New owners are attempting to give a classic Medway music venue a new lease of life.

The Beacon Court Tavern in Gillingham is set to become a haven for live music fans once more with tribute bands and new original acts set to grace its main stage and a new smaller stage over the forthcoming month.

Owner Joe McCormack said the main stage would continue to show rock tribute acts while smaller bands and other entertainment, such as open mic events, could take place on the new stage.

“I’d never run a pub in my life before but I’ve been a DJ, and I ran an agency that supplied bars with DJs and bands,” he said. “Then I had the idea of getting my own place. I want a much wider range of tributes. No tribute will play more than twice a year, and we’ll try to do something for original bands during the week.”

Tributes to the likes of Guns ’n’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden and AC/DC should prove popular with former customers but Joe hopes to draw a new crowd, too.

“I need to relight the Beacon,” he added. “I want to make it a friendly environment. I want the young and fun crowd – students and young people.

“I want to rebuild the seven day week – it doesn’t matter what you do for a living, you can come on a different night.

“For example, the emergency services are often working over the weekend, so they want to go out during the week.”

This weekend brought 1980s rock and pop band Top Guns to the Beacon on Saturday night, followed by Boogaloo Jones, with their mix of New Orleans blues, zydeco, rockabilly, jump and jazz, the following night.

Forthcoming bands include:

n The Bon Jovi Experience: Saturday, January 23, £10.

n Dread Zeppelin: Saturday, January 30, £10.

n Crocodile Mock, Elton John Tribute: Saturday, February 6, £5.

n Abba Angels: Saturday, February 13, £10

n Guns 2 Roses: Saturday, February 20, £10

n Ultimate ska experience Skatonics: Saturday, February 27, £10

Further acts this year include tributes to the following artists: Police; Aerosmith; AC/DC; Motown; Blues Brothers; The Beatles; Metallica; Offspring; Iron Maiden; Stereophonics; Foo Fighters; Nirvana and Rolling Stones.