Today with the other Sheffield MPs I’ve written to Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries asking for an urgent meeting to discuss how to save iconic Sheffield venue The Leadmill.

The venue’s landlord, Electric Group, served an eviction notice to The Leadmill yesterday, with the intention of establishing a new venue in the premises and giving them one year’s notice.

The Leadmill say that during their tenancy, they have spent millions of pounds on what was once a derelict warehouse. It has been transformed into a venue with international acclaim, hosting acts from across the globe.With my fellow Sheffield MPs Louise Haigh, Olivia Blake, Clive Betts and Gill Furniss, I’ve written to the Government to urge action.

We told the Secretary of State that:

“The venue has huge cultural and community capital, synonymous with Sheffield’s vibrant music scene and night time economy.

“The Leadmill has also been pivotal as a creative springboard for bands from Sheffield and across the north, such as Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys, who have gone on to make an enormous contribution to the music industry. It is an essential part of the UK’s cultural heritage and an asset to our creative industries, which we cannot lose.”

We’ve asked the Minister for confirmation of a date to meet to discuss how to preserve the “unique and historic” venue.

Sheffield without the Leadmill is unthinkable. It’s made an extraordinary contribution to the city and to UK music for 42 years.

It’s outrageous that another operator has bought the lease to turn the Leadmill out and set up a new venue on the back of their success. I’m determined to protect this iconic Sheffield asset from this act of vandalism. I’m working with other Sheffield MPs to take the fight to Parliament and will press Ministers to act to prevent this awful eviction.