Northern Guitars: Leeds city centre music venue joins national campaign to protect UK’s grassroots stages
Northern Guitars in Leeds city centre has joined a national campaign to protect grassroots music venues across the UK.
The 60-capacity Call Lane venue – which combines a pub, guitar store, and live music space – along with Gut Level in Sheffield and Little Buildings in Newcastle, have all been added to the Music Venue Trust’s pioneering Own Our Venues project.
Led by Music Venue Properties (MVP) - a charitable community benefit society created by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) - the initiative seeks to protect independent venues by removing them from the risk of commercial property markets and secure their long-term future as cultural spaces by purchasing their buildings and placing them into community ownership.
Rick Wade, founder of Northern Guitars, said: “Having survived the various hospitality crises, our little live music jewel is now facing imminent landlord issues - an expiring lease and building sale. Generic chain bars are hovering dangerously nearby. A lifeline from MVP would secure the future of one of the smallest GMVs in the country.
“We are embedded in the local music scene. You will regularly find music college students working behind the bar as well as performing on the stage. Our community is close and passionate, contributing to an oasis of like minds in a welcoming and supportive environment on a busy street. It can’t be allowed to end.”
Phase two of the Own Our Venues scheme was announced in May and has so far raised over £1.1 million of its £1.5 million target. The grassroots project remains open for donations until November 14.
The campaign has already secured several venues around the UK, including The Ferret in Preston and Le Pub in Newport.
Chris Sherrington, campaign manager for Own Our Venues, said: “This is about more than saving a few venues - it’s about giving local communities the power to protect live music for the future.”