To whoever comes next, Byron Street Mills, Millwright Street

During the 2020 lockdowns, while renovating Boom, we uncovered a fascinating piece of history behind the walls — original rules from the time when the building operated as a Victorian mill. One of the rules stated that women and children were not to work on Sundays, offering us a glimpse into history of Byron Street Mills.

Today, as we handed the keys to Boom at Millwright Street back to the landlord, we chose to leave behind our own piece of history — a letter, carefully hidden within the walls, for someone to one day discover.

To whoever comes next, Byron Street Mills, Millwright Street –

From 2013 to 2025, this ground floor was home to something loud, messy, and beautiful. A DIY venue called Boom Leeds—built for hardcore, punk, and metal, run on passion, and held together with duct tape and heart.

Bands from every corner of the world played here—Black Flag, Napalm Death, Agnostic Front, Malevolence, and hundreds more. The final gig was headlined by Leeds hardcore punk band The Flex, 30th March 2025.

This place was never pretty. It leaked. It stank. The walls shook. But it was real. It was ours.

We never had money. We scraped by, broke and burned out—but we had each other. We had community. We had a place to belong, to shout, to heal, to lose our minds and find ourselves.

Thousands of people from all over the world walked through these doors. They left with ringing ears, new friends and connection. This place mattered. And it always will.

So yeah—respect the walls & floor. The sweat’s still in it.

Boom Leeds forever.

Boom Leeds Byron Street Mills, Millwright Street, Leeds, LS2 7QG. 2013–2025