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There’s an arena venue in nearly every big UK city. You’ve got the First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds, the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, the Utilita Arena in Cardiff, the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, to name but a few. And this year, they’ll be visited by the likes of Lily Allen, RAYE, Gorillaz and Florence and the Machine. However, there’s one core British city that is yet to get its own arena and has long missed out on major music tours – Bristol.
But not for much longer. An old hangar in the north of Bristol (famous for being the birthplace of the Concorde supersonic jets) is being transformed into the UK’s next major music venue. This week the venue’s name was officially announced, and we’ve been given a sneak peak at what it will look like.
Aviva Arena will be built in the Brabazon Hangars at Filton Airfield in the north of Bristol. With a capacity of 20,000 it’ll be the third largest arena in the country (after London’s O2 and Manchester’s Co-op Live). It’s expected to be ready for take off in 2028.
Developers reckon that once open, every year the venue will welcome 1.4 million people for more than 120 major live music, sports and entertainment events.
The arena will be built in the central and largest of the three Brabazon Hangars. It’ll make up one part of a complex named YTL Live that’ll also feature a conference and exhibition space. Overall, the complex is expected to bring £1 billion to the wider Bristol economy in its first decade.
The complex is also part of a wider Brabazon Park development project, a new neighbourhood which will have 6,500 homes, a 15-acre park, schools and leisure facilities. A train station at the arena’s doorstep will open later this year.
CEO of YTL Live, Andrew Billingham said: ‘Aviva Arena will put Bristol firmly on the global touring map, delivering unforgettable experiences for fans and artists alike while creating lasting benefits for the city and the wider region.’
He added that while the venue is preparing to welcome major stars, it will also be a ‘platform for local talent to grow, thrive, and shine’ and that YTL are already exploring ways to support emerging artists.
Did you see that another vast new £76 million arena is coming to the UK?
Plus: This legendary northern stadium will soon become one of the UK’s biggest football grounds.
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