UK Venue Directory — 2,548 Grassroots Venues

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

GigXchange lists 2,548 grassroots music venues across 90 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 2,548 of them across the UK.

Q: What equipment do UK grassroots venues provide?

50% 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 2,548 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 2,548 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.

Inside the GigXchange arena — hundreds of member profiles under stage lights

UK Grassroots Venue Directory

2,548 venues across 90 UK cities. Capacity, backline, genres, booking info. The most complete grassroots venue directory in the UK.

Venue directory

Venue directory at a glance UK grassroots venues · 90 UK cities

2,548

Venues

liveGX directory

UK cities

mappednationwide

50%

PA provided

in-houseverified

Full backline

on stageverified

Sound engineer

in-houseverified

Daily

Updated

continuouslyrealtime

The stages behind the gigs — mapped, verified and free to browse

2,548 venues across 90 UK cities
50% provide a PA — 5% full backline
8% include an in-house sound engineer
Seeded from 902 open-mic + 1,646 gig-directory venues
Booking contact and fee data for signed-up artists
Claim your venue to keep it current

Find out more Join free

What is actually ON at these venues — type a city to see its gigs

7,343 upcoming gigs, sorted by date
369 in the next 7 days
Sourced from venues, promoters and artists
Every gig links back to its venue

Find out more Join free

The sibling directory: recurring open mic nights, verified and mapped

1,300+ verified UK open mic nights
Re-verified on a rolling cycle
Filter by night of the week and city
Free stage time for new and gigging acts

Find out more Join free

Every city has its own venue hub — type yours

Venues in 90 UK cities, London to Aberdeen
London leads with 382 venues
Capacity, backline and contact per venue
City hubs link gigs and open mics too

Find out more Join free

Reach artists actively looking for stages in your city

Free listing — no fee, no account needed
Claim an existing page to keep it current
Backline and capacity specs searchable by artists
Booking contact shown to signed-up members
Every venue links its upcoming gigs
Verified before going live

Find out more

Run a venue? Claim your page free — keep specs and contacts current

Last updated: 2 August 2026

2,548 Grassroots Venues Across the UK

2,548 Venues 90 UK Cities 50% PA Provided 5% Full Backline Updated 03 Aug 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.

2,548

grassroots venues across 90 UK cities, from London to Aberdeen

50% 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 + 1,646 gig directory venues, deduplicated

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

Search by Location

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

90 cities mapped · 2,548 venues · London alone has 382

Browse Venues

Filter all 2,548 venues by capacity, backline or city

Click a filter to narrow the listings below.

Showing 24 of 2,548 venues

Sutton Coldfield › The Parade, Birmingham★★★★★ (—)

Live music and entertainment venue.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
Thu19:00–00:00
Fri19:00–00:00
Sat19:00–00:00
SunClosed

Sutton Coldfield★★★★★ (—)

Sutton Coldfield pub since the 1500s.

Backline4 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:30–23:00
Tue11:30–23:30
Wed11:30–00:00
Thu11:30–00:00
Fri11:30–01:00
Sat11:30–01:00
Sun12:00–23:00

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

Catton Hall and Gardens

Swadlincote › Catton Park★★★★★ (—)

Country estate hosting multi-genre festivals.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Seafront Swansea pub with a Tuesday open mic, Friday jazz and Thai food.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
Tue12:00–22:00
Wed12:00–22:00
Thu12:00–22:00
Fri12:00–22:00
Sat12:00–22:00
Sun12:00–22:00

Swansea › Killay★★★★★ (—)

Large Gower-road family pub and restaurant with live music.

Backline2 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–23:00
Tue11:00–23:00
Wed11:00–23:00
Thu11:00–23:00
Fri11:00–23:00
Sat11:00–23:00
Sun11:00–23:30

Swansea › Uplands★★★★★ (—)

Swansea's 1930s civic concert hall, prized for its acoustics.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon10:00–16:00
Tue10:00–16:00
Wed10:00–16:00
Thu10:00–16:00
Fri10:00–16:00
Sat10:00–16:00
SunClosed

Swansea › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

80-cap indie cinema and acoustic events.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed17:00–22:00
Thu17:00–22:00
Fri17:00–23:00
Sat17:00–23:00
SunClosed

Swansea › Y Cocyd★★★★★ (—)

Cockett pub with a beer garden and Saturday live music.

