LEADING York live music venue Fibbers is back in business after being acquired by entertainments company Channelfly, former owner Tim Hornsby said today.

Mr Hornsby said that as a result of the provisional deal, the Stonebow caf bar would reopen on Bank Holiday Monday.

London-based Channelfly runs four other well-respected live venues, named Barfly, in London, Cardiff, Sheffield and Glasgow.

It also runs an Internet album/gig review website and publishes the monthly The Fly music magazine. Pending the "resolution of contractual issues", Mr Hornsby said the deal would at first see him running the venue.

He said: "I'm delighted to be working with Channelfly and Barfly. With their London and national connections there will be even better shows at Fibbers.

"The new company is keen for Fibbers to retain its identity, and, to that end, I have agreed to stay for the short term, at least to ensure normal service is properly resumed.

"I am sorry we closed for a short while but there was no other way. I can't stress how pleased I am that Fibbers is in safe hands."

Channelfly confirmed it was the new owner of Fibbers. Chief executive Adam Driscoll said representatives were meeting Mr Hornsby at the venue today, when the takeover would be discussed.

The venue's name would stay the same and the plan is for existing staff to be kept on, Mr Driscoll said.

He told the Evening Press: "We are really excited about this. I was at Fibbers recently and thought it was a great venue. We are really looking forward to getting started."

Luke Ritchie, frontman of 2002 Fibbers/Evening Press Battle of the Bands winners Sevenball, said: "It is brilliant, losing Fibbers would have been disastrous. Music in York is breathing a huge sign of relief at the moment."

The "Closed" signs went up at Fibbers last Monday, with Mr Hornsby and his partner Michelle Hodgen blaming cashflow problems.

Updated: 14:36 Tuesday, August 20, 2002