INTERNATIONAL rock star Van Morrison has pulled out of a sell-out concert due to take place in a pub garden next month.

The news will be a bitter blow to the 1,500 fans who paid £32.50 for tickets to the August 3 gig at The Crown Hotel at Everleigh.

The pub issued a statement on Wednesday announcing that the concert had been cancelled and that it is to sue the rock star for damages.

It said no further comment would be made at this stage and details of ticket refund arrangements would be announced later.

The concert was a major coup for publicans Gary Marlow and Sarah Jane Levitt, who have organised a series of gigs at The Crown featuring big names from the world of music.

Ulster-born Van the Man has performed at some of the world's biggest venues and there was disbelief among some of his fans that he was going to play at a pub concert.

His appearance would have been the biggest success so far for The Crown where last year Peter Green, the evergreen former member of Fleetwood Mac, played to a large and appreciative audience in the pub garden.

Other performers on the pub stage in the past have included 1960s chart toppers John Mayall and Chris Farlowe.

Mr Marlow and Miss Levitt said last month they were committed to spend about £37,000 to book Van Morrison, a huge gamble considering the pub lost an estimated £10,000 last year when ticket sales for Peter Green did not match expectations.

At the time Miss Levitt said the foot and mouth crisis last year had deterred many fans but said the organisers of this kind of event had to stick their necks out.

Publicity brought a rush for tickets from Van Morrison fans across the south of England and within days the concert was a sell-out.

The pub has given no details of why Van Morrison will not be appearing.

Its statement said: "This announcement serves as notice that Mr Van Morrison has cancelled his sell-out performance at The Crown Hotel on Saturday August 3, a move which is set to disappoint the increasingly popular music venue's keenest followers.

"The matter is in the hands of lawyers acting on behalf of The Crown Hotel who issued a damages claim against Mr Van Morrison and Exile Productions Ltd on July 15."

Neal Peakall of media lawyers Hillyard Simpson Hardacre said: "I can confirm that High Court proceedings have been issued against Mr Van Morrison and exile Productions Ltd seeking substantial damages arising out of the cancellation of Mr Van Morrison's performance."

Yesterday Mr Marlow and Miss Levitt declined to add any further comment to the statement.

No-one representing Van Morrison or his agents could be contacted for comment yesterday.