By Jack Goodman
Live music fans will be celebrating as one of the most popular venues in Leeds is set to expand.
Brudenell Social Club is based in Hyde Park and has hosted many well-known bands, including Franz Ferdinand and the city’s own Kaiser Chiefs – and is planning to expand to improve facilities for disabled customers.
The expansion will also provide a community events space for people in the area to use, whilst allowing the current live music space and games room to continue in their primary role.
Manager Nathan Clark explained the decision to expand.
He said: “Over the years, the Brudenell has tried to be inclusive of everyone. We saw this as an opportunity to be able to make the facilities up to date, and meet the needs of disabled customers.”
Mr Clark also expressed the importance of having control of the project – rather than sharing the responsibility with contractors.
“The idea is to build it entirely from scratch, so that we can build it specifically to our needs,” he added. “We would rather try and plan efficiently and make it work from the start.”
The news of the expansion has been well received across the city, with music stores and musicians alike welcoming it.
Jumbo Records, the city’s oldest running record store, works closely with the venue, selling their event tickets in-store – and manager Adam Gillison was keen to highlight what the Brudenell means to the Leeds music scene.
He said: “People associate Leeds with good live music, and the Brudenell is vital for that. It’s one of the best venues in the country.”
Mr Gillison also pointed out the benefits that the expansion will bring to the city as a whole.
He added: “Brudenell isn’t even a city centre venue, but it’s still managing to carve out a place as one of the city’s best.
“It’ll certainly be good for us, as we do a lot of business with their tickets – but it’ll also help to make the city more attractive as a student city, and to young people as well.
“It’s fantastic – it’s very exciting for the music scene in the city.”
One artist who has benefitted from the Brudenell’s reputation within the music scene is Hannah Trigwell, 26, a singer-songwriter from the city who played her first show at the venue.
She explained what the venue means to her, and developing her music career: “I’m probably a bit biased because I love the Brudenell, and it holds a lot of memories from when I just started out. There’s something magical about intimate venues which are full of character, like this one.”
Miss Trigwell was also optimistic about what the expansion of the venue will lead to.
“Any expansion will hopefully mean more of the same,” she added. “Great music, great atmosphere, great nights. These are good guys, and they know what they are doing, so I’m excited to see what happens.”