TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Stourbridge landlord whose pub put the town on the musical map in the late 1980s and early 90s.

John Knight, who ran The Mitre Inn in Lower High Street for 25 years with his wife Babs, died at the age of 74 on Christmas Day – in a year that claimed the lives of many much-loved names from the world of music.

The popular couple, who were married for 37 years until Babs died in 2003, took on the historic pub in 1976 and it went on to become a hotbed of musical talent.

In the late 80s members of The Wonder Stuff, Pop Will Eat Itself and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin frequented the venue before exploding onto the music scene and enjoying chart success.

Stourbridge musician Malcolm Jeffrey, a former barman at the pub, said: “Stourbridge has always had a huge amount of musical talent – and we’ve always had places to play and John Knight played a part in that.

“John was quite prepared to put anybody on including up and coming bands and people starting off.

"On all nights which weren’t booked for parties he’d have a band on upstairs - and whatever the type of music he’d be the first to try and find a space for it."

Jonn Penney, frontman of Ned's Atomic Dustbin, paid tribute to John, an accomplished musician himself, who gave the band their first gig in 1987 and "was very supportive in the early days".

The Ned's went on to tour the world after success in both the singles and album charts but Jonn remembers that first gig at The Mitre vividly.

He told the News: "We were about to play our last song and John popped over from the bar to whisper in my ear that I should tell the crowd who was playing next week. I looked around and saw a poster for the 'KP Band' so I said 'don't forget to come and see the KP Band next week - they're nuts! John's face was a picture.

"The Mitre was my pub for a good five pivotal years and John was a big part of it.

"He was accepting of a very diverse bunch of customers, culture kids essentially, and that ensured there was that amazing buzz around the place."

John's pal and fellow musician Pete Boddis said: "He kept the Stourbridge music scene alive at The Mitre. He was a great chap."

Alan Knight, John's eldest son, said: "I'm very proud of the legacy he's left. He's remembered all over the place."

Even after leaving The Mitre in 2001, John - a country and western entertainer who gigged at holiday camps in his younger days - continued to play gigs and hosted folk, acoustic and open mic nights at various pubs across Stourbridge.

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Alan said: "He missed the social side and started doing music nights at The Garibaldi and The Britannia."

Just two years after leaving the pub trade - John was hit hard by the death of his second wife and soul mate Babs.

The couple had met at a holiday camp on the Isle of Wight and ran pubs in Hereford and Birmingham before settling at The Mitre where they brought up twins Peter and Emma.

Recalling the Stourbridge pub's musical heydays, Peter said: "There was a time when you could walk into the pub and see The Wonder Stuff in a corner and Ned's in another."

That time, the pub’s links with those bands and John's passion for promoting music secured The Mitre's place on the rock and roll map of Great Britain but Peter believes although his dad might "like to think people appreciated it, he didn't want accolades for it".

During the last 12 months or so John's health declined and it was discovered he was suffering from vascular dementia - and around nine months ago he moved from his flat in Wollaston into Holbeche House care home in Wall Heath.

His condition, however, deteriorated and he was admitted with a chest infection to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley where he passed away in the early hours of Christmas morning.

As well as son Alan, from his first marriage, and twins Peter and Emma, from his marriage to Babs, John leaves two grandsons and two granddaughters.

His funeral will take place at Stourbridge Crematorium on Friday January 27 at 1.30pm.