UK Venue Directory — 2,496 Grassroots Venues

Q: How many grassroots music venues are in the UK?

GigXchange lists 2,496 grassroots music venues across 268 UK cities, making it the most comprehensive structured venue directory available. Each listing includes capacity, backline provision, genres booked, and verification status. The dataset is also available on HuggingFace and Zenodo under CC BY 4.0.

Q: What is a grassroots music venue?

A grassroots music venue is a small to medium-capacity live music space, typically under 600 standing, that regularly hosts original and covers artists. They include pubs with dedicated stages, independent music bars, community arts centres, and small clubs. Music Venue Trust defines them as independently owned spaces that programme emerging and local talent. GigXchange tracks 2,496 of them across the UK.

Q: What equipment do UK grassroots venues provide?

51% of UK grassroots venues provide a PA system. 5% offer full backline including drums, guitar amp, bass amp, and PA. 8% include an in-house sound engineer. Artists playing the grassroots circuit should expect to bring their own gear to most venues. Use the backline filter above to find venues with equipment provided.

Q: How do I find grassroots venues near me?

Use the city filter or search bar on this page to narrow the 2,496 listings by location, capacity, or equipment. Each city has its own venue directory page with local stats and rankings. You can also browse open mic nights at the same venues via the Open Mic Finder.

Q: How do I book a gig at a grassroots venue?

Sign up free on GigXchange to view booking contacts, fee ranges, and submission processes for every venue. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music. The Musicians’ Union publishes recommended minimum fees. See our Rate Calculator for current UK benchmarks.

Q: Can I list my venue for free?

Yes. Submissions are free, take 2 minutes, and are verified within 48 hours. Once approved, claim your listing to self-edit your profile, update equipment, and manage your booking preferences.

Q: How is this different from Music Venue Trust?

Music Venue Trust tracks approximately 800 member venues for advocacy and policy work. GigXchange covers 2,496 venues with structured data including capacity, backline, genres, and booking contacts. MVT focuses on protecting grassroots venues; GigXchange helps artists find and book them.

Q: What does it cost to play at a grassroots venue?

Fees vary widely. Small pub gigs typically pay £100–£250 for a solo act, while mid-size venues may pay £300–£600 for a full band. Some operate on door splits. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles by city, band size, and venue type. See also the Musicians’ Union recommended rates.

UK Grassroots Venue Directory

2,496 venues across 268 UK cities. Capacity, backline, genres, booking info. The most complete grassroots venue directory in the UK.

Venue directory at a glance UK grassroots venues · 268 UK cities

2,496

Venues

liveGX directory

268

UK cities

mappednationwide

51%

PA provided

in-houseverified

Full backline

on stageverified

389

In London

most venuestop city

Daily

Updated

continuouslyrealtime

How to cite this dataset

GigXchange, UK Grassroots Venue Directory. Available at: https://gigxchange.app/gigs/venues. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20184476 · HuggingFace · Kaggle · CC BY 4.0

Browse Venues List Your Venue

Last updated: 23 Jun 2026

2,496 Grassroots Venues Across the UK

2,496 Venues 268 UK Cities 51% PA Provided 5% Full Backline Updated 23 Jun 2026

The most comprehensive UK grassroots venue directory: every venue searchable by city, capacity, backline and genres booked. We compile data from the Open Mic Finder, Gig Directory, and public venue listings to give artists the full picture — equipment, contact, and fee data in one place.

2,496

grassroots venues across 268 UK cities, from London to Aberdeen

51% provide a PA system · 5% offer full backline (drums, amps, PA)
8% have an in-house sound engineer included
Booking contact, fee ranges and submission process available to signed-up artists
Seeded from 902 open mic venues + 1,594 gig directory venues, deduplicated

Search by Location

Explore live music venues near you — or click a city for its full venue list.

268 cities mapped · 2,496 venues · London alone has 389

Browse Venues

Filter all 2,496 venues by capacity, backline or city

Click a filter to narrow the listings below.

Showing 24 of 2,496 venues

Photo: Google

Hole In The Wall

YorkBe first to review

York pub and restaurant with live music.

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Photo: Google

Kennedy's Bar & Restaurant

YorkBe first to review

York bar and restaurant with live music.

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Photo: Google

Lendal Cellars

YorkBe first to review

York cellar pub and restaurant.

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Photo: Google

Market Weighton Community Hall

York › Market WeightonBe first to review

Community hall with live entertainment.

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Photo: Google

Micklegate Social

YorkBe first to review

York social bar with live music.

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Photo: Google

National Centre For Early Music

York › Walmgate, YorkBe first to review

Medieval church turned concert hall.

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Photo: Google

Snickleway Inn

YorkBe first to review

Historic 15th-century York pub with real ale and a Tuesday open mic (house guitar + piano).

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Photo: Google

The Artful Dodger

YorkBe first to review

York's best kept secret pub with live music.

York › St Martins Courtyard, 13-17 Coney StBe first to review

City Screen basement venue.

York › MicklegateBe first to review

200-cap York rock venue.

York › MicklegateBe first to review

York gig venue with touring bands.

