NEC Group withdraws from Bradford Live project
A new operator is being sought for UK venue Bradford Live after NEC Group pulled out of the £50 million (€60m) project “with immediate effect” following months of speculation.
Birmingham-based NEC Group had been due to take over the operation of the 4,000-cap West Yorkshire venue from developer Bradford Live this year ahead of its planned November opening, but has decided it “will be better served by an alternative operator”.
“Following a strategic review of its business, the NEC Group will focus on its existing operations in the Birmingham area,” says a joint statement on behalf of the company and the local authority. “Bradford Council and the NEC Group have agreed settlement terms to release NEC from the contract that was in place for them to operate the venue. NEC will step away from Bradford Live with immediate effect.”
Under its former name of The Gaumont, the historic building welcomed legends such as Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles in the 1960s. The building then became an Odeon cinema and Top Rank Bingo club, before closing its doors in 2000.
Following a successful campaign to save the building, Bradford Live came in to find a long-term viable use for the venue in 2012 and secured the NEC Group as the venue’s future operator in 2017, with plans to put the city “firmly back on the national live music touring circuit”.
However, the Bradford Telegraph & Argus reports that only a preliminary contract existed between the two organisations, while a Freedom of Information Act request by the publication revealed the overall cost of the project had more than doubled to £50.5m – almost £44m of which came from the council.
“Further updates, and a new date for opening, will be provided when a new operator is confirmed”
In January, tickets for two tribute shows – Thank you for the Music, The Ultimate Tribute to ABBA and Legend – The Music of Bob Marley – went on sale as part of its planned launch season this November, but the events were later cancelled. Venue management veteran Darren Moore, who previously served at Bonus Arena Hull, York Barbican and First Direct Arena Leeds, was named general manager at Bradford Live in July last year, but left his position in February 2024.
Bradford Live and the council say they will now move “at pace” to identify a new operator, with Bradford Council leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe adding the authority is aiming to have the venue operational in 2025 to host events as part of Bradford’s UK City of Culture year.
“The council and NEC have been unable to provide any significant detail on the situation relating to Bradford Live until now, whilst negotiations were taking place,” says the statement. “Further updates, and a new date for opening, will be provided when a new operator is confirmed.”
Lee Craven, founding director of Bradford Live, adds: “Bringing this much-loved building back to life has been a huge task spanning years and involving many tough challenges. Throughout, we have had the steadfast support of Bradford Council, who have never wavered in their commitment. The result is a world class music venue whose quality exceeds even our own hopes.
“We look forward to securing a new operator soon who can do justice to the building’s potential and make Bradford Live a ‘must play’ venue for major touring acts.”
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Co-op Live installs Guy Dunstan as GM/SVP
The UK’s largest arena Co-op Live has announced that NEC Group veteran Guy Dunstan will be joining the Manchester venue as its new general manager and SVP.
Dunstan will take the helm from 21 October, with current interim general manager Rebecca Kane Burton becoming EVP of venue management for OVG International, leading OVG’s global business development strategy for its facilities, sports, entertainment and hospitality divisions.
Dunstan, who brings more than 25 years of experience in the live arena industry, joins Co-op Live from Birmingham-based NEC Group where he was the MD of arenas, responsible for the city’s Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena for four years. He has also been active for more than a decade with the National Arenas Association, holding the positions of chair, vice-chair and steering group member.
In his new role as GM, Dunstan will oversee the management of the 23,500-cap venue’s executive team. In addition, he will be influential in guiding the strategic leadership of Co-op Live as SVP, as well as being instrumental in developing its commercial and operational strategy.
“It’s a privilege to be joining the team at Co-op Live and leading the UK’s largest live entertainment arena after its impressive opening season hosting world-class acts,” says Dunstan. “The design, technology and acoustics of the arena are the best I have experienced throughout my time in the industry, so I’m excited to build on its success so far and put Co-op Live further on the world stage to add to Manchester’s cultural legacy and music heritage.”
“As we move into the next chapter of the venue’s story, Guy’s leadership will be a significant asset in helping us achieve our goals”
A joint venture between Oak View Group (OVG) and City Football Group, the £365 million Co-op Live has put on over 35 events since opening in May this year, with more than 900,000 tickets sold. The venue has already hosted exclusive events including the Eagles’ final UK shows, Pearl Jam’s only indoor concerts on their most recent tour and the first UFC event in Manchester since 2016.
