BAFTA nominee Joe Lycett, the Kaiser Chiefs, and even The Pogues are among the artists and celebrities who’ve spoken out against the closure of The Leadmill, in Sheffield.
#WeCantLoseLeadmill is trending on Twitter after the South Yorkshire music venue got the news the business would be evicted and be forced to close.
Artists Rally Behind The Leadmill
Thousands of people have taken to social media to protest the news of the potential closure including a slew of celebrities, bands, performers and comedians – such as the BAFTA nominee Joe Lycett who posted on Twitter it would be a ‘terrible loss to culture’.
Other artists and comedians such as the Kaiser Cheifs, The Pogues, Nish Kumar, and ever MPs have thrown their support behind the venue.
What is The Leadmill?
The Leadmill first opened its doors in 1980 on Leadmill Road, just on the edge of the city centre of Sheffield – and was intended to be a community centre. Despite it’s name the building was actually the home to a flourmill in a previous life.
Over the 42 years it’s stood as a venue it’s played host to hundreds of bands, performers and comedians and has won several awards. The Leadmill has been voted favourite live music venue by readers of the NME on several occasions and has won ‘Best Live Venue’ at the Exposed Awards several times, most recently claiming the prize in 2019.
The venue was awarded a Music Heritage Award by PRS for Music in 2015, which was unveiled by Pulp at an event broadcast live from the venue on BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq show.
During the pandemic the venue struggled – along with many others across the UK – to stay afloat, but with an Arts Council grant of £241,571, and £128,544 from Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner – who auctioned off a guitar in aid of the club – the venue did what so many couldn’t and made it through the worst of it.