Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett is opening a new London venue

Lovett - also the co-founder of Communion, an independent promotions and record label - will open Omeara in the Borough area later this year. The venue will be part of a redevelopment in the new Flat Iron Square.

Speaking about the project, Lovett says: “I’ve been playing and putting on shows in London for my entire adult life. Without the grass-roots music venues in this city, the band and I simply wouldn’t have achieved what we have, so I have a lot to be grateful for. Over the last few years, London has lost so many of its brilliant music establishments and I want to do what I can to try and reverse that decline. It’s early days right now, and we’ve got plenty of hard work to do before we even open the doors to Omeara, but I’m extremely excited for its future and what it can do for London.”

Omeara will become part of The Low Line, a new development in South Bank "connecting Waterloo with London Bridge via a pedestrian walkway lined with common spaces and local businesses." It'll be within a few minutes walk of London Bridge, Southwark, and Borough tube stations.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan adds: “Growing London’s cultural sector is one of my core priorities, and this includes supporting grassroots music venues. These venues, which are the lifeblood of our music scene, are often under threat, so I’m delighted to see Ben Lovett opening an exciting new destination for live music fans. I know Omeara will be a massive success, helping fresh new talent to make their mark in the capital, and have their music heard. This type of initiative is exactly what the capital needs, especially at this time when I want to show that #Londonisopen to creative entrepreneurs like Ben, who are underlining London’s reputation as one of the best 24-hour cities in the world.”

Lovett already runs a bar in Brooklyn and will work with Communion Presents on the booking front - the first live shows will be announced in September.