By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Supporters of a much-loved music venue are urging the council to grant a permanent licence to host gigs.
Boom Leeds hopes to continue staging bands at Canal Place, off Armley Road, after moving there with the help of fundraising and volunteers.
The venue faced an uncertain future after having to vacate its previous site in Mabgate, where it ran live events, rehearsal rooms and studio space for more than a decade.
Boom moved to Canalside Community Music Space in May this year, and has been since been using temporary event licences.
Leeds City Council received 46 letters of support for a new licence application, including from Leeds East MP Richard Burgon and the Music Venue Trust.
Mr Burgon praised a fundraising effort launched when Boom had to leave Mabgate due to redevelopment plans.
He said: “Boom Leeds is a very special place, not a standard run-of-the-mill music venue. It is a place imbued with the DIY ethos.”
In 2019, Mr Burgon tabled a parliamentary early day motion (EDM) in support of Boom which was signed by 26 MPs.
The following year, warnings were made that the venue, also known as Temple of Boom, might not survive the Covid pandemic.
The Music Venue Trust (MVT) said the closure of the Magbate venue in March was met with an “outpouring of public sadness”.
It said: “MVT is confident that granting this application will strengthen and diversify the cultural provision of the area, boosting the local economy and furthering the city of Leeds’ evening and night-time hospitality offering.”
The council also received 18 objections from people living nearby who feared noise disturbances if the venue was allowed to play music until 3am.
One said: “Prolonged exposure to loud music and late-night activity will lead to serious disruption in what should be a peaceful residential area.”
Conditions to prevent public nuisance were being agreed with the council and West Yorkshire Police.
A licensing sub-committee will consider the application at a hearing at Leeds Civic Hall on Tuesday, September 16.
It was a shame that the last venue closed down, but it makes sense to use that area for new housing developments. It should be an obvious decision to allow Boom the licence in its new venue. It’s already right next to Project House, another music venue. It’s surrounded by the Armley Gyratory, Wellington Road, the train line, and industrial businesses. This is exactly where you’d choose to put a music venue for minimal residential disturbance. All we need is the West Yorkshire tram to open up through Armley and we’ll have a really nice cultural hub that’s a couple of minutes away from Leeds station. Agglomeration benefits are real!
Wholeheartedly agree although a shame it will add to the decline in the once legendary “buzz” that City centre is slowly losing 🙁