Sheffield’s The Leadmill launches crowdfunder to return and reopen as new independent venue in new location

The Leadmill in Sheffield has launched a crowdfunder, asking for funds to help it return and reopen as a new independent venue in a different location.

The historic Leadmill closed its doors in June after a 45-year run in the city centre, losing a battle to stay open after its owners were denied an appeal against an eviction notice and given three months to vacate the premises.

Electric Group – which runs various venues around the UK, including Brixton Electric – are the new operators of the site and confirmed in July last year that the Leadmill would be reinvented as a new music venue called Electric Studios, with doors set to open in 2026.

Now, the original owners have said that The Leadmill will be “entering a new chapter following its departure from its original premises”, and are seeking public support to help secure a new permanent location.

The campaign is titled #TheNewLeadmill – Powered By The People, and asks for people to help contribute towards the costs of securing, fitting out and opening a new space.

They argue that, as a privately run company, The Leadmill does not receive the public funding or tax reliefs available to council-owned cultural spaces. Organisers of the crowdfunder have said that all funds raised, barring standard transaction fees, will be dedicated solely to the creation of the new venue.

“This campaign is about safeguarding independent culture,” said a spokesperson. “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 owners had operated on the site since 1980, and hosted live performances from local talent like Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Bring Me The Horizon and Self Esteem, as well as presenting sets from Muse, Coldplay, The Strokes, Oasis and many more.

It also welcomed over 10 million people to events over those four decades, and became synonymous with grassroots culture, artist development and community-driven programming.

Friend of the venue Miles Kane played the final-ever live show at The Leadmill on June 27, before ‘The Last Dance’ closed club night the next evening.

Threats of eviction went back to 2022, and at the time there was a huge show of support from music fans and artists alike.

Among those were Arctic Monkeys, who expressed their support for the Sheffield venue that year – following them playing two gigs there back in 2007 – and Richard Hawley also went on to tell NME about his “overwhelming sense of sadness” over the loss of the original Leadmill. He performed his final show at the historic venue on June 18 last year.

Also that year, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker spoke to us about his connection to the live music space, and the frustrations that come from seeing more venues come under threat.

While there were widespread concerns about the original venue closing, Electric Group vowed to keep the building as a music venue and said that 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”.