400-capacity venue nears completion

The Glee Club has confirmed that it’s opening a new venue in Leeds this spring.

No date has yet been announced for the first night at the 400-capacity venue on Albion Street but work on transforming the interior is said to be close to completion.

The Glee founder Mark Tughan said: ‘It’s no secret that Yorkshire folk like a good laugh and Leeds is a city we’ve long been looking at as a location to further expand The Glee brand, so we are really excited to make this announcement.

‘We’ve got some incredible acts lined up and will also be providing a platform for local performers too with plenty of homegrown Yorkshire talent on the bill. Our fit-out is progressing well and we can’t wait to open the doors.’

Albion Street was home to a Jongleurs comedy club until 2015, two years before the whole chain collapsed.

The Glee  opened its first venue in Birmingham in 1994 and expanded to permanent venues in Cardiff, Glasgow and Nottingham, plus regular gigs in Oxford.

However its Nottingham venue close in 2023 as the building is being redeveloped into flats and the company is seeking new premises. It submitted plans for the  Roxy Ballroom in the city centre – another former Jongleurs site – but withdrew them last summer.

News that The Glee was opening in Leeds first emerged last year when the brand’s owners, Comic Enterprises, successfully submitted an application for a 10am-3am alcohol licence.

It comes amid a possible revival of the comedy club circuit in the UK. In December, it was announced that more Comedy Store venues are set to open across the country under a new deal with live entertainment giant Live Nation. And last year Hot Water opened Europe’s largest comedy club at Blackstock Market in Liverpool.

The Comedy Store opened a Leeds venue in 2003, but it closed after less than a year, with owner Don Ward concluding the club was too large for demand.

Published: 4 Feb 2025