The Rocket 88 lead guitarist says he had some of his most memorable performances at the Fitzmaurice Street pub, which makes its sudden closure all the more gutting.

"We were just devastated because it's known for being such a great live venue," Mr Gibson said.

In other news

The Duke of Kent Hotel announced on Sunday it would be closing with immediate effect in a social media post.

"It's with a heavy heart that we have to announce that we're closed," the statement read. "COVID and 2022 in general has gotten the better of us. We are truly sorry to our loyal patrons."

The announcement comes just 15 months after the pub was purchased for $3.5 million by a syndicate which includes local pub identities Sean O'Hara and Sam Cruikshank.

The Daily Advertiser has requested comment from the pub owners and long-term licensee Ward Gaiter.

Mount Austin resident Geoff Cregan attended the Duke of Kent Hotel almost every week and described it as one of the last of its kind in the city.

"It was just a really friendly vibe, the staff were always great, they had great food, but mainly they supported the Wagga bands," Mr Cregan said.

"It was just one of the last pubs in Wagga where they really looked after the local music scene."

The hotel previously operated 12 poker machines, however they were removed shortly after the venue was purchased in 2021.

A large stage and audio system was installed around the same time, as the venue shifted its focus to becoming a thriving hub of live music.

Mr Gibson says it was a unique experience to perform at the pub.

"We are all about moving around, jumping around so the stage being huge was just awesome - there's nothing really like it in Wagga," he said.

"We never had a bad gig here, well we probably played like shit sometimes, but we never had a night where we didn't have fun."

The closure is the latest in a series of blows for Wagga's live music scene with the loss of the Red Steer Hotel in May and the shut down of the Home Tavern back in 2018.

Mr Gibson says he isn't sure what the closures mean for the future of live music in the city.

"There are so many bands in Wagga and it was great because there were so many venues where you could play - but now they're slowly just ticking off," he said.

"But obviously it's not really about us it's more about the people who work here ... it's a shame and I feel really sorry for them."

Mr Cregan says he hopes the loss of the pub will at least be a wake up call for residents.

"The Duke got behind local music and Wagga needed to support it and I don't think they did," he said.

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