Sheffield Leadmill faces eviction from building

A legendary club widely regarded as one of the UK's premier live music venues has been told it must close.

The Leadmill, in Sheffield, opened its doors in 1980 and has hosted artists including Pulp, Coldplay, The Stone Roses and Oasis.

Venue bosses said their landlord had served them with an eviction notice requiring them to quit the building next year.

Fans, artists and a local MP have backed a campaign to save the Leadmill.

Based near Sheffield's main railway station the venue is regularly voted as the city's best for live music and has won national awards.

It also hosts comedy acts and regular club nights.

A spokesperson said: "Since 1980, The Leadmill has spent millions of pounds on what was a derelict warehouse, transforming it into one of the U.K's most respected venues, where countless acts from across the globe have performed over the years."

A slew of bands leapt on the announcement to highlight the role the club has played in giving musicians a start in their careers.

The Kaiser Chiefs recalled playing the club in their early days, tweeting: "Not only do we have very fond memories, it really helped us, too.

"It would be a huge loss not just for Sheffield and Yorkshire, but the whole UK music scene."

Indie rock band The Cribs also tweeted their support, saying: "The Leadmill is a wonderful and important venue.

"These are the sort of places that cities cannot afford to lose, the platform they give young musicians is invaluable."

Music Venue Trust, a charity which acts to protect grassroots music venues, said it was aware of the situation and working with the venue to try and ensure its survival.

It said Sheffield was a music city and the council "needs to demonstrate that it is not prepared to see its music culture closed down".

The club has launched a social media campaign - #WeCantLoseLeadmill - urging fans to help them make the case against closure.

Sheffield Labour MP Louise Haigh said she would "fight all the way to save this historic Sheffield landmark".

She tweeted: "Absolutely devastating news that our beloved Sheffield institution The @Leadmill has been given eviction notice by their landlord."

Comedian and Mash Report host Nish Kumar described the Leadmill as a "great venue" and Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess also tweeted his support.

He wrote: "Such a brilliant venue. Let's do all we can to stop The @Leadmill from closing."