British music has lost one of its true originals with the unexpected passing of Gary Mani Mounfield at the age…
By K Futur MUSICArctic Monkeys fans are being offered a rare opportunity to step into the band’s past — and experience music history in their home city of Sheffield.
Of course, speculation is already swirling about Alex Turner and co making a grand return in 2026 with their eighth album and a possible tour. What better way to get into the mood than heading back to where it all began — the now-legendary Yellow Arch Studios.
This autumn, Heritage Open Days — England’s largest festival of history and culture — is throwing open the doors to some of the nation’s most fascinating locations. Thousands of volunteers across the country make the event possible each year, with visitors given behind-the-scenes access to buildings and stories rarely available to the public. For the 2025 edition, which runs from Friday 12 September to Sunday 21 September, there’s a wealth of activities across Yorkshire — and for music fans, Sheffield is the place to be.
Yellow Arch Studios, found on Burton Road in Neepsend, is one of the UK’s most celebrated recording and live music venues. Best known as the place where Arctic Monkeys honed their early material — with the surrounding area inspiring their breakthrough track When the Sun Goes Down — the studios have long been at the beating heart of Sheffield’s cultural scene. Opened in 1997, Yellow Arch quickly became a creative hub, hosting the likes of Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker and the ever-influential Richard Hawley.
It is not just local heroes who have passed through its doors — international stars including Goldfrapp, Kylie Minogue, Sister Sledge, James and Texas have all recorded here. Yet the building’s history stretches back much further. Originally built in the 1870s as a blacksmiths and wheelwright, it later became Clarence Works — a screw and bolt factory serving Sheffield’s booming bridge and shipbuilding industries. Its transformation into a musical powerhouse reflects the city’s unique ability to reinvent itself while staying rooted in its proud industrial heritage.
For fans, the Yellow Arch tour will be a chance to trace that journey — from factory floor to chart-topping hits. Address: Yellow Arch Studios, 30-36 Burton Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8BX.
Whether you are a lifelong admirer of Arctic Monkeys or simply curious about Sheffield’s musical DNA, Heritage Open Days 2025 promises a visit to remember — blending industrial history with iconic riffs in the city where it all started.
