New owners of Sheffield’s The Leadmill respond to venue’s anti-eviction campaign

nme.com:

iconic venue announced that it was facing threat of closure due to its landlord issuing a notice of eviction, which lead to an an outpouring of upset and support from the music world.The Leadmill is owned by Electric Group — who also own London’s Electric Brixton, Bristol’s SWX and Newcastle’s NX.

They bought the site’s freehold in 2017 and previously told music fans that they had no intention of closing the venue when they end the current occupiers’ lease in 2023. “The management may change but the song stays the same,” Dominic Madden, CEO and co-founder of Electric Group, wrote on Twitter.The management, however, hit back, arguing that they were being “exterminated by the landlord”.Yesterday (May 17), they made a new appeal to fans, asking for support after revealing that landlords were reportedly moving forward with eviction plans .Help to save The Leadmill.

For more information please visit https://t.co/2YhtkPx7M7 pic.twitter.com/d0wkeKUMbZ— The Leadmill (@Leadmill) May 17, 2023Now, Madden has issued a fresh statement in response. “We have owned the Leadmill premises since 2017.

With the current lease coming to an end, Electric Group has applied for a licence application as part of the transition process,” he said.“As we have always maintained, we intend to continue operating the space as a music venue, focussing on a diverse mix of gigs, club nights and comedy events.