Dunstan’s appointment comes as Co-op Live confirms over 25 additional shows for the remainder of 2024, including the MTV EMAs, which will be held in Manchester for the first time this November. Upcoming concerts include Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish, Janet Jackson, Glass Animals, Charli XCX, The Script, Slipknot, Teddy Swims, Andrea Bocelli and Sabrina Carpenter.
“Guy has a wealth of experience in leading live entertainment venues, so we’re thrilled to be welcoming him to the team at Co-op Live and the wider OVG Group,” says Jess Koravos, president of OVG International. “As we move into the next chapter of the venue’s story, Guy’s leadership will be a significant asset in helping us achieve our goals for Co-op Live to become the most sustainable arena in Europe and a first-choice venue for artists and fans worldwide.”
Kane Burton, whose CV includes stints as boss of London’s The O2 and Alexandra Palace, and CEO at LW Theatres and Sodexo Live, was drafted in at Co-op Live in April, amid the venue’s protracted opening.
In its first four months, the arena has also driven forward its commitment to raise £1 million annually for the Co-op Foundation to support good causes, alongside wider charitable involvement including a recent donation to Liam Gallagher’s chosen charity, Happy Doggo.
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Birmingham arena renamed in new sponsorship deal
Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena is to be renamed bp pulse LIVE as part of a new sponsorship agreement between the NEC Group and the UK electric vehicle (EV) charging network.
Located on the NEC Campus, the 15,600-cap venue will adopt its new name on 1 September.
“We are delighted to partner with the innovative bp pulse, providing electrifying experiences in the venue as well as supporting audiences to make the transition to electric vehicles,” says NEC Group CEO Melanie Smith. “The best partners are those who can add value for the millions of live-event fans that walk through our doors each year, so we can’t wait to start working with bp pulse.”
The deal expands bp pulse’s relationships in the music industry, which already include its sponsorship of community music charity, Music Workshop, and title sponsorship of CarFest, the UK’s largest family fundraising festival.
“We are excited by our thrilling new partnership and to add our name to such a prestigious music venue”
“We are excited by our thrilling new partnership and to add our name to such a prestigious music venue,” says Elen Macaskill, chief customer officer at bp pulse. “Our focus at bp pulse is on delivering convenient and reliable EV charging for customers. By teaming up with a well-known arena at the heart of the UK, we aim to raise awareness of our brand and confidence in EV charging, given how conveniently close it is to our EV charging Gigahub.”
Upcoming concerts at the venue include Doja Cat, Girls Aloud, Deep Purple, The Corrs, Charli XCX, Culture Club, Craig David, Snow Patrol, Gabrielle, Twenty One Pilots and Andre Rieu.
“As the arena takes on a new headline partner in bp pulse LIVE we wish them every success and also look forward to continuing our relationship and affiliation with NEC Group,” adds Vince Williams, marketing director for Resorts World Birmingham. “Enjoying a position adjacent to the arena, we look forward to playing our part in the exciting developments for the NEC in the years to come.”
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AXS takes over NEC Group’s The Ticket Factory
AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is taking over the ticketing operations previously handled by NEC Group’s internal ticketing arm, The Ticket Factory.
As part of the deal, AXS will now provide its ticketing services to NEC Group’s venues, the Resorts World Arena (cap. 15,685) and Utilita Arena Birmingham (15,800).
In addition, AXS will establish a ticketing hub in Birmingham adjacent to the NEC Campus, and all existing employee roles within The Ticket Factory at the NEC Group will become part of the firm.
“We want to make every customer’s experience brilliant, from the moment they think about buying a ticket, to the experience they have at our venues, and every interaction beyond,” says NEC Group CEO Mel Smith, who last year succeeded Paul Thandi.
“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us. We are delighted AXS has chosen to establish a centre of ticketing operations in Birmingham and look forward to a long-term partnership for the benefit of customers and the community.”
