A PAIR of musical entrepreneurs are hoping to bring big names to Dorchester.

Jamie Pinnow and Carl Ashwin are looking to make the most of the ‘huge but very overlooked’ function area at the county town’s Trinity Club with a new monthly music event.

They will be launching Room 38 on May 31 when they welcome Britpop legends Republica, inset, to the county town and that is just the start of their plans.

Jamie said that the duo, who run events company mmm.Nice Music with Jamie’s wife Angharad, are targeting a whole host of big names in the world of music to come and play at the venue in the next 12 months.

He said: “This will take place every month and we will be bringing some big names into town and using the best of our wonderful local talent as support acts.

“The venue can hold up to 400 people and is perfect for this kind of venture, I’m surprised that nobody has thought to do this before!”

Musician Jamie and Carl, who is also a radio presenter on community radio station Air FM, first met at school more than 20 years ago and have collaborated on a whole host of local music projects over the years.

With bands such as The Blockheads, Bad Manners, Space and Cast in contention to perform at Room 38 in the coming months, as well as plans for themed nights such as a 1970s gig with an Abba tribute band and DJ, the venue could help establish Dorchester as a destination for quality entertainment.

Jamie said it could also prove a boost to the town’s tourism with people from as far away as Worcester snapping up tickets for the Republica gig and, along with plans for the news Maltings Theatre at Brewery Square, was a sign that the county town’s arts scene was flourishing.

He said: “This is a new and exciting opportunity for Dorch-ester and also The Trinity Club itself, hopefully putting it firmly on the map and re-inventing it for the future, proving that Dorchester can be a historic market town but also has a foot firmly in the 21st century.

“Let’s keep our people in town rather than lose them to Weymouth and Bournemouth and bring others into town and make it a vibrant place to be.

“If we can be part of helping this to happen then we have done our job well!”

For more details on the launch event featuring Republica visit mmmnicemusic.com/room-38-31st-may-2014.