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Wales concert hall closed due to concrete issues

A Welsh concert hall has closed with immediate effect to allow additional checks on the building’s concrete panels.

The decision to temporarily close the 2,000-cap St David’s Hall in Cardiff was taken in light of the recent change to advice on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in public buildings issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and follows further discussions with the Cardiff Council’s appointed independent structural engineers, and insurers.

All shows are currently postponed for the next month, including concerts by Lindisfarne, Dexys and Graham Nash. St David’s Hall is set to welcome acts such as Alfie Boe, Europe, Daniel O’Donnell, Beverley Knight, Howard Jones and Level 42 in October.

Academy Music Group is due to take over the running of the venue in the near future and “has already undertaken its own inspections and has plans in place to undertake remedial work required in the medium to long-term”.

“We believe it is prudent and responsible to carry out intrusive surveys to further reassure ourselves and the public on the safety of the hall”

The Welsh government has been asking local authorities for updates on the state of RAAC in its facilities since Westminster closed more than 100 education buildings in England last week.

The council says it has been aware of RAAC at St David’s Hall and the need to manage it from a health and safety viewpoint since 2021, and has always followed government guidelines and advice to ensure it was safe. A building management and health and safety strategy has been implemented at the venue for the past 18 months, including regular inspections by independent structural engineers with specific RAAC expertise.

“Throughout this time no issues were raised about the condition of RAAC in the building and there was no evidence of deterioration – and this remains the case,” says a council statement. “However, the council has continued to engage with its insurers and expert structural engineers and, based on advice received today from those experts, we believe it is prudent and responsible to carry out intrusive surveys to further reassure ourselves and the public on the safety of the hall. This will require drilling into panels to confirm their interior construction and to determine if any further work is required to ensure continuing safety.

“Consequently, we will be bringing structural engineers – who are RAAC experts – back on site to do fresh tests on RAAC panels in the building. We expect this procedure could take at least four weeks, and we will look to re-open the Hall as soon as possible, dependent on any action which may or may not be required.”

 


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Cardiff arena costs rise by more than 50%

The cost of building Cardiff’s new arena has spiralled by more than 50%, causing significant delays to the project, according to a report.

The 17,000-cap venue, which is being developed by Robertson Group, will be operated by Live Nation and Oak View Group and is set to form part of a wider multi-million-pound regeneration of Butetown, Cardiff in Wales, UK.

However, “inflationary pressures” have seen costs rise from £180 million (€203m) to almost £280m (€316m).

“Following the pandemic, the UK economy has experienced significant volatility with abnormal levels of inflation and significant interest rate rises,” reads a Cardiff Council document. “Inflationary pressures have pushed the original design of the new indoor arena from the procured figure of £180m to close to £280m.”

The report to members of the council’s cabinet adds that, as the authority’s borrowings for the project are capped, Live Nation has taken responsibility for the price increases.

“Live Nation has had to undertake a detailed review of the design to identify any opportunities to make savings”

“Live Nation remains committed to the project and has secured board level approval to cover the costs,” it continues. “Nonetheless, Live Nation is now working to reduce the level of cost increase through a review of the arena design and reconsideration of site infrastructure requirements.

“The cost of delivering the new indoor arena project has risen by more than 50%. Consequently, Live Nation has had to undertake a detailed review of the design to identify any opportunities to make savings. This has caused a significant delay to the programme. It is now anticipated that the final contract will be signed in July 2023 with a start on-site programmed for January 2024.”

The arena was originally scheduled to open in 2025, but is not now set to be completed until the following year, according to Wales Online.

Live Nation already runs the existing 7,500-cap Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, as well as converted warehouse venue Titan Warehouse. OVG, meanwhile, is currently constructing the UK’s first all-electric arena, Co-op Live, in Manchester.

 


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