Sheffield Leadmill given date to move out of venue after losing court battle

nme.com:

served an eviction notice to their tenants The Leadmill Ltd in March 2022, which sparked an outcry across the music industry and from gig-goers.

The Leadmill Ltd own the trademark for the venue’s name – meaning a new venue in a different building could retain the name and branding of the original.Sheffield’s Leadmill lost its eviction court battle with its landlord, leaving its future uncertain.

However, the iconic venue has issued a statement promising that it will continue to fight on.Now, this past Wednesday (February 19), Justice Sir Alastair Norris ruled in favour of the Electric Group, and has given The Leadmill Ltd about three months and 21 days to leave the site (via BBC).

Bosses of the Leadmill have shared that they will be exhausting “every possible legal avenue to secure our future, retain our staff and protect our venue,” (via The Star).A spokesperson for the Electric Group previously commented on the ruling to NME: “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.