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Camden New Journal - By SARA NEWMAN
Published: 27 March 2008

Pete Doherty at the Torriano pub

Pete pulls in the punters for ‘Save the Torriano’ pub gig

Ex-Libertines star adds his voice to campaign as developers threaten to call last orders

HE’S better known for speaking out about his relationships but it seems former Libertines frontman Pete Doherty also feels passionately about his Kentish Town local.
The musician played a 40-minute gig at the Torriano pub in Torriano Avenue on Thursday in support of a campaign to prevent developers converting the top floors of the three-storey building into flats.
He followed pop icon Sting’s daughter Koko Sumner on stage for a set that included Back from the Dead, What A Waster and Can’t Stand Me Now.
The current face of Robert Cavalli’s fashion advertising campaign told the audience: “They’re trying to close this place or take this place back and turn it into flats.”
The singer whose battle with drug abuse and on-off relationship with supermodel Kate Moss has rarely been out of the tabloids then invited landlady Susie Martin onto the stage, quipping: “Votes for women.” She said: “We are on the verge of being shut down. We were bought up by property developers about a year ago and the buggers are trying to close us down.
“We hope to host many more of these events and we are battling hard to put everything into the pub for our community.”
Manager Andy Boyd had received a call from Doherty at 3pm on Thursday, saying: “Let’s do a Save The Torriano gig.”
Mr Boyd, 30, said: “I just organised it on the day. The way it works with Pete is that unless we do these things on the night it’s never going to happen.”
He added: “I love the pub. It’s a stone’s throw from where I live. I really don’t want to see it go.”
About 60 fans attended the one-off gig, paying £20 a ticket.
Landlord Dean Guberina, who has been at the Torriano for seven years, said: “It’s a community pub. People come and make friends from all walks of life. We’ve never had any trouble here.”
He added: “He [Doherty] was on top form. We got lots of new signatures on our petition. It definitely helped to raise awareness.”
Pub regular Claire Sopel, 28, cancelled her plans on hearing that Doherty was playing the Torriano that evening.
The clothes designer said: “It was really nice to know that he feels passionate about saving the pub. It was very intimate and he played lots of good songs. The basement bar is very small so everyone got a good view. It certainly brought lots of new faces to the bar that night.”

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