Chas & Dave split

One of Britain's longest running and best loved rock acts split up today after Dave announced his

retirement from Chas & Dave

The cockney duo had been playing together since 1972 and were responsible for classic tunes such as Rabbit, The Sideboard Song, Aint No Pleasing You and Snooker Loopy.

Now, just weeks after Oasis split, bassist Dave Peacock, 64, has announced his decision to retire from the music industry following the death of his wife Sue from lung cancer.

Although Chas & Dave went together like apples and pears, lead singer and pianist Chas Hodges today vowed to continue playing their hits under the new name of Chas And His Band.

Chas, 65, today said: "Obviously it's sad. It's the end of an era but the start of another one - the show goes on.

"I still see Dave every week and he's coping but I don't think he wanted to do the gigging any more.

"He has horses and he loves driving them round his grounds and painting gypsy wagons which he's very good at so I don't think he'll miss the gigging.

"Chas & Dave is a legendary name but I shall be taking over the gigs. I'll be doing the old songs as well as new ones and talking about Dave during the show."

The band's agent, Barry Collings, added: "Sadly Dave's beloved wife Sue passed away in July this year after over 30 years of blissful marriage.

"Understandably Dave has taken his loss very badly and he hasn't the heart to continue gigging and with regret he has decided to retire from the music business."

The duo, who pioneered the musical genre 'Rockney', had undergone a renaissance in recent years with bands such as The Libertines citing them as an influence.

Indeed, Chas & Dave supported the band during their London shows in 2003 and 2004 with Pete Doherty and Carl Barat joining them on stage for a few songs.

The band also played to a packed out tent at the Glastonbury festival in 2005.

Darren Juniper, the son of a school friend of Chas who introduced him to Dave years ago, is now standing in on bass. They have resisted the temptation to call themselves Chas and Daz.

The line up, completed by longtime drummer Mick Burt, will be continuing to fulfil all outstanding Chas & Dave engagements.

Chas will be performing all the Chas & Dave hits in the second half of the show including Margate, Gertcha and London Girls, along with some tracks from Chas's new solo album.

The first half of the show will now feature Chas's tribute to Rock 'n' Roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis and end with Rabbit to 'give the audience a taste of what's to come in the second half'.

Chas & Dave's debut album 'One Fing 'n' Anuvver' was released in 1975 earning critical acclaim from the likes of Radio One legend John Peel.

Featuring songs such as 'Ponders End Allotments Club' it had a strong North London angle and was acclaimed as the first example of cockney rock 'n' roll.

Their proudly cockney vocals led them to title their 1978 EMI album 'Rockney'.

Critics described the musical style of 'rockney', as 'pub singalong, music-hall humour, boogie-woogie piano and pre-Beatles rock 'n' roll'.

Gertcha was the first of their eight Top 40 hits in 1979 while Aint No Pleasing You reached number two in the singles chart in 1982.

Famously, the pair collaborated with Tottenham Hotspur FC on their legendary FA Cup Final songs in 1981, 1982 and 1987.

Their magnificent 'Ossie's Dream (Spurs Are On Their Way To Wembley)' b/w 'Glory Glory, Tottenham Hotspur' rose to number five in the charts in May 1981.

Chas & Dave are revered at Spurs and when Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was spotted at White Hart Lane for his club Manchester City's defeat last season, playful fans chanted: "You're just a shit Chas & Dave."

The band also contributed theme tunes for TV shows such as 'Crackerjack' and 'In Sickness & In Health'.

Contrary to urban myth, they did not do the Only Fools and Horses theme, turning the opportunity down because they were too busy.

Fan Justin Walker, 45, said: "It's a very sad day. Chas & Dave have been a British institution for 30 odd years and it's a great shame Dave will not be up on stage anymore.

"Of course the songs will always live on."

Sue Peacock died of lung cancer aged 63 on July 4 this year, despite never having smoked.

A tribute on the band's website: "Sue was quite simply a remarkable human being. Loved by anyone who was lucky enough to know her, she never had a negative point of view on anyone or anything.

"Sue and Chas' wife Joan were inseparable best friends, and she and Dave were godparents to Chas and Joan's children.

"Sue was instrumental behind the scenes for Chas and Dave, working tirelessly on the side of the business that musicians just aren't good at.

"It's accurate to say that without Sue and Joan, there wouldn't have been Chas and Dave."