Thwaite Watermill will not be leased by Leeds Museums and Galleries from 2025
But you can have your say on the heritage building's future.
The news was announced as part of a money-saving strategy last month when Leeds City Council released a statement, naming an increase to council tax, end museum leases and add car parking charges to local parks as ways that Leeds City Council proposes to save next year onwards.
The proposal suggested ways to save some £58.4 million for the year ahead, and exiting the lease with Thwaite Watermill five years earlier than planned is reported to see 'savings in the range of £650,000-750,000 over the next five years original lease due to end 2030'.
Image: Leeds Museum & Galleries
The site has been noted to have low visitor figures, with 9,502 having visited Thwaite Watermill in 2022, this only makes up 1% of all Leeds Museum and Galleries visitors.
The attraction has been open since 1990, but with Leeds City Council have made the decision not to renew the lease in 2025, rather than its original date of 2030.
The site is currently leased from Canal and River Trust who own the property and this means that there is now a chance to have your say about what Thwaite Watermill could be in the future.
Leeds City Council is asking those interested to fill out a five-minute form with two simple questions: 'considering the opening statement and the Council’s financial challenge, do you agree with the proposal for Leeds Museums & Galleries to end its lease and cease operating the site?' and 'If Leeds City Council were to hand the site back to Canal and River Trust, what would you like to see for the future of the site?'
There is ample opportunity to give further evidence or explanations to your answer, as well as share your own memories, how often you've visited previously and some personal details as part of the questionnaire.
After closing for the entire second day, The Warehouse stage at Leeds Festival has once again been forced to evacuate.
One of the most anticipated dance acts of the day has been cancelled due to health and safety concerns just moments before the set.
Sheffield DJ Silva Bumpa was due to take to The Warehouse stage today at 1:30pm, but the set was cancelled due to overcrowding.
It's not the first time this has happened at Leeds Festival 2026, as yesterday Omar+'s set was cancelled due to the same issue and the stage was subsequently closed for the rest of the day.
The Warehouse stage is completely new for this year, and supposedly is designed specifically for dance music...which is quite ironic.
Announcing the news to Instagram, Silva Bumpa said: "So so sorry Leeds Fest but due to over crowding my set was cancelled last min I was just behind the stage and got told right before such a massive shame."
Prospa, another prominent DJ who's set was cancelled at Reading on Friday afternoon, spoke up on the situation: "We are disappointed in The Warehouse stage closure at Reading Festival. We were told it wasn't possible to play whilst on the way. This was due to too many people outside the stage.
"We have seen this happen before at larger festivals in the UK. It's time to double the capacity of tents or put dance music on the main stage."
It comes after another dance stage, LS23, was closed mid-set last night due to a health and safety hazard when all the lights suddenly switched off and ravers were forced to evacuate.
If yesterday is anything to go by, we wouldn't be surprised if The Warehouse was closed for the rest of the day which means anticipated sets from Rossi and Mall Grab will also be cancelled.
‘Actually lost for words’ – huge artist speaks out as Leeds Festival set is cancelled due to overcrowding
Clementine Hall
For the second day in a row, a huge set has been cancelled due to overcrowding at Reading and Leeds Festival.
Day two of the festival and there's some pretty disappointed ravers hanging their head as one of the biggest dance music sets of the day is cancelled.
Omar+, a rising British electronic DJ and producer, was due to play on the brand-new Warehouse stage at Reading yesterday and Leeds today.
Yesterday's set was cancelled last minute due to overcrowding, and low and behold the same has happened here in Leeds.
Announcing the sad news to his story, Omar+ said "Actually lost for words. My Leeds set has been cancelled due to overcrowding."
He then went on to show a screenshot of a text message, reading: "I've never seen something like this in my entire life where two shows back to back are cancelled due to overcrowding."
The Warehouse stage is completely new for this year, and supposedly is designed specifically for dance music...which is quite ironic.
Prospa, another prominent DJ who's set was cancelled at Reading yesterday, spoke up on the situation: "We are disappointed in The Warehouse stage closure at Reading Festival. We were told it wasn't possible to play whilst on the way. This was due to too many people outside the stage.
"We have seen this happen before at larger festivals in the UK. It's time to double the capacity of tents or put dance music on the main stage."
It comes after another dance stage, LS23, was closed mid-set last night due to a health and safety hazard when all the lights suddenly switched off and ravers were forced to evacuate.
Sophie Smith -
8th January 2024 
