Leeds nightlife is getting a major shake-up this September, when TESTBED reopens after months of building work. Founders Laura Wellington and James Abbott-Donnelly remain in charge, but they’re no longer going it alone — the venue has taken on backing from AMAAD, the promoters behind Junction 2 Festival, LWE events and Ironworks, who bring serious investment and connections to book bigger acts.
TESTBED now joins Quarters in Brighton and The Prospect Building in Bristol as part of AMAAD’s venue portfolio.
The numbers alone tell you how much has changed: floor space has grown from 10,000 to 23,000 square feet, and the venue can now hold up to 2,500 people. Walk in through the new entrance and you’ll find a 5,000 sq ft mezzanine level with flexible seating and a balcony looking down over the dancefloor below. Downstairs, a purpose-built stage wraps around the DJ booth so the crowd can gather from every angle.
Sound is where TESTBED is really staking its claim — it’ll be the only venue in Leeds running a custom L-Acoustics L2 system, a rig typically reserved for major festivals, chosen for its full-venue coverage and a cardioid design that keeps sound focused inward rather than leaking out to neighbouring streets.
The lighting has had a similar overhaul, powered by a fully integrated Chauvet rig with moving heads, strobes, a large LED ceiling installation and an 8m x 4m LED video wall.
Toilets have been retired
Practical upgrades matter too: better ventilation and stronger fans should keep things cooler on busy nights, and the old portable toilets have finally been retired in favour of four purpose-built blocks that double the previous capacity.
Longer term, a second room, Room 2, is already in development, due for a 2027 reveal as a more relaxed, multi-purpose hangout space. TESTBED will also keep hosting community station alto radio, which broadcasts out of the building.
As part of the deal, AMAAD is bringing live music programmer Ghostwriter into the TESTBED fold too — the same team responsible for past bookings such as Little Simz, Yungblud and Geese at The Prospect Building, and Everything Everything, The Sherlocks and The Callous Daoboys at Quarters. TESTBED can hold 1,500 for standing gigs, giving touring acts another reason to add Leeds to their schedules.
TESTBED first opened in 2021 and quickly built a reputation as one of the city’s more distinctive multi-purpose venues. Full lineups and opening details are due soon, with doors set to reopen in September.
