A GRASSROOTS record label has set out to return a once-buzzing live music venue to its former glory.
Goosed Records has brought back live nights to Doctor Browns, in Middlesbrough, and is ready to open a recording studio in partnership with the venue's new owner.
The popular music venue faced a sharp downfall in 2017, after its former manager controversially banned female-fronted groups because its regular customers "did not believe women could sing rock".
However Doctor Brown's new owner Bernie Jenkins, along with his daughter Sarah Best, has teamed up with Goosed Records to invite all local bands back to the venue.
The independent label, made up of several directors from Middlesbrough's music scene, will use the pub's upstairs space as a studio while bringing in local bands from all genres, ages and genders to play live gigs.
David Todd, from Goosed Records, said: "We floated round the idea with a few others to start our own record label and make it a platform to help promote local bands and get a bit of a live music scene.
"And also from that start getting some recordings made so they can be released and promoted."
Danny Lowe, also from Goosed Records, added: "Luckily that's where Bernie, Paul and Sarah come in, because this pub used to be the premier venue in the town and it fell on bad times.
"But Bernie, Paul and Sarah have generously given us the upstairs studio space so that we can bring the live music and, through that circle, the pub can regenerate itself as the place it used to be.
"The first Friday night live that we had, a lot of the old boys came back in and were talking about how great it was that it was back. One of the lads that performed was only, 15 and he had heard from his dad about this place and had always wanted perform in it."
David and Danny, along with their partners Nigel Crooks, Paddy Oliver and several others, will be launching the opening of their new studio and the return of Doctor Brown's music scene with an all-female line up on June 28.
This themed night will kickstart a series of themed events to run alongside its regular live sessions and those involved are hoping it will be the beginning of the return of Doctor Brown's.
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