Music fans rally against plans to demolish popular Lancaster venue

Fans of live music in Lancaster are rallying against plans to knock down a much-loved venue.

The closure of Kanteena on Brewery Lane was announced earlier this year, and there are plans to knock the building down as part of £100m regeneration plans for the area.

More than 100 public objections to the plans have been sent to Lancaster City Council over the past week, with one Kanteena supporter saying the loss of the venue is "another nail in Lancaster's cultural coffin".

The nearby Lancaster Music Co-Op said "Kanteena is a vital cultural asset which we should fight to keep open."

A planning application has gone in for "relevant demolition of existing buildings and associated vegetation clearance" at the Canal Quarter Central Site on land to the east of Brewery Lane.

The application by Landmara Developments Ltd, owners of the three-acre site earmarked for development, calls for two buildings to be knocked down.

These are Kanteena (below) and an old depot building formerly used by the former Mitchell's Brewery.

Lancaster Music Co-Op, located on nearby Lodge Street and set to reopen as part of a £1.2m renovation project, posted on social media saying:

"As you may be aware, one of Lancaster’s few remaining music venues is under threat of closure.

"Since opening, Kanteena has grown to become the epicentre of the city’s music scene.

"Being the only remaining ‘mid-sized’ venue in town, it has gained a reputation for attracting national and international acts, as well as being a platform for local musicians to launch their careers. It also provides popular community and family events and helps promote local businesses such as food producers and breweries.

"This is all positive for the city. It not only provides a cultural space for locals to attend an array of events but also attracts people into town who would otherwise not visit, further boosting the local economy. If we lose Kanteena, the whole city loses out. To close down such an important asset to Lancaster, with no real plan of what will replace it, seems like madness.

"As members of the local music community, we at the Co-op believe that Kanteena is a vital cultural asset which we should fight to keep open. Having worked with them on various events, we recognise the vital platform they provide for musicians and music-lovers, both local and from further afield. Communities like ours need spaces to develop and enjoy the thing we love most.

"If you believe that its worth fighting to keep Kanteena open, please read this recent planning application and leave a comment explaining why you think it is so important to our community."

As we went to press on this article, 116 comments had been posted on the Lancaster City Council website, the vast majority objecting to the plans.

Mark Morgan said: "Kanteena is a well established local business and rich asset to Lancaster's cultural heritage, music and arts scene.

"The size and location of the venue means the owners have been able to attract local, national and international acts, effectively putting Lancaster back on the map for live entertainment, attracting music lovers from the North West and beyond.

"It seems beyond short sighted to demolish a well established business which actively brings revenue to the local area, but, more importantly, a sense of cultural identity most town centres in the North West sadly lack."

Kit Lardner said: "I object to this proposal. Lancaster has lost too many live music venues in the last 10 years and I do not wish the same for Kanteena. Lancaster has a rich and valuable musical heritage and a bright future if places such as Kanteena are left to champion local talent."

Steve Jarvis said: "Kanteena is an absolute cornerstone of the cultural life of Lancaster. There's nowhere else that can cater for bands, local, touring and international.

"There's a safe space for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to gather both inside and outside. There's space for sporting events, private hire, craft and Xmas fairs. And music can be played loud and late.

"Kanteena is hugely significant in an environment where venues and public gathering spaces are disappearing locally and, indeed, nationwide. I object hugely to this, another nail in Lancaster's cultural coffin."

In July, Kanteena announced it would close at the end of 2025 after six years.

"When we began building Kanteena at Brewery Lane six years ago, we always knew it was meant to be temporary," said a Kanteena spokesperson.

"At the time, we expected to be here for no more than three years.

"As it stands, the notice we’ve been given is that this New Year's Eve (no sooner) will be our last night of Kanteena at Brewery Lane.

"Just to be clear. There is no drama. No one is ill. There are no financial issues and no secrets or scams.

"Our landlords have been brilliant throughout. Honouring every promise, including giving us plenty of time to wrap things up properly.

"We’ve had an amazing six years here, and we’re not slowing down now. Not a chance!

"We’re still booking acts right through to the end of the year and organising an epic farewell party for New Year’s Eve.

"We want the best for Lancaster. What a place! The great people we’ve met on this journey, and we’re determined to give you all a good time until we close.

"As for what comes next—plans are 'brewing', but nothing’s set in stone just yet. We'd love to stay, but when your time’s up, your time’s up."

In June, developers announced they had bought the derelict brewery site in Lancaster city centre aiming to transform it as part of the long-awaited Canal Quarter.

Marco Living and Axis-RE said they wanted to deliver a £100m "vibrant, commercial-led mixed-use" scheme on the land, and said they had acquired Lanmara Developments Ltd, owners of the site.

They later said they wanted to "take essential safety measures at the Brewery Lane site, beginning with the removal of structurally dangerous buildings".

They said this was "part of our commitment to delivering transformational regeneration for Lancaster city centre".

