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York · Grassroots

The Red Lion

Historic city-centre pub with live music and a large beer garden

Venue at a glance The Red Lion · York

–

Capacity

standinggrassroots

Varies

Live music

flexibleper week

–

Start time

doorsnightly

Backline

PA + micsgear

Mixed

Books

originalslive acts

Verified

Directory status

openGX directory

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Last updated: 11 August 2026

The Red Lion — Quick Facts

Historic city-centre pub with live music and a large beer garden

View The Red Lion open mic nights

✓ Verified openLast verified 11 Aug 2026

The Details

Everything you need before you book

Capacity–

Live nightsContact venue

Curfew–

Sound limiter–

Outdoor stageNo

OriginalsYes

Websiteinstagram.com

Photo: Google

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Where

The Red Lion 2 Merchantgate
York
York YO1 9TU

Genres

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Booking Information

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Booking email & phone
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What's on Stage

Equipment and backline available at this venue. We verify and update this section regularly.

PA system

Drum kit

Guitar amp

Bass amp

Keys / keyboard

2 vocal mics

In-house engineer

About The Red Lion

The Red Lion is a grassroots music venue in York, York. PA system and vocal mics are provided; bring your own instruments and amps.

This listing is part of the York venue directory.

The ‌‌‍Red Lion is a historic 13th-century timber-framed pub tucked away on Merchantgate in York, with roaring open fires and original wooden beams. It frequently hosts live music in its atmospheric sunken yard, where musicians perform in the evenings, and it has a long-running open mic tradition welcoming solo acoustic acts, acoustic bands, spoken word, comedy and magic at a mellow, intimate volume. A characterful little spot for grass-roots performers in the city centre.

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Find The Red Lion

2 Merchantgate, York, York, YO1 9TU

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The York League

The Red Lion isn’t in the York top 10 yet — these are the front-runners of its 4 ranked rooms, by gigs on the calendar over the next 30 days, refreshed nightly.

#1 – The Crescent 7 gigs
#2 – Yorkshire Wildlife Park 2 gigs
#3 – Castle Howard 1 gig
#4 – Museum Gardens 1 gig

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Rankings like this run across GigXchange: the national Hardest Working Rooms table tracks the UK's busiest grassroots stages week on week, the Pint Index prices a gig ticket in pints city by city, and UK market statistics covers what live music pays. All of it is built from the same directory this page lives in.

Common Questions

Seven things people ask about booking The Red Lion.

What equipment does The Red Lion provide?

PA system and vocal mics provided. BYO instruments and amps. Need a venue with full backline? Filter York venues by backline.

What genres does The Red Lion book?

Contact the venue for genre preferences. Most York grassroots venues book a mix of rock, pop, folk, and acoustic acts.

How do I book a gig at The Red Lion?

Sign up free on GigXchange to view The Red Lion’s booking contact, fee range, and submission process. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music or EPK. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.

What is the capacity of The Red Lion?

Capacity data is pending for The Red Lion. Sign up to contribute or contact the venue directly.

Does The Red Lion have open mic nights?

Open mic information is not currently listed for The Red Lion. Browse the York Open Mic Finder for nearby open mics.

Where is The Red Lion?

2 Merchantgate, York, York, YO1 9TU. See the map below for directions. Browse more York venues nearby.

What are typical fees at The Red Lion?

Fee ranges are available to signed-up artists on GigXchange. Grassroots venue fees in York vary by event type, band size, and whether the deal is a flat fee or door split. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles.

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Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.

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