LONG-STANDING Glenwood landmark, The Winston Pub, fast became an icon of Durban’s alternative music scene. The pub’s stage has launched band careers for emergent Durban talent, like Black Math, and played host to international stars, the likes of Comeback Kid and Darkest Hour.
Now, after a tough period under the Covid-19 pandemic, brothers and co-owners, Matt and Luke Joyner, are shutting the pub doors. Berea Mail caught up with Matt Joyner this week to find out more.
The Durban brothers became co-owners of the pub in September 2012. While the pub thrived for many years under their ownership, the doors have been closed since March 2020.
“We have been closed for almost two years. During that time, we both had to find other things to do, and what we found has taken us out of the city. I am essentially living overseas now, and Luke is living in Kokstad. Our lives veered away from the pub, and it’s time to end the journey here,” said Joyner.
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He hopes new owners will continue the pub’s legacy. Before buying the pub, Joyner was among the throng of Durban youth that called The Winston Pub home. Like many, he was drawn to the live music gigs at the pub as a teenager in the early 2000s, and continuined to attend shows in the decade that followed.
“A lot of people spent their teenage years and early 20s growing up in the pub. It had a family element to it – it was a safe space for people to express themselves, learn and make friends. A lot of people met their best friends in the world here,” said Joyner.
When previous owner Belinda Baney decided to sell the pub, Joyner was part of the furniture.
“I had an events company, FlipSwitch Events, and I had been renting sound equipment to The Winston Pub in Belinda’s final years. One day, she said it was time she handed the pub over. There were a lot of interested people, and we were very lucky to get the call,” he said.
Over the years, the Joyner brothers added to The Winston Pub offerings. They hosted their mini festival, WinniFest, several times and represented Durban at Splashy Fen.
“I like to think we opened the pub up to multiple different genres, and not only to musicians but artists. We opened up our walls as canvases. We held multiple art galleries, put on markets and hosted magic shows. We even hosted a formal dinner and shadow puppetry show. We had drum and bass parties, trance parties, heavy metal parties and a lot of punk parties. There was something for everyone,” said Joyner.
He added that he saw some bands put on their first show at the pub and go on to tour the country.
Before the Joyners took over, The Winston Pub catered largely to a punk and heavy metal audience.
“It was an alternative pub – underground and hardcore,” said Baney who ran the pub for 18 years.
A decline in live music
The live music scene that thrived in 2010 saw a decline, even before the Covid-19 pandemic. For Joyner, this was owing to a lack of venues.
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“Covid-19 dampened the music scene. We were the only venue for many years, in a big city like this. It’s tough on the music scene when artists don’t have multiple venues to express their talent. We were really proud to give a platform to emerging and established artists,” said Joyner.
“Music in general has changed quite a bit. Radios don’t play as much alternative and rock music. People are finishing school and heading to dance clubs. As people grow up, new opportunities show their faces. A lot of my friends have moved overseas or to different cities. Without new bands emerging to replace them, the scene will slowly but surely die down. The music industry experiences waves – ups and downs; we couldn’t ride that high forever,” he added.
The Winston Pub is having their last hurrah this week with events on every night from Thursday, June 2 until Sunday June 5. For more information, log onto the Winston Pub Facebook page.
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