“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us”
Bryan Perez, CEO, AXS, adds: “We have long admired the NEC Group and The Ticket Factory and are therefore thrilled to welcome them into the AXS family. We share their vision for transforming the entire customer journey for fans at Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham and look forward to deploying our industry-leading AXS Mobile ID for fans and Apex platform for arenas to meet that goal. We are also excited to establish another base of operations in the West Midlands that will help grow and service our partners throughout the UK.”
AXS is the ticketing partner for more than 500 venues, sports teams and event organisers across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. With offices in London and Manchester, the global ticketing firm’s clients include USGA, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Crypto.com Arena, Coachella, Stagecoach, Stockholm Live, The O2, and B. League (Japan).
In the past fortnight, AXS has acquired a majority stake in event tech firm WRSTBND and secured a partnership with TikTok on an in-app ticketing feature.
AXS’s parent company AEG was reportedly interested in acquiring Vivendi-owned See Tickets but the UK-headquartered ticketing company was snapped up by CTS Eventim earlier this month.
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Bradford Live unveils first launch season events
New UK venue Bradford Live has unveiled two events that will form part of its launch season this autumn.
Thank you for the Music, The Ultimate Tribute to ABBA will take place at the 4,000-cap venue on Friday 8 November, while Legend – The Music of Bob Marley will land on Friday 29 November.
Developer Bradford Live will hand the art deco former Odeon cinema over to operator the NEC Group by mid-2024, before the group completes the final fit out in the following months.
“We’ve now arrived in our year of opening and to be able to start announcing events is extremely exciting,” says general manager Darren Moore, who previously served at Bonus Arena Hull, York Barbican and First Direct Arena Leeds.
The West Yorkshire venue’s 1930s ballroom will also become a 500-person capacity space for entertainment, conferencing and banqueting events.
“It is great to confirm that the venue’s transformation is now at the phase where we are able to formally contract events”
“It is great to confirm that the venue’s transformation is now at the phase where we are able to formally contract events,” says Moore. “We expect to attract 300,000 visitors each year through hosting a calendar of 200+ world class music, comedy, and family entertainment events, as well as providing the city with great conference, meeting, and banqueting spaces.
“Anticipation for the grand opening continues to build in and around Bradford, and we are committed to delivering exceptional experiences for all.”
Under its former name of The Gaumont, the historic building welcomed legends such as Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles in the 1960s. The building then became an Odeon cinema and Top Rank Bingo club, before closing its doors in 2000.
Following a successful campaign to save the building, Bradford Live came in to find a long-term viable use for the venue in 2012 and secured the NEC Group as the venue’s future operator in 2017.
“Our vision is to create a cultural hub for the region that will celebrate the city and venue’s heritage, whilst ensuring world-class event spaces for generations to come,” adds Bradford Live’s Lee Craven. “It’s been a long journey, but the launch season is now in sight.”
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Darren Moore named GM of Bradford Live
NEC Group has named Darren Moore as general manager of its latest venue, Bradford Live, which is scheduled to open in spring/summer 2024.
Moore boasts extensive experience in UK venue management and event operations, having previously served at Bonus Arena Hull, York Barbican and First Direct Arena Leeds.
As GM, he will oversee all aspects of the 4,000-cap West Yorkshire venue’s operations, including event planning, client relations and staff management, and will be instrumental in curating a diverse range of live events. Bradford is UK City of Culture for 2025.
“I am honoured to be appointed as the general manager of Bradford Live,” says Moore. “This is such an exciting opportunity to bring this historic venue back to life and attract even more events to the region, I am eager to build and lead a team dedicated to delivering amazing experiences for our guests and the wider Bradford community, who can expect top music acts from the British, Asian and international music scenes, comedians and family entertainment with catering to suit everyone – a la carte dining through to street food, vegan to halal.
“NEC Group’s hospitality arm, Amplify, will also host a variety of options to upgrade event experiences to include VIP seating areas and pre-show hospitality. The venue will boast the renaissance of the beautiful 1930s ballroom, which will become a 500-person capacity space for conferencing and banqueting, whilst the impressive double height main auditorium will be reinstated as a 4000-capacity live events venue.
“Our vision to be a destination events venue with a unique heritage, combining this with fantastic service to curate unforgettable memories, I look forward to collaborating with our talented team and industry partners to bring the vision of this venue to life that will entertain and inspire our guests for years to come.”
