A trailer for Electric Studios, the new music venue replacing the iconic Leadmill in Sheffield, has been released – watch below.
The historic Leadmill closed its doors in June after a 45-year run in the city centre, losing a battle to stay open after its owners were denied an appeal against an eviction notice and given three months to vacate the premises.
Electric Group – which runs various venues around the UK, including Brixton Electric – are the new operators of the site and they confirmed in July that the Leadmill would be reinvented as a new music venue, with the Electric Studios doors set to open in February 2026.
Now, Electric Studios have posted an Instagram reel in which they preview the new venue. “Electric Studios is a vibrant, multifunctional event space,” the trailer says. “For Sheffield.”
Mike Weller, head of music at the venue, goes on to say: “Any form of music won’t feel out of place within these walls.”
Check out the full trailer here:
The redevelopment has cost approximately £2million, and it will have a capacity of 1,050 for live gigs and 1,450 for club events, with the owners saying they will be “collaborating with national and independent promoters, music labels, and brands” to bring an eclectic mix of events to the venue.
Following feedback from locals, there will be a redesigned venue layout, better stage sightlines, a new PA system, and improved facilities including toilets, cloakrooms, and staircases. Also on offer will be a rehearsal room, communal area and kitchen, to promote a collaborative workspace.
Dominic Madden, Co-Founder of Electric Group added: “Sheffield is a special city, and with the plans for Electric Studios, we are committed to a programme of substantial investment, refurbishment and curation for it to thrive – with a modern vision that respects the cultural significance of the building and history of the existing venue while putting the artist and fan experience front and centre of our plans.
“Work here so far is creating over 100 jobs, as it is being finalised for opening next Spring when we look forward to welcoming music lovers to the latest addition to the Electric circuit of special music venues,” Madden continued.
The previous owners had operated on the site since 1980, and hosted live performances from local talent like Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Bring Me The Horizon and Self Esteem, as well as presenting sets from Muse, Coldplay, The Strokes, Oasis and many more.
Friend of the venue Miles Kane played the final-ever live show at The Leadmill on June 27, before ‘The Last Dance’ closed club night the next evening.
Threats of eviction went back to 2022, and at the time there was a huge show of support from music fans and artists alike.
Arctic Monkeys expressed their support for the landmark Sheffield venue that year – following the Sheffield band playing two gigs there back in 2007 – and earlier this year Richard Hawley told NME about his “overwhelming sense of sadness” over the loss of the original Leadmill. He would later go on to perform his final show at the historic venue on June 18.
Around that same time, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker spoke to NME about his connection to the live music space, and the frustrations that come from seeing more venues come under threat.
“This is the first place that Pulp played in Sheffield, it’s developed over a lot of time, and to create a place with that kind of history and atmosphere to it is not something that you can buy,” he explained, also adding that he wants to take back the plaque from outside the building which commemorated Pulp’s first gig there.
“I vowed that’s what I’d do if it was to close, and now it is,” he said.
Amid concerns at the original venue closing, Electric Group vowed to keep the building as a music venue and said that it would “continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield, supporting artists, fans, and community projects for the next 100 years”.