York › Tanner's MoatBe first to review

New Irish bar on Tanner's Moat in York with live music seven nights a week.

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150

The Fulford Arms

York › FulfordBe first to review

PA Backline Engineer

York's 150-cap grassroots music venue — local and touring bands beyond the city walls on Fulford Road.

York › City CentreBe first to review

York's Thursday-night free open mic at 4 Goodramgate, YO1 7LQ — historic-quarter bar, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slo

View Venue

Photo: Google

The Hop York

YorkBe first to review

Traditional real ale pub with craft range.

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Photo: Google

The Last Drop Inn

York › City CentreBe first to review

York pub with live entertainment.

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Photo: Google

The Red Lion

YorkBe first to review

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Photo: Google

The Rook & Gaskill

YorkBe first to review

York pub with live music.

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Photo: Google

The Stone Roses Bar

YorkBe first to review

York's live music and events bar.

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Photo: Google

The Three Tuns

YorkBe first to review

York pub with live music.

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Photo: Google

Three Legged Mare

YorkBe first to review

York pub with live music.

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Photo: Google

Valhalla York

YorkBe first to review

York bar — where the brave shall live forever.

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Photo: Google

York Acorn RLC

York › AcombBe first to review

York venue with DJ and electronic events.

York › City CentreBe first to review

indie and live music venue in York

View Venue

Browse by City

Jump straight to a city for the full local list.

London389 Glasgow80 Manchester78 Liverpool68 Edinburgh62 Bristol57 Leeds53 Birmingham51 Nottingham50 Sheffield50 Brighton49 Newcastle48 York35 Cardiff34 Belfast32 Oxford26 Plymouth26 Norwich24 Cambridge24 Southampton24 Southsea23 Derby22 Huddersfield22 Leicester21 Aberdeen21 Swansea21 Reading20 Wolverhampton20 Dundee20 Middlesbrough20 Blackpool19 Northampton18 Stockport17 Inverness17 Paisley17 Coventry16 Hull16 Sunderland16 Bolton15 Preston14 Bedford14 Bournemouth14 Exeter13 Maidstone13 Wakefield12 Lincoln12 Bath11 Cheltenham11 Peterborough11 Worcester11 Worthing11 Lancaster11 Wrexham11 Ipswich11 Stirling11 Harrogate11 Leamington Spa11 Hastings11 Milton Keynes10 Canterbury10 Warrington10 Colchester10 Margate10 Gloucester10 Scarborough10 Chester9 Chelmsford9 Stoke-on-Trent9 Bradford9 Carlisle9 Barnsley8 Swindon8 Watford8 Hereford8 Torquay8 Telford8 Southend-on-Sea8 Guildford7 Mansfield7 Newport7 Salisbury7 Shrewsbury7 St Albans7 Whitby7 Winchester7 Newbury7 Dunfermline7 Hounslow7 Doncaster6 Eastbourne6 Falmouth6 Folkestone6 High Wycombe6 Luton6 Perth6 Truro6 Aylesbury6 Bangor6 Taunton6 Coalville6 Kidderminster6 Stoke-on-Trent6 Farnham5 Tunbridge Wells5 Londonderry5 Southend-on-Sea5 Malvern5 Mexborough5 Ormskirk5 Salford5 Stroud5 Wadebridge5 Wigan5 Accrington5 Biggar5 Abergavenny4 Brentwood4 Bury St Edmunds4 Porthcawl4 Ross-on-Wye4 Bangor4 Durham4 Frome4 Ashford4 Glastonbury4 Paignton4 Bradford4 East Molesey4 Chesterfield3 Dudley3 Kendal3 Stratford-upon-Avon3 Walsall3 Darlington3 Hartlepool3 Oldham3 Rochdale3 Cannock3 Aberystwyth2 Airdrie2 Ayr2 Ayr2 Bridgend2 Bromsgrove2 Buxton2 Chepstow2 Gateshead2 Grimsby2 Hatfield2 Hertford2 Hexham2 Hitchin2 Hull2 Ireland2 Merthyr Tydfil2 Newry2 North Shields2 Nuneaton2 Penrith2 Rhoose2 Saint Helens2 Scunthorpe2 Solihull2 Stourbridge2 Weston-super-Mare2 Woodford Green2 Ambleside2 Basildon2 Basingstoke2 Bushey2 Chester-le-Street2 Chippenham2 Crewe2 Dorchester2 Eastleigh2 Frodsham2 Haywards Heath2 King's Lynn2 Knebworth2 Poole2 Aldershot1 Altrincham1 Ashton-under-Lyne1 Ballymena1 Barnard Castle1 Barnstaple1 Beccles1 Bideford1 Birkenhead1 Bracknell1 Brecon1 Bridgnorth1 Brighton1 Bromyard1 Chatham1 Chipping Ongar1 Clydach1 Cowbridge1 Dartford1 Deal1 Devizes1 Dewsbury1 Diss1 Dorking1 Dover1 Elgin1 Enniskillen1 Evesham1 Falkirk1 Fort William1 Galashiels1 Grange-over-Sands1 Great Yarmouth1 Greenock1 Harlow1 Havant1 Hawick1 Hay-on-Wye1 Hebden Bridge1 Hemel Hempstead1 Henley-on-Thames1 Holmfirth1 Ilfracombe1 Ireland1 Kettering1 Kilmarnock1 King's Lynn1 Kings Langley1 Kirkcaldy1 Lisburn1 Liverpool1 Lutterworth1 Maidenhead1 Matlock1 Morecambe1 Motherwell1 Nantwich1 Newton Abbot1 Newton Abbot1 Newtown1 Omagh1 Penzance1 Radlett1 Ramsgate1 Rayleigh1 Rhyl1 Rossendale1 Selby1 Selkirk1 Skipton1 Stockton-on-Tees1 Stockton-on-Tees1 Stonehouse1 Strathaven1 Sutton Coldfield1 Swadlincote1 Tamworth1 Tetbury1 Tewkesbury1 Towcester1 Wakefield1 Waltham Abbey1 Warwick1 Welwyn Garden City1 Whitley Bay1 Whitstable1 Wigton1 Yeovil1

