One of Bolton’s most popular alternative music venues the Alma Inn has closed its doors for good.

The Bradshawgate pub was served notice by its brewery on Monday giving it 14 days to close up.

The next day the government announced that all bars and restaurants would have to close their doors due to a spike in coronavirus infections in the area, meaning the alternative music venue is now looking for a new home immediately.

The Alma's landlord Mark Simcock has been at the pub for nearly four years.

He says he is “gutted” that the pub has been forced to close its doors, but that he is determined to find a new home for the community that he served there.

The Bolton News:

He said: “It’s been horrible. It was absolutely devastating to get the notice but it’s completely out of our control.

“We brought in music acts from all over the world to play here and acts who should never have been playing a venue our size at all, that was the reputation we got.

“It wasn’t my decision and I don’t know if the Alma will ever operate as a pub again. We weren’t given any warning at all, it’s been so tough for us all.”

The pub was well known for its punk and rock music acts over the years and was shortlisted as one of Britain’s best small music venues by NME magazine in 2015.

Mr Simcock, who also runs the York pub in Newport Street, said he was already in the process of looking for a new home to “keep the Alma legacy alive”.

The pub played host to over 350 live acts last year which Mr Simcock made a big community of like minded people who regularly frequented the pub.

He said: “It’s been a second home for hundreds of people over the years. It’s one of the only places in Bolton where someone who was in to alternative music felt safe really.

“These are really important for a lot of people so it needs to be kept going.

“I also put four years of my life into this place it just feels like a tragedy."