Freedom Mills has confirmed it will close at the end of November, bringing a decade-long chapter of Leeds’ underground music scene to an end.
The Washington Street venue announced the decision in a statement shared on Instagram on October 8, saying it would say goodbye “for good” on November 28.
Freedom Mills first opened on Boxing Day in 2015 and has since become a key fixture in the city’s electronic music culture.
The closure comes as part of a major redevelopment project near Kirkstall Road, which will see 503 new residential properties built close to the current site.
Speaking at the venue’s closing party, Freedom Mills director Joshua said the closure was particularly difficult because the building will be completely demolished.
He said the entire structure, including the venue’s distinctive archways, is set to be knocked down to make way for housing.
Freedom Mills marked the end of its Washington Street home with a final 18-hour event titled Where We Once Danced, running from 6pm on November 28 through to the following morning.
The lineup featured more than 25 DJs associated with the venue over the years, including Burnski, Annie Errez, Graham Dixon, Sara Garvey and SNAFU DJs, alongside several special guests.
Crowds remained at the venue into the early hours, with long DJ sets and full dancefloors throughout the night.
All proceeds from the closing party will go towards securing a new venue space.
Threlfall confirmed the team has already identified two possible new locations, although he said details remain confidential.
He said one space is planned as a listening lounge, while the other would operate as a rave venue, both aimed at dedicated music fans, with the possibility of an over-21s policy.
To support the move, the Freedom Mills team has launched a GoFundMe to help cover costs including licensing, planning permission and building work.
In its closing statement, the venue thanked its community for a decade of support, adding: “Here’s to the next chapter.”
https://www.gofundme.com/f/starting-all-over-again-freedom-mills