Co-op Live confirms act for opening gig after inspection into series of delays-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Elbow will open the new Co-op Live venue next week (Picture: Gus Stewart/Redferns)

After weeks of chaos, the new Co-op Live arena in Manchester finally has a date and an act for its opening gig.

The new venue has been plagued with technical faults, but has said it has completed an inspection that should mean it can finally open its doors after a series of delays.

Having now postponed its launch three times at the last minute when part of the ventilation system became detached, a statement has been released.

The venue said it was ‘satisfied’ with the result of the inspection, which found it was an ‘isolated’ fault.

Rock band Elbow will open the £365million arena on Tuesday (May 14).

The inspection was carried out by subcontractor SES, which has been responsible for installing the arena’s giant air handling units.

The arena has been hit by a series of delays (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The first gig will take place on Tuesday (Picture: Gus Stewart/Redferns)

Co-op Live later announced: ‘Following the incident in the bowl on 1 May 2024, an inspection and verification report was undertaken by SES subcontractors.

‘In consultation with Manchester City Council, responsible authorities, and wider stakeholders, we are satisfied with the process and outcome of the investigation identifying the HVAC nozzle as an isolated manufacturing default.

‘This is a standard process of review in any venue when such an incident occurs. We now look forward to welcoming fans to Elbow’s opening performance on 14 May 2024.’

A Council statement added: ‘The Council has received documentation that confirms that the venue has carried out the necessary investigations following the incident with their air ducting that provides reassurance that they have considered their duties under Health and Safety law.’

On Friday (May 10), Co-op Live issued a separate statement, saying it was ‘thrilled to be gearing up to open [its] doors’.

The venue is ‘satisfied’ with the outcome of an inspection (Picture: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Co-op Live)

Thousands were turned away previously after three failed attempts to open the arena (Picture: MEN Media)

Organisers said they were ‘especially disappointed to have delayed [their] introduction and frustrated so many in the process’.

‘For all shows rescheduled to take place at Co-op Live, and for those ticket holders of shows next week that have worried about their shows taking place, we want to ensure that all fans have the best possible experience at their long-awaited event.’

Comedian Peter Kay was originally due to open the UK’s largest entertainment venue – in which Harry Styles has invested – on April 23.

His gigs were postponed twice because the building, which will hold up to 23,500 people, wasn’t ready.

Previous issues included the power supply and emergency communications.

More carnage followed as US rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie had his concert scrapped on May 1.

Peter Kay was originally meant to open the venue in April (Picture: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

Olivia Rodrigo apologised to fans after cancelling two shows (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Take That moved their gigs to the AO Arena (Picture: Dave Hogan/Hogan Media)

Thousands of fans waited outside the arena due to an incident during soundcheck when ‘a component of HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] system, used to direct air, separated from the ductwork’.

Consequently, Take That jumped ship to the rival AO Arena with their five gigs, Olivia Rodrigo apologised to fans when she rescheduled her two Manchester tour dates.

Co-op Live has vowed to ‘continue to work with Olivia and her team to secure new dates’, while band Keane also rescheduled a show to October.

At the time, Co-op Live said it would ‘take a short pause’ to allow for an ‘independent inspection of all elements of the arena ceiling’.

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