ITS walls have echoed to the sounds of Elton John, Deep Purple and Status Quo and it's been a top Pembrokeshire entertainment venue for over 60 years.

But now, Narberth's Queens Hall is now staging the most important gig of its life as the coronavirus crisis sees it shut for the first time in its 62-year history.

The venue is now promoting an £8,000 fundraiser in a bid to protect the much-loved hall.

"Before lockdown, our revenue came from ticket sales and room hire," hall manager Lara Herde said. "This income has now completely stopped; 100 per cent of the money raised will be used to help replace some of this income to pay our ongoing costs."

The hall's crowdfunding appeal is being staged as part of a national initiative launched by Music Venues Trust to prevent the closure of hundreds of independent music venues.

More than £2,000 of the total has already been raised, thanks to hall supporters who are pledging money in return for rewards.

These include t-shirts, with an exclusive design by local tattoo artist Mat Price; Queens Hall logo tote bags, limited edition photo collages and reproduction prints of posters from times past advertising gigs by Elton John, Deep Purple, Chicken Shack, Simon Dupree and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich.

Added Lara: "If we hit our target, and we can precent the closure of our venue, everything above the amount we need will be donated to the Music Venue Trust GMV Crisis Fund to protect other venues just like ours, right across the country.

To see what's on offer and to make a donation, go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savethequeenshallnarberth