NEC Group currently owns and operates NEC Birmingham, ICC Birmingham, Vox Conference Venue, Uitlita Arena Birmingham and Resorts World Arena. It also operates national ticketing agency The Ticket Factory, service brands Amadeus catering and Amplify hospitality.
“We are so excited to welcome Darren as the general manager for Bradford Live,” adds Daniel Boulger, head of venue developments at the NEC Group. “With his proven leadership and in-depth knowledge of both the industry and community, we are confident that Darren will drive the success of Bradford Live, positioning Bradford as a premier destination for exceptional entertainment.”
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NEC Group chief Paul Thandi to become chair
Birmingham-based NEC Group has announced that Paul Thandi is to move into the position of chair after 16 years as CEO.
NEC Group manages five of the UK’s leading business, leisure, and entertainment venues including the 15,700-cap Resorts World Arena and 16,118-cap Utilita Arena Birmingham, as well as national ticketing agency The Ticket Factory.
Under Thandi’s leadership, the group has secured record levels of growth and hosted events from the G7 Summit and Conservative Party Conferences, to Crufts, Concert for Ukraine, Wireless Festival and last summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In recent years, he has also spearheaded an NEC Masterplan initiative and steered the group from public sector ownership to private ownership through two management buyouts.
“To be at the helm of this incredible business for so many years has been an honour and I look forward to maintaining a key role”
Thandi will succeed current chairman, Peter Phillipson, who is stepping down from the board in September, while Melanie Smith will take on the role of NEC Group CEO.
Smith was most recently CEO of Ocado.com, and previously held senior roles at Marks & Spencer, Bupa and TalkTalk.
“To be at the helm of this incredible business for so many years has been an honour and I look forward to maintaining a key role in driving the growth of the group,” says Thandi. “We have been lucky to secure Mel to take on the leadership position. The importance of our people and my belief in giving them the best leadership, support and strategy, are all values that Mel shares close to her in her business and personal life, and I look forward to working with her over the coming years. It has been the greatest pleasure being CEO – there are more incredible things to come for the NEC Group.”
In addition, Paul Reeve expected to join the Group as Chief Financial Officer in October, succeeding Richard Ashton. Reeve has spent the last 10 years of his career in senior finance roles at AEG, most recently as CFO.
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Q&A with NEC Group’s Allie Bishop & Lily Tomkins
To mark International Women’s Day, IQ catches up with senior event manager Allie Bishop and event manager Lily Tomkins, to find out more about their day-to-day in the (predominantly female) events management team for NEC Group’s Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham.
What does your day usually look like?
Allie Bishop: Every day is different! But generally, I make sure the wider event management team have the time, resources and training they need to be able to deliver successful events. I also have my own event workload, which involves getting as much information as possible out of a tour, then translating it into an event that will fit safely and successfully into our buildings. Day-to-day this requires a lot of liaison with different people and departments to ensure everyone is working to the same information and objectives. I tend to find myself getting involved in wider projects too, offering operational input into projects that improve our customer journey.
Lily Tomkins: My role is split between planning and utilising information and being the duty manager for shows during the open period. When advancing shows I receive details from the client which is disseminated to our internal arenas teams to ensure the show can be run successfully. As a duty manager you are responsible for the safety of the public during the show, helped very much by the security event manager and event safety representative.
“Following Covid, it’s taken a long time for workers to fully return to the industry, and with events coming in quickly there are still gaps in experience across the board”
How did you start working in the events industry and more specifically for the NEC Group?
AB: I joined the NEC Box Office straight from finishing university, selling tickets in the contact centre. That was 16 years ago! I spent around 10 years in various roles there, before moving over to the event management team around six years ago.
LT: I started in events by volunteering at local festivals and events. Whilst completing a master’s degree in live events at Birmingham City University, I made invaluable contacts during Event Week Live – the NEC Group’s work experience programme for degree-level students – and then as a member of its subsequent Elite mentoring programme, which led me to this role.
What aspect of your job do you most enjoy?
AB: I enjoy problem solving and coming up with different ways of doing things. We’re given great opportunities in our position to challenge the norm and come up with new ideas and solutions, which is very satisfying.
