Sheffield venue The Leadmill loses court battle with landlord over eviction
Posted On
(Credits: The Leadmill)
Beloved Sheffield venue The Leadmill has lost its ongoing eviction court battle with its landlord. Now, the venue’s future remains uncertain as Electric Group plans to take it over.
Electric Group owns the 900-capacity venue and served an eviction notice on The Leadmill in March 2022. This sparked outrage across the music industry and Sheffield-based music lovers, who view the venue as a vital part of the area’s cultural fabric.
Since opening in 1980, the Sheffield venue has hosted many names who have progressed to become giants in the musical world. Big acts include Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Kings of Leon, and Amy Winehouse all played The Leadmill before going on to international acclaim.
The Leadmill issued a statement on February 19th on social media that discussed the court’s findings and the eviction notice, which has been formally served. “While this is a challenging and upsetting moment for our venue, we want to reassure our supporters, artists, and the wider community,” they wrote, “That there is no immediate timeline for what happens next.”
The venue has confirmed that it is currently speaking to its legal team to work out a way forward. The Leadmill owns the trademark, which means they could reopen the venue in another building in the city.
They expressed how devastated they were at the court’s ruling, saying it goes beyond just a building and a venue and is a lot more personal than that. “It’s personal. The Leadmill isn’t just bricks and mortar; it’s a home,” they wrote, “Many of our team have grown up here, worked here for over 15 years and dedicated our live to creating incredible events and experiences […] We are in it together, doing everything we can to fight for the place that means so much to us and to so many others.”
At this stage, it remains unclear whether The Leadmill will reopen in another area or close its doors forever. More developments are expected to follow soon.
[embedded content]
Related Topics