"It will be clear that the proposed works are necessary in order to not only make the site safe, but to enable meanwhile use of the site as a first step to developing sensitive regeneration plans for the area," said a heritage statement submitted with the Kanteena demolition plans, in August.

"It will be clear that the existing site presents a poor pedestrian environment which is overgrown, and inactive.

"The sense of dereliction and underutilisation of the area has a negative impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area, and settings of the identified buildings. It is considered that the proposed works will announce the intention of much needed investment and regeneration of the area."

It says the Kanteena is "a modern (c.mid-late C20 building)...former warehouse facility for the brewery that once occupied the wider site...now used as a bar/ event space".

It says there is "archaeological interest yielded by being location of former medieval rope walk and gardens" but "although the building is of some local heritage interest, in regard to the development of the former brewery, it is not considered to yield sufficient interest to warrant being a NDHA (Non-Designated Heritage Asset)."

Non-designated heritage assets (NDHAs) are buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas or landscapes identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions.

A further planning application went in to the council last month, to demolish buildings to the west of Brewery Lane.

A heritage statement submitted with the plans says: "Lancaster City Council served a Section 77 notice under the Building Act 1984 on 18 June 2025 which confirmed that a number of the existing buildings situated on the site bounded by St Leonards Gate, Lodge Street, Brewery Lane and Moor Lane, Lancaster, as part of the Canal Quarter, have been assessed by officers at the council to be in such a state and carrying such loads as to be dangerous.

"The group of buildings are behind the buildings facing out onto St Leonards Gate and Moor Lane and form parts of Swan Court and St Annes Place. Urgent action is thus required to be taken to remove the danger they currently pose to the public.

"All but two of the buildings proposed for demolition have been served with a s.77 notice confirming their dangerous condition."

These buildings include the former Thompson & Jackson premises, a row of stone cottages at Swan Court, and the former DC Wilson's Garages workshop.

No works are proposed to the Grade II listed former Mitchell’s Brewery building to the east of Brewery Lane, as part of the demolition plans.

"This essential first step prioritises public safety while enabling the delivery of our wider community-focused development strategy for Lancaster," said an Axis-RE spokesperson, in August. 

"After decades of abandonment, these buildings have become dangerous with frequent break-ins and structural problems that pose risks to public safety and the surrounding community. The buildings have deteriorated to a severely dilapidated state, with compromised structural integrity, ongoing security issues from unauthorised access, and anti-social behaviour that impacts local residents and businesses.

"All demolition work is being carried out to the highest safety standards with full consideration for neighbouring properties and public safety. We are working closely with specialist contractors and following all necessary regulatory procedures.

"We are only removing buildings that pose genuine safety risks, preserving and reusing heritage elements wherever possible. No listed buildings are being removed.

"This demolition is a crucial component of our broader regeneration strategy, which will transform this prominent site into a vibrant mixed-use destination, delivering significant economic and social benefits for Lancaster.

"We are committed to working with contractors from Lancaster and surrounding areas, prioritising local employment opportunities wherever possible throughout the project.

"All demolition work is being conducted with full consideration for environmental impact, including proper waste management and recycling protocols.

"This work represents the crucial first step in realising our vision for the Canal Quarter Masterplan. The development will deliver significant benefits for Lancaster: much-needed housing for Lancaster residents; healthcare facilities; leisure and community amenities working alongside existing cultural assets; economic opportunities and local employment throughout construction and operation; enhanced connectivity and public spaces that will benefit the wider community; and sustainable construction and innovative design principles.

"This initial safety work is expected to take approximately 10-12 weeks, with regular updates provided throughout the process.

"We understand that any construction activity impacts the local community, and we are committed to minimising disruption while maintaining open communication throughout the process. We will continue to share regular updates on progress and timelines through multiple channels, including our website, local media, and direct community engagement."

Axis-RE is a North West property development company. Co-founder Russ Worthington was born and raised in Lancaster and continues to live locally.

In 2023, Lancaster City Council formally adopted a masterplan to revive the Canal Quarter area of the city.

The aim of the masterplan is to bring back into use many of Lancaster’s important buildings and derelict sites across 6.5 hectares of land, to "create a vibrant, sustainable, and active place which is integrated with the city centre and the Lancaster Canal", said the council.

The idea is to create a new sustainable mixed-use neighbourhood with approximately 580 new homes for families and individuals.

The masterplan includes "safe pedestrian and cycle friendly streets" with new pedestrian access to Lancaster Canal.

Space has also been set aside for business, retail, food and beverage outlets to complement what's currently in the city centre.

The masterplan also includes two new public squares to provide "lively social spaces" for events along a new Brewery Street. 

A planning application to build 39 new homes on the Nelson Street car park, as part of the Canal Quarter plans, was submitted in June.

The Kanteena demolition plans can be viewed at the lancaster.gov.uk planning section, reference number 25/00913/FUL.

The council will make a decision on whether to grant permission, in due course.

Read more: 'Final Chapter' for groundbreaking Lancaster music venue - Beyond Radio

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