A LEGENDARY music venue, which has hosted huge names such as Oasis and Coldplay has announced it has been forced to close after 45 years.
The Leadmill in , which will have to close its doors after it lost an appeal against eviction, described the decision as a “heart-breaking moment.”;;
The venue, where Sheffield-based band Pulp played their first ever gig back in 1980 said that the closure felt like a “betrayal of the cultural fabric of our city”;;.
described the closure as “scandalous”;; whilst Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker has also publicly backed the venue.
The Leadmill will now have to leave the property within three-months, after losing a lengthy battle with its landlord, the Electric Group, who first issued an eviction notice back in 2022.
Electric Group issued the notice because they plan to run the 900-capacity themselves.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the venue, which been a Sheffield staple since 1980, said that the closure will mean the loss of 70 .
It said: “This is a heart-breaking moment not just for our team but for the entireSheffieldcommunity.
“We’ve fought tirelessly to protect this independent venue which has supported countless artists, musicians and creatives for over four decades.
“Today’s decision feels like a betrayal of the cultural fabric of our city.”;;
“We’re truly devastated by this outcome, but we also know hand on heart that we did everything possible to stop the Leadmill being evicted.
“We have poured our , time, love and determination into this fight and we’re immensely proud of our team and the community that stood by us.”;;
Electric Group, which also owns Electric Brixton, as well as venues in and , said it plans to keep the building as a music venue, and promised “substantial investment.”;;
The Leadmill said that the decision shows that tenants have “no rights whatsoever”;; and accused Electric Group of “copying the tenant’s business”;; to make more profit.
It said: “If you worked all the hoursGodsends over years to build a successful business, it can be forcibly seized in the most egregious way.
“Our advice to every business tenant in the country is: if you can, get out of the building you occupy and go online. Your business cannot be stolen there.”;;
The venue will be hosting a number of farewell venues for fans, with punters who have tickets for future events told that that gigs will be relocated to other locations in the city.
After winning the initial case, back in February, the Electric Group said: “The successful legal outcome paves the way for a bright future for this venue, ensuring it will receive the substantial investment it needs to thrive.
“It will continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield, supporting artists, fans, and community projects for the next 100 years.”;;
His Honour Justice Sir Alastair Norris, who ruled in favour of the Electric Groupsaid that the “present intention”;; is to rename the venue SK 35.
The Leadmill has been at the forefront of Sheffield’s music scene for over four decades, helping to launch the careers of bands such as Artic Monkeys.
