by singer songwriter Frank Turner as “the only venue in town and still is” it has been a consistent source of emerging new talent in the town for decades.

However, the pub, a popular music venue, has been forced to turn to crowdfunding in the hope of securing £31,900 to guarantee its long term future, with £10,000 needed for the immediately future.

So far the campaign has raised just over £11,100.

Dan said: “It’s incredibly hard for us to make a return some nights because we subsidise 90 per cent of the smaller shows in order to nurture talent in the town.”

The ultimate aim of the appeal is to put the Railway Inn in a position to to help build a more stable music scene in Winchester.

Dan added: “It there’s only one place it makes it very vulnerable and more likely to fail. We have been working with the Hyde Tavern and Willow Tree to take music and local bands to different audiences in the city.”

Dan remains positive about the venue’s future, thanks mainly to the generosity of the community that surrounds it.He said: “Over the years we have had all sorts of problems but it’s almost a case of ‘build it and they will come’.

“Whenever we need something, the community provides.

“As part of the crowdfunding campaign we wanted to raise cash for a modern mixing desk for our smaller attic venue.

“We have just installed a nice new Yamaha desk that someone sent us in the post.”

Among the famous singers to have pledged their support to the campaign, running until May 13, are Frank Turner, German ‘synthwaver’ Nina and Luke Concannon of Nizlopi.

  • David Bell, 37, a self-employed market researcher from Clifton Road, said: “I absolutely love The Railway, I’m a regular visitor. They do an awful lot to support up and coming acts and bands, it’s a really friendly atmosphere. It’s got a family feel.”

  • Catherine Day, 27, a pensions worker from central Southampton, said: “I love it. I think it’s really great Winchester has an alternative venue. It has a friendly, chilled atmosphere.”

  • Jamie Naik, 20, a trainee actuary from Eastleigh, said: “We come here sometimes for socials. It’s a nice venue, nice to have something different. It has a laid back atmosphere.”