THE mother of superstar singer Joss Stone has bought a club to reopen as a live music venue.

Soul singer Joss's mother, Wendy Joseph, 48, and her husband, Jonathan, 42, are the new owners of what used to be The Hub, on Mary Arches Street, in Exeter. The venue will be opened with a performance from superstar Joss.

Plans for the venue, which will be called Mama Stone's, include a performance stage for live music. There will also be a bar, a kitchen serving food and a recording studio.

The decision to buy the property came after Mrs Joseph's Wellington music academy, the original Mama Stone's, was closed down following complaints over noise.

Mrs Joseph said: "We were devastated when we had to shut down our Wellington venue after just two years, as we had been fighting for such a long time.

"But we are delighted to create an even bigger and better Mama Stone's here in Exeter. It will be very different to anything else that is here already, it is just what the city's music scene needs."

The club, which can hold up to 250 people, is set to reopen in just six weeks' time in mid-August, once it has been refurbished.

"We are getting to work straight away with redecorating and painting the place, and the 'soft opening' as they say in the US will take place in August, followed by a grand opening in the first week in September," said Mrs Joseph.

Joss Stone, who is touring in Europe, will perform with her band on the night of the grand opening in early September. Mrs Joseph said: "Joss is looking forward to performing here as she really likes Exeter.

"We will release dates nearer the time. There will also be some other big name bands, which I can't confirm yet."

The business venture will create a number of new jobs in the city, including positions for bar staff and food runners.