Leadmill to close?

My one and only time crowdsurfing was at the Leadmill For the landlord/tenant discussion, if you buy a music venue as a landlord - especially one as iconic as Leadmill, which has been a music venue and loved by many since 1980 - your intention should be to keep it as a music venue. I don't need to go over the reasons why independent, small venues mean so much to so many and are indispensable, because it has been articulated perfectly by others on this thread. Once they are gone, they are gone, and when one is lost it is a deep loss both for the hearts of those that love them and the soul of the city.

I think gentrification is partly to blame, along with landlords taking a large backhander and selling their souls. Gentrification drives up rents, as we have seen here in Bristol (and London, and many cities across the country now), and some tenants can't keep up. And landlords of independent music venues generally have the choice between buckling to pressure and selling out to the corporate machine, or fighting to keep their venues. It has happened in Bristol with iconic venues like Bierkeller, which has hosted amazing bands over the years (Nirvana, Stone Roses, Pixies etc.) and was forced to close suddenly in 2018. Also venues like the lesser-known Surrey Vaults. Venues that are never coming back. You can't just move premises and put the same name above the door, because it's not the same venue. It would be like moving house and having the same number and postcode - the interior and soul of the place can't replicate the old place, it's impossible.

Bristol's small but significant remaining venues are hanging on and have been for years. The Fleece, Thekla, and Louisiana are all iconic venues, and all are surrounded by modern development and gentrification. Both Thekla and The Fleece have been threatened with closure in recent years due to noise levels. Developers have built flats (in the last 5 years) close to both venues, and have subsequently complained of 'noise pollution' from these venues that have been in existence as entertainment venues since the early 80s. Ironically, the same developers probably sold these apartments as being 'conveniently close to popular music venues and amenities..' So what came first, the shiny new apartment or the 40-year-old venue? Development in the city has always been thus and is obviously a necessity to a degree, but venues shouldn't be a casualty of it.

 

Real shame if Leadmill closes.

 

It's plain wrong. The way I see it, if you move in to a new place next to a gig venue, then you should expect some noise from said venues, it's par for the course. But I think these developers know what they're doing, they know that nine times out of ten the courts (or council) will rule in favour of the developer (£££) and the venue will just have to accept it. I'm really surprised that the Fleece and Thekla are still going to be honest, and full credit to them.

 

Leadmill to stay open according to today's Yorkshire Post.

 

Sounds like the current lease ends in March 2023, so it will be the landlord serving a s.25 notice opposing the renewal of the lease on the basis either that they are planning to substantially redevelop the premises (doubtful, as it sounds like they're going to refurb rather than redevelop and probably can't reach the necessary threshold) or occupy the premises themself, which seems more likely based on the responses in this thread.

So it looks like it will continue as a venue, but under the freehold owners rather than the current tenant.

 

It was when I was there.

 

Shame this enjoyed many a neet watching the good the bad and the darn reight ugly whilst gerrin larruped on the ale.

 

I don't know the point you're making - I agree it's **** that the current lot are going, I've had many a great night in the Leadmill. Whilst it might continue as a venue it won't be the Leadmill in any true sense of the word, likely a more soulless, corporate venture which is a damn shame.

My point was that the Leadmill's representation and use of words such as "evicting" and "underhand" are (understandably) overegging it when this happens day in day out with business tenancies up and down the country and could have been foreseeable with the lease coming to an end. It's not as if the landlord has served a s.146 notice out of the blue and forfeited the lease by changing the locks.

 

You can't have a system where a landlord has no ability to get his property back upon lease expiry. It'd be a nonsense.

It's a bit like saying someone is "evicted" or things are "underhand" if someone is forced to leave a hotel room at checkout time, or a parking space once their paid time runs out.

 

The other thing to note is that in order for a landlord to obtain possession upon lease expiry on the basis that it's going to occupy the property itself it has to have owned the freehold for at least 5 years.

So if you're a gig venue and a company which acquires and runs gig venues buys the freehold with 6 years remaining on your lease term it doesn't take Nostradamus to see what's coming. They're either being disingenuous in acting like this has come as a surprise, or they've been very naive/poorly advised.

 

also don't forget the £100k+ compensation that the landlord has stated they will receive.

What I don't understand is why there was absolutely no public attempt made to buy the building in 2017 by the leadmill operators.

 

The Leadmill tried to fight it in Court and lost - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crlx83xk77jo

 

Aren’t the current legal owners wanting to carry on as how it is but under a new name and with the building modernised?

 

Yeah

 

I’ve been to many a gig in many a town and city but I’ve never been gi the Leadmill, I still find it hard to believe but luckily going next month.