Backline2 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–23:00
Sat12:00–23:00
Sun12:00–23:00

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

Elysium Gallery & Bar

Swansea★★★★★ (—)

Swansea gallery and studios with events.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Swansea › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

370-cap nightclub and music venue.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–03:00
Tue11:00–03:00
Wed11:00–03:00
Thu11:00–03:00
Fri11:00–03:00
Sat11:00–03:00
Sun11:00–03:00

Swansea's oldest wine bar with live music all weekend.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:45–23:00
Tue11:45–23:00
Wed11:45–23:00
Thu11:45–23:00
Fri11:45–01:00
Sat11:45–01:00
Sun11:45–23:00

Patti Pavilion Swansea

Swansea › Victoria Park★★★★★ (—)

Iconic Mumbles Road events pavilion.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–18:00
Tue09:00–18:00
Wed09:00–18:00
Thu09:00–18:00
Fri09:00–18:00
Sat08:00–18:00
Sun09:00–18:00

Swansea › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

Wales' largest independent rock venue since 2007.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times6 of 7

Mon00:00–00:00
Tue—
WedClosed
ThuClosed
FriClosed
SatClosed
SunClosed

Swansea › 30 Walter Rd★★★★★ (—)

Swansea's Walter Road sports pub with a dedicated music stage and live bands every Saturday.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–22:00
Tue12:00–22:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:00–01:00

Swansea City Football Club

Swansea › Landore★★★★★ (—)

Swansea.com Stadium with country events.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–17:00
Tue09:00–17:00
Wed09:00–17:00
Thu09:00–17:00
Fri09:00–17:00
Sat10:00–14:00
SunClosed

Swansea › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

Swansea's Thursday-night free open mic at 6 High Street, SA1 1LE — basement music venue, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed18:00–02:00
Thu18:00–02:00
Fri18:00–02:00
Sat18:00–02:00
Sun18:00–02:00

Swansea's best live music every weekend.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed15:00–03:00
Thu15:00–03:00
Fri12:00–03:00
Sat12:00–03:00
Sun15:00–03:00

Swansea › Mumbles★★★★★ (—)

Swansea pub with live music.

Backline3 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Swansea community pub with events.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–00:00
Tue11:00–00:00
Wed11:00–00:00
Thu11:00–00:00
Fri11:00–00:00
Sat11:00–00:00
Sun11:00–23:30

Swansea › Uplands★★★★★ (—)

Swansea Uplands pub with live music.

Backline2 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun12:00–23:00

Swansea › Sketty★★★★★ (—)

Sketty's traditional crossroads pub — live music Fridays, open mic Tuesdays.

Backline2 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–23:00
Tue12:00–23:00
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun12:00–23:00

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Swindon › Upper Stratton★★★★★ (—)

Open mic & jam pub in Swindon

Backline5 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon14:00–23:00
Tue10:00–23:00
Wed10:00–23:00
Thu10:00–23:00
Fri10:00–23:00
Sat10:00–23:00
Sun10:00–23:00

Tucked behind the college, live music pub.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

View venue›

Browse by City

Jump straight to a city for the full local list.

London382 Manchester125 Glasgow122 Liverpool85 Leeds84 Edinburgh77 Sheffield67 Brighton61 Bristol59 Birmingham57 Nottingham57 Cardiff54 Newcastle54 Belfast41 Southampton40 Blackpool37 Wolverhampton36 York35 Exeter33 Coventry32 Bradford30 Margate30 Leicester28 Plymouth28 Norwich27 Reading27 Dundee26 Ipswich26 Oxford26 Swansea26 Cambridge24 Cheltenham24 Derby24 Hereford23 Portsmouth23 Wrexham23 Bath22 Aberdeen21 Hull21 Middlesbrough21 Preston21 Watford21 Inverness20 Northampton20 Gloucester18 Hastings18 Newquay18 Sunderland18 Basildon17 Scarborough17 Stoke-on-Trent17 Bournemouth16 Telford16 Carlisle15 Maidstone15 Milton Keynes14 Bedford13 Epsom13 Rawtenstall13 Lincoln12 Durham11 High Wycombe11 Luton11 Peterborough11 Broxbourne10 Egham10 Stockton-on-Tees10 Chelmsford9 Derry9 Doncaster9 Sutton9 Swindon9 Woking8 Aldershot7 Tunbridge Wells7 Billericay5 Blackburn5 Weymouth4 Boston3 Dublin3 Grimsby3 Aberystwyth2 Accrington2 Cirencester2 Newry2 Waterlooville2 Crawley1 Farnborough1 Horley1 Welshpool1

UK Grassroots Venue Scene in Numbers

Live statistics from 2,548 grassroots music venues across 90 UK cities. Updated daily.

2,548

Total Venues

Across 90 UK cities from London to Aberdeen

50%

PA Provided

50% 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 2,548 grassroots music venues across 90 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? 50% 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	382	382
2	Manchester	125	125
3	Glasgow	122	122
4	Liverpool	85	85
5	Leeds	84	84
6	Edinburgh	77	77
7	Sheffield	67	67
8	Brighton	61	61
9	Bristol	59	59
10	Birmingham	57	57

Best Backline

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

Venue Directory FAQs

How many grassroots music venues are in the UK?

GigXchange lists 2,548 grassroots music venues across 90 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 2,548 of them across the UK.

What equipment do UK grassroots venues provide?

50% 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 2,548 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 2,548 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.

2-minute submission, verified within 48 hours. Reach thousands of artists actively looking for gigs.

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