The Wardrobe: Leeds venue to host year-long 25th birthday celebrations in 2024 with special gigs and events

With plans for special guests, a number of one-off events, giveaways, food and drink specials, art installations and more, the venue on St Peter's Square have committed to going all out on the bar's 25th birthday celebrations.

The Wardrobe was founded in 1999 as a jazz venue in the heart of Leeds' cultural quarter, and has since hosted a number of artists and comedians including Amy Winehouse, Lewis Capaldi, Arlo Parks, IDLES, Sarah Pascoe, Tony Allen and hundreds more.

The venue has become a stable of the city's hospitality industry, with a large bar and restaurant above the 400 capacity venue hosting hundreds of performances each year as well as being a key part of festivals including Live at Leeds, Leeds Comedy Festival and Last Time Out. Their partnership with Crash Records regularly brings some of the worlds biggest artists to the venue for intimate album release shows.

With the addition of Slap and Pickle earlier in 2023 serving their signature burgers and loaded fries, and an ever changing extensive beer selection at the bar, The Wardrobe said they will make sure all who come to celebrate their birthday will be "well looked after".

The 25th birthday will begin with a very special intimate performance from London indie legends The Libertines in February for a sold-out show.

Andy Smith, Director of The Wardrobe and Futuresound Group, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be celebrating The Wardrobe throughout 2024. It’s one of the Cities most culturally diverse spaces that plays host to varied genres of live music, comedy, festivals, talks and the arts.

"I’m really proud of where we’ve been able to take the venue since we took it on in 2015. It’s tough out there for these type of spaces across the UK so to make it to 25 years as an independent business operating in the grassroots sector is an incredible achievement and testament to all the hard work the team put in every day.

"They have been hard at work pulling together these celebrations and we can’t wait to get started!”

The Wardrobe will be announcing more details of its 25th birthday celebrations in January and throughout 2024.