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Sheffield venue The Leadmill, home to Gatecrasher and Warp parties in the ’90s, still at risk of closure · News ⟋ RA
- The landlord is continuing its push to evict the venue’s existing management and staff.
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Historic Sheffield venue The Leadmill remains at risk of closure after being served an eviction notice from its owners last year.
The venue took to Twitter yesterday, May 17th, to issue an update on the longstanding dispute with its landlord, Electric Group.
“Our landlords are moving forward with their plans to evict The Leadmill by applying for a premises license,” the post read. “If granted, this would allow them to operate their own business from this location. This could result in The Leadmill ceasing to exist after 43 years. We’re asking for your help in objecting to their license application before Wednesday, May 24th.”
News of a possible closure went public in March last year after Electric Group issued The Leadmill with an eviction notice. The news caused a strong reaction from the UK music community, leading to a #WeCantLoseTheLeadmill hashtag and a petition with more than 10,000 signatures.
The Leadmill’s official website is currently encouraging members of the public to object to the new license application. The post suggests reading Google reviews and press reports of Electric Group’s three UK venues to judge its “experience and competence.”
The Electric Group currently operates London’s Electric Brixton (FKA The Fridge), SWX Bristol and NX Newcastle (FKA 02 Academy Newcastle). As reported in the Guardian last April, the company acquired the freehold for The Leadmill in 2017. The same article also included a statement denying the venue’s closure.
“There was never any question of us closing The Leadmill, despite all the social media chat,” Electric Group’s head of music, Mike Weller, said in 2022. “The refurb will make the room better equipped to accommodate the modern wants of live music and club nights, for audiences and performers. We want to ensure The Leadmill’s future is as exciting as its history.”
Founded in 1980, The Leadmill is Sheffield’s longest-running live venue and nightclub. An incubator for a wide range of music since its inception, it hosted early gigs from The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire, Pulp and The Arctic Monkeys. The venue also has a strong electronic music lineage, hosting Gatecrasher’s first nights in Sheffield and a Warp Records album launch for Polygon Window (AKA Aphex Twin) in 1993.
Read The Leadmill’s full post. Electric Group has yet to release an updated statement. We’ll report more on this story as it unfolds.
