“It felt like you were playing at home”: Downtown Hamilton’s iconic pub and music venue closes after 28 years – Hamilton | The Canadian News

An iconic part of the downtown Hamilton music scene is closing after 28 years.

Last week, the Cat’N’Fiddle pub on the corner of Augusta and John streets announced on social media that it would be closing permanently on October 2.

“We hope we have provided a place for many special moments and memories for those who have entered our establishment,” reads the post, which has received hundreds of comments and reactions on Facebook and Instagram since the closure was announced on September 7.

Co-owner Suzanne Keast said it wasn’t an easy decision, but said the COVID-19 restrictions have made it difficult to do what the pub does best.

“I was hoping that by this September we would have our live music back because that’s a big part of our specific restaurant bar,” Keast said.

“Seven nights a week, we had the music, and we haven’t had it in a year and a half. And it is too difficult in our restaurant setup, as it is kind of three separate rooms.

“If we put a band where we usually do, we end up with three tables in that room, and everyone wants to be where the band is. And then it is simply not possible to do it and neither is it economically feasible. So it’s very disappointing. “

Keast’s father, Reg Collett, opened Cat’N’Fiddle together with his business partner in 1993, seeking to replicate the traditional English-style pub in Hamilton.

When Collett’s partner decided to move on to other things, he and Keast, along with their husband, bought their share, and since then the pub has been entirely managed by Keast and his family.

He said it has been a difficult decision to close, but that the pandemic has helped everyone realize that it could be time for a change, adding that it gives them the opportunity to close on their own terms rather than being forced to. close due to circumstances beyond your control. .

“He is a big part of our family, so it will be very strange and difficult to say goodbye. But I think we are all at peace with that. Is the time.”

Alfie Smith, a Hamilton singer-songwriter who has been playing live for three decades, said that playing at Cat’N’Fiddle “always felt like you were playing at home.”

“I used to call it my living room, like I could go to my living room and play for my friends and family,” Smith said. “The staff and Suzanne became family, you know.”

The 48-year-old began playing at the Augusta St. pub about 15 years ago, performing alongside Brian Griffith, an iconic guitarist and musician who was well known on the Hamilton music scene prior to his passing in 2014.

Smith also started a Sunday afternoon blues series at Cat’N’Fiddle, which lasted about eight years, until the pandemic put an end to live music.

“The Cat’N’Fiddle, along with Mattson & Company and Lou Dawgs, were my top three regular shows in Hamilton. He played those three places eight to ten times a month … combined. And now they are all permanently closed. “

Smith said he fears the pandemic has led to the loss of intimate performance venues like Cat’N’Fiddle, but hopes there will be something of a return to normalcy, potentially with new venues opening in empty commercial spaces.

“I hope new people come and pick up the torch of being a local or a bar or, you know, being able to fill the void of the places they have left..“

Since announcing its closure, Keast says she has been “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of love for the little pub.

“You don’t realize how much you are touching the community until after the fact,” he said.

“Many times you only hear complaints and negative things, so hearing that makes us feel like we did something good. And we take great pride in how the community feels we contribute to Hamilton. “

There won’t be a big party to celebrate Cat’N’Fiddle’s legacy, Keast said, as they still comply with COVID-19 restrictions until the very end.

“And the bands have been getting closer, you know, ‘We’ll pay to play for free,’ and then we’re like … we were trying to wreck our brains. How can we do it? But we just can’t do all these rules, we just can’t. We are not prepared for that. “

For the next two and a half weeks, Keast said he hopes people can come out to say goodbye and thank everyone for their support throughout the years.

“The good thing is that we are seeing old faces that we have not seen in 20 years and we are remembering with them the good old days. That way, it’s nice to see people we haven’t seen in a long time. “

He added that they are going to try to host one last night of trivia for the regular guests, allowing them to turn it into a reservation-only event where everyone must remain seated.