After 30 years at the top of Manchester’s music scene, Sacha Lord has exited his role at Parklife and The Warehouse Project.
He has today confirmed that following a transfer of shares to LN Gaiety which was agreed in 2021, he will now be departing the businesses to focus on other endeavours moving forward including his role as Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester.
Named as one of the best nightclubs in the world, The Warehouse Project is described by Time Out as an ‘iconic nocturnal institution’ and by DJ Mag as ‘the concept that flipped the British nightlife script’.
Co-founded by Sacha, Sam Kandel and Rich McGinnis in 2006, it plays host to internationally acclaimed artists including Disclosure, Megan The Stallion, Nile Rodgers & Chic, The Prodigy, New Order, The Chemical Brothers and Calvin Harris. Located at the 10,000-capacity Depot Mayfield in Manchester, it welcomed over 275,000 customers during its 2023 season. Kandel and McGinnis will be staying on at the company.
Parklife, Europe’s largest metropolitan festival, was launched in 2010 and has welcomed some of the biggest names in music, including Liam Gallagher, the 1975 and 50 Cent. The annual festival, held in Heaton Park, welcomes 80,000 gig-goers each day of the festival and employs over 2,500 people.
Sacha, who last month announced he is expecting a baby with his wife, Demi, said,
“The decision to step down was not an easy one for me to make. I will miss the team, the events, the customers, I’ll even miss the stress and the late nights, but I’ve known for a long time that Parklife 2024 was going to be the last for me.
“There could not have been a more perfect moment for me to step away than now – exactly 30 years since my first event at The Hacienda – and I’m so excited for what’s to come. This decision will free up my time to focus on my roles in the night time economy and hospitality sectors, and of course, most importantly, the birth of my first child with my beautiful wife Demi later this year.
“I’d like to thank the millions of people who have stepped foot into The Warehouse Project or Parklife over the last few decades, and those who have supported me and the team. I would also like to thank the tens of thousands of staff members we’ve had over the years, the suppliers, and those closest to me for putting up with the late nights.
“I am very excited to watch from afar, and I’d like to wish the team the very best going forward.”
Looking ahead, Sacha will now continue his work as a voice for hospitality across the UK. He currently holds positions as Chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and as Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, a role appointed by Mayor Andy Burnham in 2018 to advise on all issues relating to the sector, including the lobbying of later opening hours and the development of night-time transport links.
