Leadmill: Sheffield club bosses confirm defeat in eviction court case

But bosses say they have not given up the fight to remain at the famous club, and say there is no timeline so far for when they may have to leave.

They have issued a statement confirming the outcome of the court case, while the new owners say the building will continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield.

The statement from The Leadmill says: “The Leadmill today acknowledges the court's recent ruling against us in our ongoing legal dispute with our landlord, MVL Properties (2017) Limited.

“While this is a challenging moment for our venue, we want to reassure our supporters, artists, and the wider community that there is no immediate timeline for what happens next.

“Our team is actively consulting with our legal advisors to assess our next steps.

“We remain committed to exhausting every possible legal avenue to secure our future, retain our staff and protect our venue.”

They says the matter is more than just a legal battle for their team, describing the Leadmill as not just bricks and mortar, but a home, where many staff members had worked over 15 years.

The statement added: “We are real people, with a deep love for what we do, and we never imagined we'd be facing something like this.

“But we are in it together, doing everything we can to fight for the place that means so much to us and to so many others.

“The overwhelming public support we have received throughout this process has been invaluable.”

They said The Leadmill was more than just a venue, and is a cultural institution with a 45-year history of nurturing artists, supporting grassroots music, and providing a vital space for creativity in Sheffield and beyond.

They added all events for which tickets have been issued are going ahead unless they have said otherwise, and if any events are affected, they will get in touch with customers as soon as possible.

Leadmill bosses have been in a battle with landlord Dominic Madden, who owns the club building they run, since March 2022, when Mr Madden said he would not be renewing the lease.

His Electric Group company runs three music venues in London, Bristol and Newcastle, and bought the Sheffield building for £600,000 nine years ago.

A spokesman for the Electric Group said: “We welcome the court’s consideration and careful decision to award a possession order for the Leadmill; an important ruling following difficult legal proceedings.

“The successful legal outcome paves the way for a bright future for this venue, ensuring it will receive the substantial investment it needs to thrive. It will continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield, supporting artists, fans, and community projects for the next 100 years.”

The Leadmill’s Phil Mills is understood to have been running the famous venue since 1994.

Bands and artists including Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Richard Hawley, Oasis, Coldplay and The Killers have performed there over the years.

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