Leadmill Venue Considers Relocation Amid Eviction Proceedings

The director of Sheffield’s renowned Leadmill music venue has indicated that the establishment might move to a different site should it be compelled to leave its current premises, which it has occupied for 44 years. Electric Group, which owns the popular 900-capacity building, issued an eviction notice to its tenants, The Leadmill Ltd, in March 2022, with intentions to operate the business independently. The legal representatives for The Leadmill are currently contesting this decision, asserting that it violates multiple legal statutes. During an eviction hearing at the Business and Property Court in Leeds, Phil Mills, the company’s sole director, testified that establishing a new venue within the city was “a possibility.” Mr. Mills, who informed the hearing that he has been involved in managing The Leadmill since its inception on Leadmill Road in 1980, described a new location as “hypothetical” and “plan B or plan C.” He stated, “Plan A is that we succeed in this case and we carry on.” The Leadmill Ltd holds the trademark for the venue’s name, which implies that a new establishment in a different building could still operate under “The Leadmill” brand and maintain its identity. Mr. Mills indicated that the prospective new location would “not necessarily” be situated in Sheffield. He elaborated, “If we found a suitable premises in Sheffield we would effectively be competing against ourselves because The Leadmill’s name and legacy is indivisible in our customers’ minds.” Referencing Electric Group boss Mr. Dominic Madden, Mr. Mills quoted, “[Electric Group boss] Mr [Dominic] Madden said in his statements it [the venue] will always be known as The Leadmill, he’s quite right.” He further added, “Old Trafford will always be known as Old Trafford.” Mr. Mills affirmed during the hearing his intention to remove the venue’s fixtures and fittings if the current management were to be evicted. His Honour Justice Sir Alastair Norris, presiding over the hearing, informed Mr. Mills that dismantling “everything,” “whether it’s usable in your new business or not,” would incur costs of approximately £750,000. Justice Norris stated, “You will lose the benefit of the improvements, you have to pay for stripping out and you will have some repairs to do because of it.” He continued, “There are not many company directors who would willingly forgo three quarters of a million pounds for the company.” In reply, Mr. Mills characterized this action as “preservation of our possessions, which we are entitled to keep and do with as we wish.” Mr. Mills suggested that certain fixtures from the building could be sold, drawing a parallel to the venue’s former dancefloor. He further mentioned that other fittings might be utilized in the prospective new premises. Mr. Mills remarked, “The Leadmill goes as far as New Zealand, goes as far as behind the Iron Curtain, as far as America and Europe.” He likened the situation to, “It’s like when Elvis Presley died, or Jimmy Hendrix, all of a sudden everyone wants a piece of it.” Judge Norris commented that memorabilia “doesn’t extend to the electric wiring or air conditioning,” prompting Mr. Mills to respond, “Those things come in handy elsewhere.” Mr. Mills added, “It will probably be worth more than the £750,000 cost. There’s £4.75m in redoing the whole thing, those pieces would contribute a lot.” He concluded, “There’s a logic to this, there’s a commercial logic. It’s not without any sense or point at all.” Mr. Mills has filed a planning application with Sheffield City Council seeking permission to demolish a toilet block and an additional section of the building that contains a cloakroom and fire exits. In response, MVL Properties, the parent company of Electric Group, has submitted a counter-application requesting that these features be reinstated “like for like” if demolition proceeds. When questioned about the estimated time to commence operations at a new venue, Mr. Mills responded, “We would have to find a building, we would have to pay for a building, equip that building. That would take a couple of years.” The Leadmill, a venue that has hosted artists such as Oasis, Coldplay, and the Arctic Monkeys, would subsequently need to “rebuild” and “establish ourselves,” a process he projected would span between three and five years. Mr. Mills stated that any relocation would necessitate making the venue’s 120 employees redundant. The court was informed that The Leadmill currently pays an annual rent of £65,000, but this amount would increase to £238,000 if the venue were to remain in its current location under a new lease agreement. Electric Group acquired the freehold for the property in 2017, a period during which the site faced potential redevelopment into housing. Mr. Madden has asserted that Mr. Mills, as the leaseholder, was also offered the chance to purchase the freehold but chose not to. The hearing is ongoing.