The announcement of the closure of the Jug of Ale in Moseley is another nail in the coffin of Birmingham's live music scene.

It will be sorely missed.

It seems ill-advised when the national live music scene is at a 30-year peak and Birmingham finally has some grassroots bands to truly shout about.

As with all these cases, the decision to change the Jug to either flats or an Indian restaurant, depending on which rumour you believe, is probably down to money. In many ways, the pub was feeling a bit run down.

Bar Academy, the Little Civic and the Barfly have all eaten into its market.

Yet the humble Jug, at the top of the hill, has done plenty to earn its place in rock mythology. Early gigs by Oasis and Suede, plus other shows by Britpop players are the stuff of legend.

Part of the notorious "toilet circuit", the Jug was part of a lower rung collection of pubs that enabled a band to earn its stripes in a cramped and sweaty environment.

There is a compelling case for another Moseley venue to step into the Jug's shoes.

The Hare and Hounds in King's Heath is a real success story, attracting good bands and DJs most nights of the week. The Ceol Castle caters for the roots and country crowd.

While the Jug shuts the doors on its musical heritage, over in Bilston in Wolverhampton country, the Robin 2 is about to do the opposite by adding hotel facilities to an already much-improved music venue of some repute. And that comes just a couple of years after they added a restaurant at the site.

Let's hope that in Birmingham someone takes up the challenge, and quickly.