UK Grassroots Venue Scene in Numbers

Live statistics from 2,496 grassroots music venues across 268 UK cities. Updated daily.

2,496

Total Venues

Across 268 UK cities from London to Aberdeen

51%

PA Provided

51% of UK grassroots venues provide at least a PA system

Full Backline

5% offer full backline (drums, guitar amp, bass amp, PA)

In-House Engineer

8% of venues include an in-house sound engineer

Venues by City

Top 16 UK cities ranked by grassroots venue count

50%+ of top 20–49% <20%

How many grassroots music venues are there in the UK? GigXchange’s Venue Directory lists 2,496 grassroots music venues across 268 UK cities, making it the most comprehensive structured venue database available. London leads with the most venues, followed by Glasgow, Manchester, and Liverpool.

Do UK grassroots venues provide equipment? 51% of UK grassroots venues provide a PA system, but only 5% offer full backline (drums, guitar amp, bass amp, PA). 8% include an in-house sound engineer. Artists playing the grassroots circuit should expect to bring their own gear to most venues. Data from GigXchange’s verified UK Venue Directory, updated daily.

UK Venue Rankings

Top UK cities ranked by venue count and equipment provision.

Most Venues

#	City	Count
1	London	389	389
2	Glasgow	80	80
3	Manchester	78	78
4	Liverpool	68	68
5	Edinburgh	62	62
6	Bristol	57	57
7	Leeds	53	53
8	Birmingham	51	51
9	Nottingham	50	50
10	Sheffield	50	50

Best Backline

#	City	Rate
1	Bristol	12%	12%
2	Leeds	11%	11%
3	Glasgow	10%	10%
4	Manchester	10%	10%
5	Nottingham	10%	10%
6	Sheffield	10%	10%
7	London	8%	8%
8	Birmingham	6%	6%
9	Liverpool	3%	3%
10	Edinburgh	2%	2%

Venue Directory FAQs

How many grassroots music venues are in the UK?

GigXchange lists 2,496 grassroots music venues across 268 UK cities, making it the most comprehensive structured venue directory available. Each listing includes capacity, backline provision, genres booked, and verification status. The dataset is also available on HuggingFace and Zenodo under CC BY 4.0.

What is a grassroots music venue?

A grassroots music venue is a small to medium-capacity live music space, typically under 600 standing, that regularly hosts original and covers artists. They include pubs with dedicated stages, independent music bars, community arts centres, and small clubs. Music Venue Trust defines them as independently owned spaces that programme emerging and local talent. GigXchange tracks 2,496 of them across the UK.

What equipment do UK grassroots venues provide?

51% of UK grassroots venues provide a PA system. 5% offer full backline including drums, guitar amp, bass amp, and PA. 8% include an in-house sound engineer. Artists playing the grassroots circuit should expect to bring their own gear to most venues. Use the backline filter above to find venues with equipment provided.

How do I find grassroots venues near me?

Use the city filter or search bar on this page to narrow the 2,496 listings by location, capacity, or equipment. Each city has its own venue directory page with local stats and rankings. You can also browse open mic nights at the same venues via the Open Mic Finder.

How do I book a gig at a grassroots venue?

Sign up free on GigXchange to view booking contacts, fee ranges, and submission processes for every venue. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music. The Musicians’ Union publishes recommended minimum fees. See our Rate Calculator for current UK benchmarks.

Can I list my venue for free?

Yes. Submissions are free, take 2 minutes, and are verified within 48 hours. Once approved, claim your listing to self-edit your profile, update equipment, and manage your booking preferences.

How is this different from Music Venue Trust?

Music Venue Trust tracks approximately 800 member venues for advocacy and policy work. GigXchange covers 2,496 venues with structured data including capacity, backline, genres, and booking contacts. MVT focuses on protecting grassroots venues; GigXchange helps artists find and book them.

What does it cost to play at a grassroots venue?

Fees vary widely. Small pub gigs typically pay £100–£250 for a solo act, while mid-size venues may pay £300–£600 for a full band. Some operate on door splits. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles by city, band size, and venue type. See also the Musicians’ Union recommended rates.

Run a grassroots venue? List it free.

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