The Leadmill in Sheffield has launched a crowdfunding campaign, asking fans to help fund its comeback as a new independent venue in a different location.
The iconic venue shut down in June after 45 years in the city centre, following a failed attempt to overturn an eviction notice. Its operators were given three months to leave the site after losing their appeal.
Electric Group, which operates venues across the UK including Brixton Electric, has since taken over the building. In July last year, they confirmed plans to transform it into a new venue called Electric Studios, which is expected to open in 2026.
Now, the original team behind The Leadmill say the venue is “entering a new chapter following its departure from its original premises”, and they are asking the public to support efforts to secure a new permanent home.
The fundraiser, titled #TheNewLeadmill Powered By The People, invites supporters to contribute towards the costs of finding, developing and launching a new space.
They explain that as a privately operated venue, The Leadmill does not benefit from the public funding or tax breaks that council-run cultural venues receive. Organisers have also stated that all money raised, aside from standard transaction costs, will go directly into building the new venue.
“This campaign is about safeguarding independent culture,” a spokesperson said. “If The Leadmill has ever been part of someone’s story, a first gig, a favourite night out, this is a chance to help ensure it exists for the next generation.”
Visit here for more information and to donate.
The previous operators had been based at the venue since 1980, hosting performances from local acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Bring Me The Horizon and Self Esteem, alongside major names like Muse, Coldplay, The Strokes and Oasis.
Over the decades, more than 10 million people attended events there, and the venue became closely associated with grassroots music, artist development and community-focused programming.
Miles Kane, a longtime supporter of the venue, played the final live show at The Leadmill on June 27, before a closing club night titled ‘The Last Dance’ took place the following evening.
Concerns about eviction first emerged in 2022, prompting a strong wave of support from both fans and artists.
Arctic Monkeys were among those who publicly backed the venue that year, reflecting on their own shows there in 2007. Richard Hawley also told NME about his “overwhelming sense of sadness” over the closure, performing his final show at the venue on June 18 last year.
That same year, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker spoke about his personal connection to the space and the wider frustration around the growing number of venues facing closure.
While many were disappointed to see the original site shut, Electric Group said it intends to keep the building as a live music venue and promised it would “continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield, supporting artists, fans, and community projects for the next 100 years”.
