Feels like it’s been threatened for a decade. Sad news.
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Oh that’s really sad some really formative gigs there for me (and also formative non-gigs where had travelled half way across the country for a gig and getting knocked back because I wasn’t old enough)
That’s a shame, it was right across the road from my student halls.
That’s sad. I went to so many gigs there from late 80s onwards. It could be a mixed experience (it was dubbed ‘the Shitfield Leadmill’ by the Replacements when they played there) particularly on a Saturday night but I saw some amazing gigs there.
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I wonder if in their petition to keep it open they said they had hosted iconic acts and led with Def Leppard again there and everyone just stopped listening
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Well that’s shitty 
Really?
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It’s shitty behaviour from the landlords (same ones that own Electric Brixton) but they have said they’re planning to keep it open as a live music venue
Yeah, since I’ve posted this I’ve heard similar and more info on the landlord and the current venue owner and his actions - definitely isn’t as black and white a story as I thought it was initially
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Always kinda shocked that places like the Leadmill, that have been open for decades, don’t actually own the property. Seems mad they’re still paying rent.
One thing I’ve discovered since posting this is that the owner was given the opportunity to buy it and 100% had/has enough money to buy it.
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Haha, excellent. Oh well.
Bit of a shame but also somewhere that has mostly been pretty shit in terms of booking for the whole time I’ve been in Sheffield. Given the space and the name I’d think someone can make a lot more of it if they are keeping it as a live venue
I was trying to remember the last time I went to the Leadmill and it must be ten years ago - whenever I’ve looked at listings it was more like a comedy venue apart from the student nights.
Lots of tribute acts also.
Saw self esteem and CMAT there relatively recently but before that think my last gig there might have been Frightened Rabbit
Never been, but it’s a shame to hear that a name I used to see every week in the NME will soon be no more. I also remember that great week in 1993 when Radio 1 broadcast loads of gigs for Sound City from there.
This sucks. Situation doesn’t seem clear cut though - as above, seems that there was an opportunity to secure the future of the venue but instead they went a different route, then tried to litigate it on social media. Had some great times there, and seen loads of incredible bands over the years (Mew four times, Coldplay supporting Muse lol, Explosions in The Sky probably a half dozen times, YCNIM, Delgados, Jimmy Eat World (AMAZING GIG!!), Microwave, Mariachi El Bronx (AMAZING GIG!!!), Idlewild). Haven’t been there as much recently as it just didn’t really get many decent bands anymore (the Sheffield curse).
When I hear “the new owners will keep it open as a music venue” I just think of what happened to fellow 90s touring circuit regular Leicester Princess Charlotte, which closed, was taken over, reopened with the promise of a return to its former self, then spent a year putting on nothing but dub reggae nights, Bez DJ sets and pay-to-play “showcases” before closing again and is now a Chinese supermarket.
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My first live music experience was a very fun Wannadies gig at the Leadmill 25 years ago. I thought this was an interesting article from a couple of years back on the Leadmill’s origins and history, all news to me, had no idea it began as such an idealistic publicly funded enterprise
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