Iconic Fitzroy venue the Rochester Castle Hotel has shut its doors, the latest in a line of Melbourne music venues to fold.

Staff have been locked out of the "Rochy" for three weeks and the leaseholder is reportedly filing for bankruptcy following an ongoing dispute with the landlord.

Closing time: Rochester Castle staff only became aware of problems when they arrived to find the locks had been changed. Credit:Facebook

A senior staff member said every effort had been made to keep the Johnston Street icon running but the landlord had taken possession of the property.

Regular music nights have been cancelled and a hasty effort has been made to find new venues for upcoming gigs.