THE Railway Hotel in central Southend is set for an £80,000 refurbishment, with a recording studio possibly on the cards in its basement.

London-based Bar Works plans invest to revive the troubled pub, which was taken over last year by Leigh musician Dave Dulake.

Mr Dulake had a vision of turning the Railway into a dedicated music venue, but a series of setbacks almost led to its closure last month.

The Clifftown Road pub was dealt a huge blow after it reopened when Mr Dulake found himself unable to put on live bands until Southend Council finally granted a music licence. This eventually happened in September.

Despite the problems, the Railway has built up a reputation as a musicians’ pub, featuring players like jazz trumpeter Digby Fairweather and up-and-coming rock acts.

Mr Dulake, who has invested £75,000 in the pub, will stay on, but the lease will be transferred to a new firm which has yet to be set up.

He was on the verge of handing the pub back to the brewery when a friend put him in touch with Bar Works.

He said: “Things are difficult out there at the moment. People are staying in and saving their money.

“At last, it looks like we can really make this work. The pub was too big for me to run. I’m a musician, not a businessman or a financier.”

Bar Works has nine venues in London, including the 450-capacity Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, in Shoreditch.

Director Mark Francis-Baum said the building could be transformed into a “music hub” with a recording studio in the basement, a large upstairs performance room and bed-and-breakfast rooms for visiting musicians on the top floor.

Mr Francis-Baum added: “Dave has started something there. We want to make it into a great boozer in its own right.”

The firm aimed to take over the lease early next year, he said. The refurbishment wold include new furniture and a beer garden.