'LUDDITES' mourning the closure of their beloved King Lud pub might be in for a welcome surprise – just around the corner.

The King Lud closed its doors on January 24 and is set to return as a craft pub and sports bar in the near future.

The Kasbah in Union Street recently announced it would close too, with plans to rock the Kasbah one final time on Thursday night with a closing party.

However, interim managers of the King Lud, Ross Edgerton and partner Kelly Wheeler, who re-opened the Ryde Esplanade bar and live music venue after its former tenants pulled out in autumn last year, have stepped in to rescue the Kasbah too.

The plan is to allow the current Kasbah owners to throw a farewell party. The pub would then shut for just a few hours, before it opens for business once again on Friday night.

Familiar fixtures from the Lud could be brought into the Kasbah too, but the owners are being cautious as to disturbing the bar's distinct identity.

"We have all the portholes that used to be above the bar, the sofas, blackboards, piano and artworks from the Lud in a van. It's all safe," said Ross.

"If we can keep the Kasbah as the Kasbah, but have a bit of the Lud too, that's we want to do.

"People really enjoyed what we were doing with the place and the Lud just got busier and busier every night we had it. We want to keep that going with the Kasbah and have live music, and maybe see Busker's Corner show its head again shall we say?

"We want to have a fun plan for every week, something happening every day so people can get involved.

"But it's not about me and it's not about Kelly, it's about community."

Ross and Kelly are both from the Island and have been running hospitality and entertainment businesses for some years, they plan to keep as many staff as possible from both pubs and provide a lasting community asset.