New life as a pub for town rock cafe

A popular late-night venue in Stourbridge which closed when its parent firm went into administration is to re-open next month as a Wetherspoon pub.

Chicago Rock Cafe, in High Street, has been snapped up by national pub chain JD Wetherspoon and workmen are currently on site refurbishing the premises.

The late night venue will be renamed the Chequers Inn and reopen on May 14, offering music and dance club nights similar to the rock cafe it is replacing.

The Chequers will be the town's second Wetherspoon bar after The Edward Rutland, also in High Street.

A spokeswoman for Wetherspoon's said the firm would try to keep on as many staff from Chicago Rock as possible.

Chicago Rock Cafe opened in November 2004 and more than 1,000 party animals joined the launch bash.

The new £1 million venue included a cafe, bar and restaurant.But the closure came earlier this year when Chicago Rock owner 3DE collapsed into administration last month.

Thirty-one of the 50 venues nationally were saved by a US private equity firm, including a venue in Walsall.

Wetherspoon has also snapped up other venues, including sites in Aylesbury, Newbury, Bishops Stortford and Coventry.

The Stafford branch in Bridge Street closed last month, but is also re-opening as a Wetherspoon bar.It is also set for a £500,000 overhaul.

All 26 jobs were saved, with the new owners promising to create up to 14 extra positions.Chicago Rock in Stourbridge had long attracted a host of famous faces.

X Factor's Afro Jamie and Welsh beauty Lucie Jones performed at the venue in 2009, as well as Stavros Flatley.