After recently celebrating 25 years of live music on Saturday lunchtime at the Phoenix Theatre, Leicester, Cafe Folk is set to close at the end of March. Many artists and bands have played the Phoenix Cafe over the years, and have asked to be invited back.

The reason is that the Phoenix itself (which has for some time been a cinema rather then a theatre) is reducing operations due to the opening of a new film theatre on the opposite side of Leicester, and the management do not wish to stage live music, probably because it's not "arty-farty" enough.

The Cafe has been unique , in that it is not held ,like most music,in a pub, and if a new venue is to be found it would need to be one in which the atmosphere can be kept the same. This lunchtime was packed out for a performance by an excellent local tribute band "Woodstock".

The Phoenix has risen from the ashes in the past, but unless a suitable venue can be found this looks like the end of the road.