A legendary music venue that hosted huge acts such as the Arctic Monkeys and Ellie Goulding is set to become a shisha cafe. The venue shut in December and plans have now been confirmed to transform it into a new business.
The Shed, on Yeoman Street in Leicester, closed to punters on New Year’s Eve after 31 years. Bosses said continuing the music venue, which also hosted Kasabian and other star bands during their early years, was « no longer viable ». Leicester City Council has now given the green light for the site to be converted into a shisha cafe and restaurant.
As reported by Leicestershire Live, Saracens, a Nottingham-based business, has been given permission to transform the venue. The ground floor will be turned into a dining area and bar while the open-air rear courtyard will be for shisha use.
Shisha is a water pipe used to smoke flavoured tobacco, which is heated by charcoal and passed through a water basin. It originated in the Middle East and is also popular in south east Asia.
As well as shisha, Saracens plans to sell hot and cold drinks, including milkshakes and mocktails. It will also offer a food menu ranging from light bites to sharing platters.
According to the approved planning application, the cafe will be open between 9am and midnight from Monday to Thursday. The opening times will be extended to 1am on Fridays and weekends.
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The owners of The Shed said: « We have pursued every possible avenue to secure the venue’s future. Our team, management, and staff have all worked tirelessly, both publicly and behind the scenes, to keep The Shed operating.
« For 31 years, it has been a space for live music, creativity, and community. It has been a privilege to contribute to the city’s musical landscape and to support so many musicians, promoters, audiences, and creatives. »
After it was confirmed the venue would shut, one artist who’d played there said: « Playing at The Shed was a real rite of passage for generations of Leicester musicians and bands, and some great touring acts used to pass through too.
« So sad to hear of another iconic part of the city scene leaving us, thanks for the memories. » A second added it was « hard to overstate the importance of The Shed… during this period”.
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