Sacha Lord exits his business interests, the Warehouse Project and Parklife

Sacha Lord has sold his remaining shares in Parklife and The Warehouse Project to Live Nation Gaiety, the global entertainment firm that first took a stake in the business in 2021.
In a statement released today he has 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.
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.
Lord, who faces a probe by the Arts Council into historical grant applications for one of his businesses, which he has always vigorously refuted any accusation of wrongdoing, 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.”
Andy Burnham and Sacha Lord celebrate Mayor’s re-election
He will continue in his role 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.
He currently holds positions as Chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and has also set up the Sacha Lord Foundation, a charitable organisation to encourage and support young people entering the hospitality sector.
His book, ‘Tales from the Dancefloor’ came out in April.
At a TheBusinessDesk.com lunchtime event on 18 April 2024 at Ducie Street Warehouse in Manchester city centre, Lord opened up about his upbringing, being shot at, his achievements and the amazing stories behind his success.
He described how he and Simon Moran of SJM, a shareholder in TWP and Parklife, met with Denis Desmond from Live Nation who had made the approach, Lord suggested a number, and they accepted. However, it was on one condition, and they had to complete the deal in the next twenty eight days.
“That was twenty eight of the most stressful days of my life,” Lord says.