Sydney’s The Basement is on the market.

After 13 years of custodianship, owners Tim Read and Jane Burridge said they’re looking to sell the business due to a change in their “personal priorities”.

“It’s time to hand the baton on to the next generation to take care of the legacy and be part of the future history of this wonderful club,” the pair said via press release issued today (June 12).

Read and Burridge, along with partner Chris Richards, took over the Basement from original owner Bruce Viles, who founded the venue as a jazz club in 1973. Since then it’s hosted the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Dudley Moore, Taj Mahal, Prince, Adam Cohen, Neil Diamond, kd lang, Ryan Adams and former US president Bill Clinton.

“In the past 18 months we’ve spruced the place up, reframed and re-hung the gallery of artist posters and photos, painted the joint and re-established the Green Room Bar,” said Read and Burridge, “and tho’ we’ve added a couple of lounges, there still isn’t a poker machine to be seen in the place as was rumoured to be on the cards in 1999. That said, it’s good to have Elvis – the pinball machine - in the building.”

Located in Circular Quay, The Basement currently hosts music six to seven nights per week. It’ll celebrate its 40th anniversary in March next year.

+