THE KINKS - THE KINKS SLAM PUB LANDLORD OVER MEMORABILIA REMOVAL

British rockers THE KINKS have slammed a London bar landlord for planning to erase an iconic piece of the band's history. Brothers RAY and DAVE DAVIES have pleaded with the new owner of The Clissold Arms not to remove iconic Kinks memorabilia from the venue - where they played their first gig in 1963 - to make room for an upmarket eaterie. The shrine to the WATERLOO SUNSET rockers includes guitars, records and souvenirs, displayed in a specially designated 'Kinks Corner' in the bar. Ray says, "I would urge whoever has bought the pub (bar) to retain some reference to The Kinks so fans all over the world can retain it as a sense of 'place'." Dave adds, "Why on earth can't they have their posh gastro grub (food) and still keep a part of it for tourists, Kinks fans and the curious? "I am sure that if this had been The Cavern and THE BEATLES' history that was being disturbed and got rid of, it would have been brought to the attention of the House of Commons, the Lords and the Queen herself." But new owner CAROLINE JONES remains determined to revamp the whole property. She says, "The new pub will be quite different and it won't be the kind of place you would expect to see (memorabilia)."