Ranking in fourth place as one of the UK's most celebrated music venues, The Duchess, or Duchess of York is well-known across the city as a spot to catch some of the UK's biggest artists - many before their heyday.
Grass roots music venues have been in decline for the past 20 years or so (with a 35% closure rate, according to the Music Venues Trust), and now the number of pubs closing due to an increase in bills (rising by 50% according to Altus Group) - it's more important than ever to shine a light on venues that allow up-and-coming artists the space to try out new songs.
In light of this, The Insurance Emporium has taken a trip down memory lane to look at some of the UK's most loved music venues - and naturally Leeds' was The Duchess.
Today the grounds of The Duchess are a Hugo Boss store. / Image: Google Maps
Known as The Duchess of York, the music venue was famous not just in Leeds but across the north – serving as an integral piece of the city’s music scene for many years.
Right up until 2000, 71 Vicar Lane was home to an iconic Leeds pub that hosted such bands as Nirvana, Oasis, Blur and the Manic Street Preachers.
After its closure in 2000, it was replaced by fashion giant Hugo Boss which still has a store on the site to this day.
Further big names to grace The Duchess’s stage over the years include Radiohead, Coldplay and Green Day – but its biggest claim to fame has to be welcoming in Nirvana as a support band back in the late 80s.
It’s said that the little-known band from Aberdeen, Washington came to support Tad – and that Kurt Cobain went and slept on the sofa upstairs afterward.
At the time, the band was in town to promote their album Bleach; but they also played some songs that would feature in their second album Nevermind, such as About a Girl, Love Buzz, Floyd the Barber and Polly.
For anyone who was there, it was surely a truly iconic gig to witness. We have to say, we’re rather jealous.
‘The Duchess’ or ‘The Duchess of York’ as it was also known as, on Vicar Lane, was one of Leeds’ most highly regarded music venues until its closure in 2000. One its biggest claims to fame was that Nirvana performed there before they were propelled to fame.
The venue has since been transformed from a pub to the designer clothing retailer ‘Hugo Boss.’ It’s hard to imagine that before this immaculate, high-end shop was a gritty Yorkshire pub that welcomed the likes of Blur, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, and Coldplay.
Bringing back a piece of nostalgia the pub was reincarnated in 2021 in the form of a pop-up in Leeds’ Kirkgate Market for the Compass Festival.
The Duchess became a pop-up bar inside Kirkgate Market in 2021. / Image: Compass Festival
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Some of the UK's most celebrated music venues also included The Astoria Theatre in London, that also saw Nirvana and Manic Street Preachers play before closing in 2009.
The Roadhouse in Manchester, which only closed in 2015, saw Elbow perform their first ever gig, also made the list, as well as The Boardwalk in Sheffield - an institution that saw The Clash's first performance, and Arctic Monkeys' own Alex Turner used to be a bartender here, loving the place so much that the band's first demo was called ‘Beneath the Boardwalk.’
You can find the full list of celebrated music venues here.
Feature Image- Leeds Civic Trust / YouTube
Audio
Inside the Leeds factory that makes and supplies classic jukeboxes
This Leeds-based family-owned business is famed for supplying pubs, clubs and even ordinary people's homes with classic jukeboxes.
Started up in 1978, Sound Leisure really is a local business like no other, creating and distributing classic jukeboxes to over 40 countries.
This music-machine-making company notes that 75% of the jukeboxes they manufacture and sell throughout the year are bought for everyday homes.
The remaining 25% of orders are for the all-expected hospitality venues like bars, clubs and hotels, with the jukeboxes sometimes bought for company headquarters and retail outlets too.
Although there are other jukebox manufacturers, especially across the pond in the US, Sound Leisure is the only factory in the world that creates jukeboxes to play out across all formats: CD, vinyl and digital.
This jukebox business even runs the world's only 'Custom Shop', which is a design service that offers any music lovers the chance to personalise their pristine player.
So whether you're after a themed jukebox, customisable nameplate or even a bespoke design, this jukebox company's website states: "If you can dream it, we can build it".
One of Sound Leisure's prized products is the music machine inspired Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-themed jukebox which any fan of The Beatles would dream of being its lucky owner.
And there really isn't anything they can't do, as alongside creating classic jukeboxes, the same team even make pinball machines, football tables, LED signs and more.
With CD and vinyl jukeboxes from £5,000 and digital jukeboxes quoted from upwards of £12,000, we're going to need a fair few rainy days to save up our money.
However, you can still marvel at these magnificent music machines without having to dip into your savings, with guided tours starting from just £15.
If you're up for learning a little bit more about music technology or simply after admiring these classic jukeboxes in all their glory, you can find out more about the factory and book your guided tour ticket HERE.
An independent one-day festival run by local businesses is returning to Leeds this summer
Clementine Hall
Bramley’s independent festival is back after a sell-out first year.
Three local businesses, no corporate sponsor, one big day.
That's the motto of Mill Fest - an indie festival returning to Swinnow Grange Mills in Bramley after a sell-out debut that brought more than 600 people through the gates.
Mill Fest began as a shared idea between three Bramley businesses who fancied putting on a proper day out for the area, and we're so glad they did.
Last August it turned Swinnow Grange Mills into a full day of live music, street food, flash tattoos, market stalls and cold pints in the sun. We can't think of a better way to spend the day to be honest.
Images: Supplied
This year Mill Fest is back and taking place on Sunday 2 August, and the plan is simple - keep what made it work and build on it.
There will be a full day of live music, the return of the flash tattoo day, more independent traders, street food and local beer. This time the team is keen to bring in more businesses and faces from around the area, and the full lineup and programme will be announced over the coming weeks.
Images: Supplied
Owen Wilson from Against the Grain Bar said: “We started this because we wanted to put something on for Bramley, run by the people who actually work here. Last year went better than any of us expected. The place was full, the sun came out, and it felt like the whole area showed up. We can’t wait to do it again.”
Danae Miller from Grays Salon said: "The aim for this year is the same day people loved, just a bit bigger. We’d love to get more local businesses and artists involved, and to see even more familiar faces down at the mill. If we get the weather, it’ll be another one to remember.”
The Hoot -
14th March 2023 
