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Sacha Lord announces he’s leaving his role at Parklife and The Warehouse Project

"The end of an era."

Emily Sergeant - 18th July 2024

Sacha Lord has announced that he is to exit his role at Parklife and The Warehouse Project with immediate effect.

Greater Manchester‘s Night Time Economy Advisor, and the current Chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), co-founded The Warehouse Project alongside business partners, Sam Kandel and Rich McGinnis, all the way back in 2006, and following the undeniable success of the venture, went on to launch Parklife festival in 2010.

But now, after 30 years at the top of Manchester’s music scene, Sacha has decided now is the time to step away from the industry and move on to “the next chapter” to focus on a number of other exciting future endeavours.

He has today confirmed he will be departing the businesses following a transfer of shares to LN Gaiety – which was agreed in 2021.

“The decision to step down was not an easy one,” Sacha said in an official statement.

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“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.

Sacha, who last month announced he is expecting a baby with his wife, Demi, says he’s “so excited for what’s to come” in the future.

He continued: “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.”

The Warehouse Project has regularly been named one of the best nightclubs in the world, and was even described by DJ Mag as “the concept that flipped the British nightlife script”, thanks to the countless internationally-acclaimed artists that have featured on the lineups over the last two decades.

Parklife, on the other hand, is Europe’s largest metropolitan music festival held annually, and has welcomed some of the biggest names in music, including Liam Gallagher, The 1975, and 50 Cent, to its Heaton Park stages.

Closing out his exiting statement, Sacha said he’d like to thank the “millions of people who have stepped foot into The Warehouse Project or Parklife over the last few decades”, as well as express its gratitude to “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 says he will now continue his work as “a voice for hospitality” across the UK, and will focus on several other avenues of business.

As well as having served as the region’s Night Time Economy Adviser since 2018, and currently holding the position as Chair of the NTIA, Sacha is also the Chair of the local football team, Wythenshawe FC, and is the founder of his very-own charity, the Sacha Lord Foundation.

Read more:

• Sacha Lord hosts secret gig with an open bar in a derelict Manchester building
• Massive music and beer festival takes over Manchester’s Depot Mayfield this weekend
• Sacha Lord pays for everyone’s food and drink at local Manchester restaurant

The Sacha Lord Foundation is a charitable organisation seeking to encourage and support young people entering the hospitality sector.

Featured Image – Darren Robinson Photography (via Supplied)