Richmond Tavern bartender remembered as a 'fixture' in London's music scene

Isha Bhargava · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 14, 2025 6:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Musicians and loved ones are mourning the death of a beloved drummer and downtown London bartender, who they accidental was a backbone of the city's nightlife and euphony scene.

Sean Murphy was a fashionable bartender astatine the Richmond Tavern, liable for booking galore bands astatine the city's oldest unrecorded euphony venue. He died successful infirmary connected Sunday pursuing complications from an tummy unwellness he'd been battling since past year. He was 49.

"Sean was our regular Friday and Saturday nighttime bartender truthful helium was ever determination for the engaged shows. He got to cognize the musicians amended each time, and helium was your cleanable dive barroom bartender," said Richmond Tavern proprietor Mark Dencev, who was besides a adjacent person of Murphy's.

"He was comfy and welcoming, helium loved to sling the pints, and helium was friends with everybody." 

Dencev archetypal met Murphy much than 3 decades agone erstwhile the 2 were teenagers moving astatine a telephone centre. Years later, it turned into a agelong awaited reunion erstwhile Murphy started moving at the bar.  

A astir fatal aesculapian occurrence past summertime forced Murphy to take time disconnected enactment to retrieve and prompted respective bands helium worked with to signifier a fundraiser performance astatine the Richmond, which Dencev said was the astir impactful outpouring of enactment he'd ever seen. 

"We had galore bands that each volunteered. I could not judge it. We were astatine capableness the full event, and it conscionable showed however galore radical had a transportation to Sean and however galore radical truly wanted to enactment him successful this community," helium said. 

Murphy was besides a drummer in his punk stone band, the Nervousmen which helium started with a radical of friends astir 7 years ago. But his passionateness for euphony and drumming dates backmost to his precocious schoolhouse days successful the mid 90s, said his champion person and bandmate Steve Bennett. 

"He truly became a fixture successful the London euphony country and helium was conscionable a feline that everybody liked. He was outgoing and he could speech to anybody," helium said. 

"Everybody is sharing photos and videos with him, and it's been truly comforting for his household arsenic good to spot each the emotion and appreciation for him online and each the fantastic things everyone is saying."

A section legend for London's nightlife

Gary Pullin met Murphy erstwhile they were successful precocious school at H.B. Beal Secondary School and said Murphy was a reliable person and his humble property is what made him unique. Pullin wishes helium got to spot Murphy drum 1 much time, helium said. 

"He wasn't starving to beryllium popular, I deliberation it was much astir the euphony and helium conscionable loved playing. Everyone that knows Sean has a story, helium was truly affirmative and each astir music," said Pullin. "He was a consecutive shooter and conscionable 1 of those guys that you could ever number on." 

Others who knew Murphy described him arsenic a section fable who was portion of the backbone of the city's nightlife.

"A dependable hand, a crisp wit, and a bosom that made country for everyone. From determination to performance, Sean helped signifier the psyche of London's after-dark scene," The Holy Diver, different downtown bar, wrote successful a tribute station connected Facebook. 

The barroom volition rise a solid to Murphy connected Monday night, on with an bare barstool with his sanction connected it portion playing Murphy's favourite tunes. 

Richmond Tavern is besides readying a memorial performance successful his honour connected July 27 and Dencev said much updates volition go disposable connected their website. 

"Sean was the feline I could beryllium connected to instrumentality attraction of things there, and he was the staple bartender that was ever determination astatine the Rich, truthful I miss him greatly," helium said. "It's been truly devastating."