One of London's most famous music venues opens its doors for the first time in seven years on Thursday - with Eurythmics star Dave Stewart in charge.

The Marquee club closed in 1996 after 38 years in various venues in the West End, but is now reopening as part of a development in Islington, north London.

Primal Scream play the new venue's first night, with Jimmy Cliff, UK Subs and Joe Jackson lined up to play future nights at the Marquee.

David Bowie used to play the original Marquee

The venue first opened in 1958 on Oxford Street, moving to its most famous location on Wardour Street in 1964.

In 1988, it moved to Charing Cross Road, where it lasted for eight years before the site became a public house.

Almost every major act of the time performed at the Marquee, including Jimi Hendrix, U2, REM, and The Who.

David Bowie used the venue to test out his new sounds, while the Rolling Stones played one of their first ever gigs at the Marquee in 1962.

The new 1,200-capacity Islington venue, two miles north of its old Soho incarnations, is part of a new retail and leisure development.

The venue opened in Oxford Street and closed in Charing Cross Road

Dave Stewart is backing the venue with restaurant and club entrepreneur Mark Fuller.

Stewart - who first played there in 1972 - told the BBC's digital radio station 6 Music he had fond memories of trying to get into the old Wardour Street venue for nothing.

"You went down this kind of corridor, turned left and there was a stage - it was just about live music, that was it. It was all about the excitement of who was playing there," he told afternoon presenter Liz Kershaw.

The club was famous for its sparse decor and beer-soaked carpets

"You could tell who was playing just by looking by Wardour Street.

"There was just a little sign above the door saying 'Marquee', and we've got a little sign above the door as well now."

He said of the new venue: "It's not flash, it's just for music, really.

"I hope it's one of those places where bands will form and friendships will be made."

He added that he would be asking the Rolling Stones to come back and play the new venue "with Bill Wyman back on bass".