The venue, which plays host to local acts as well as touring bands from the UK, US and beyond (I for one saw Kids Near Water play a storming set there once, and Oceansize have played there a number of times), has been served with a Compulsory Purchase Order by Tameside Council. The council apparently wishes to build new offices on the site. Nice one.
The venue has won awards for its commitment to live music in the past, and can currently boast the Barperson of the Year (seriously, such awards exist). Should it go the same way as Cambridge's Boat Race, it'll be a major blow for not only the Manchester music scene, but the UK music industry as a whole. Many bands rely on venues such as The Witchwood, and to lose them would be criminal.
Full details, and an online petition, can be found here.