The R.M.A. Tavern

The Royal Marines Artiliary Tavern

The R.M.A. is situated on the corner of Cromwell Road and Tokar Street just opposite the old Marines Barracks entrance in Eastney. The R.M.A. is a medium sized city pub with a large bar, a small function room and one of the few working skittle alleys in Portsmouth.

For many years the landlord Richard Wedd used the function room at the rear of the pub(then know as "the gun room") to host many of the best local blues talent every Thursday night, but things changed when Richard moved on on in 2001, and various new landlords showed no interest in continuing the music.

As a result, the demise of the R.M.A as a venue prompted John Roberts to start the Bullfrog Blues Club at The Pyramids Centre, before it took up its new (and current) home at South Parade Pier. .

When The R.M.A. was taken over by the present landlords, Steve & Sally Pennick, they approached Barking Spider to promote live music once again. Soon regular folk, blues and roots gigs were on offer once or twice (sometimes three times!) a week. The best thing is all these gigs are free!

From February 2006 The Bullfrog Blues Club will be presenting free entry blues gigs on Thursdays at The R.M.A. - apart from the first Thursday of the month, when The Bullfrog Blues Club will be at South Parade Pier for bigger bands.

Barking Spider will continue to organise the other music events at The R.M.A. Tavern on Saturdays - mainly roots, Americana and quality rock bands and the occasinal blues artistes - but definitely keeping away from the usual run of the mill covers bands so prevelant in pubs today. These events will also be free entry

To find out whats on check the