A PETITION to save famous Oxford venue The Cellar has reached more than 12,500 signatures as the campaign spreads across the music industry.

Festival organisers, musicians and record labels have shared the online petition since it was launched last week.

It was started by Matt Aspell, who has been running Fluid - a popular bass night at The Cellar - for more than six years.

He said: "Closing the Cellar would have such a detrimental impact on the community.

"Not only on the hard working staff and owners of Cellar, and the talented musicians, or enthusiastic revellers, but also to promoters who have worked so hard to bring underground music and events to people.

He added: "There are just to many people who have built creative careers and businesses through the Cellar to let it close."

He also thanked supporters when the signatures passed 10,000 last week but that number has since topped 12,500.

Organisers of festivals such as Truck and Common People and record labels shared the petition and the campaign to save the venue has spread across the music industry.

The building's owners St Michael's and All Saints' Charities want to convert the basement into more retail space once Lush vacates the ground floor space above at the beginning of next year.

The retailer will close its city centre shop to move into the new Westgate development.

Oxford City Council's head of planning has also backed the campaign and said he would put across the 'strongest possible case' to save the venue.