The Final Curtain: The UK’s Lost Music Venues
The number of historic music venues that have been lost over recent years is staggering. Iconic dance floors and stages resigned to history, a new generation never going to witness that life-changing show.
Of course, plenty of new venues are cropping up all over the country too, with exciting ventures happening in the likes of Leeds, Manchester and of course London.
But what about those infamous venues of yesteryear. Whatever happened to them? We take a look at some of the UK’s famed music halls and nightclubs that are no longer with us.
Leeds Cockpit
Smaller venues are continuing to struggle according to reports and one that didn’t survive was the legendary Cockpit in Leeds.
Instrumental in the early 2000s indie explosion, the Cockpit saw early shoes from the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs, Libertines and The Cribs.
It welcomed acts that went on to huge things before closing in 2014, including Queens of the Stone Age, Black Keys and Amy Winehouse.
Today, it stands untouched, an empty shell under the arches at Leeds train station.
London Hippodrome
A much grander casualty is the London Hippodrome, iconic long before the emergence of Britpop in the 90s.
It hosted acts that inspired much of the Britpop sound through osmosis including The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and The Temptations.
You can still visit it today, with the building holding many of its classic features, although nowadays you’ll b more there for the sound of coins jangling with it being a casino.
Offering a different kind of night out, you can enjoy the best slot machines, poker and more with the building made use out of nicely.
Land based casinos aren’t the only ones benefiting from the rise in popularity as
online casinos are also enjoying heightened interest.
The number of people playing casino games in the UK on platforms like Ladbrokes Casino has never been higher as more and more people are enjoying gambling thanks to the relaxation of gambling laws almost ten years ago.
The Hacienda
Once named the best club on the planet, it was perhaps inevitable the Hacienda wouldn’t still be built today.
Unorganised chaos for much of its existence, that’s what made it legendary. The likes of New Order, the Stone Roses and the Smiths all round their feet in the club, while it was also the venue for Madonna’s first ever UK show.
A pioneer during the acid house scene, the Hacienda, Factory Records and Tony Wilson did more for British culture in the late 80s/early 90s than anyone else.
Demolished in 2002, flats now stand on the spot it once stood.
The Marquee Club
London’s Marquee Club closed in 2008, but not before leaving an incredible legacy that stretched back to 1958.
It has the accolade of hosting the first ever Rolling Stones live performance, while down the years also saw The Yardbirds, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix perform there, to name a few.
It’s list of iconic shows is almost unrivalled but after shifting site a few times, the name ceased to existence a decade ago.
A Wetherspoons now stands on the original site, so you can at least still raise a glass to an important part of the UK’s musical history.