LT: I love the production side and seeing what goes on behind the scenes to put a show together.
What can be the most challenging aspect of your job?
AB: Following Covid, it’s taken a long time for workers to fully return to the industry, and with events coming in quickly there are still gaps in experience across the board, with people often juggling a lot more. Our role has become a lot more reactive as opposed to proactive, which for people who love to plan, can be difficult.
LT: I’ve not been in the role long so learning all aspects of the job has been quite challenging and finding my way around each arena! Also remembering everyone’s names…
“I think arenas have led the way when it comes to bringing on board new talent into operational roles, regardless of gender”
Is there a project or particularly rewarding moment you can highlight?
AB: It’s always rewarding to enjoy the ‘calm before the storm’ – usually a five-minute window between the show being built, but not yet being open to the public. It’s just a snapshot view of the work you’ve put in over the last few months to get it to where it is.
LT: I found the first event I planned and managed last August most rewarding as it felt like a rite of passage into the team!
What is your favourite thing about working in a team of women?
AB: We’re a tight-knit team that always looks out for each other. If someone has had a rough day on a show or with their workload, there will always be someone who will offer to help in whatever way they can.
LT: The team are very supportive of each other as we all know how demanding the role can be, so we all look out for each other.
Do you feel there is a gender imbalance across the live events industry as a whole and if so, do you think enough is being done to address it?
AB: Looking out on the arena floor at 6am for a load in, often you’re one of a handful of women who make up the 100-plus people there to get the show built. It isn’t always the case though, and there are certainly more female reps, touring personnel and security than there were a few years ago. I think arenas have led the way when it comes to bringing on board new talent into operational roles, regardless of gender.
LT: I have been fortunate that most of the teams I have worked in have been mostly female-led and I have never felt held back or discriminated against as a female in any of my roles. However, I have found that when you hit a more senior level within an organisation these roles can often be predominantly male-led. I do think more industries are acknowledging this now and making changes where possible.
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NEC Group unveils new senior commercial team
NEC Group Ticketing & Arenas has unveiled its new senior commercial team.
The Birmingham-based team is spearheaded by commercial director, ticketing and arenas Andy Price and leads on business for the group’s premium hospitality provider Amplify and national ticket agency The Ticket Factory, as well as programming Utilita Arena Birmingham and Resorts World Arena.
“Despite the ongoing challenges our industry faces, performance has been extremely positive for the commercial division this year”
“Despite the ongoing challenges our industry faces, performance has been extremely positive for the commercial division this year, most notably with The Ticket Factory who have had an extremely busy year,” says Price. “As we look to drive future growth, it’s important we harness the experience we already have in the business and I’m excited to see its impact on revenues as we move into the new year.”
The new-look team incorporates three internal promotions. Ben Sharman becomes head of venue programming after bringing a string of major live events to the business, including the Concert for Ukraine, which was delivered with just three weeks’ notice last March.
In addition, Noel Edwards is stepping up to ticketing director and will be responsible for establishing The Ticket Factory as one of the UK’s leading ticketing agents.
The team is completed by Gareth Coleman, who will continue as ticketing general manager, and Nicky Burgess who was appointed as head of sales (premium & groups) last year.
PHOTO (L-R): Ben Sharman, Gareth Coleman, Noel Edwards, Andy Price, Nicky Burgess
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NEC Birmingham signs up to festival trade bodies
The NEC Birmingham has joined the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) and the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) as it seeks to explore new opportunities within its events diversification strategy.
The NEC is the UK’s largest exhibition venue, with 18 interconnecting halls in addition to more than 387 acres of hard-standing ground and 59 acres of woodland.
Post-pandemic, the campus has adapted its commercial approach to broaden its festival proposition, staging the 45,000-cap Wireless Festival outdoors with Festival Republic in July last year. It also hosted Slam Dunk Festival in 2014.
“We work closely with many trade bodies across the live music and events industry, contributing to policies, key initiatives and lobbying activity. It is important that we listen to the wants and needs of more event genres as we diversify our offer” says Richard Mann, new business director for the NEC, which also owns ticketing agency The Ticket Factory.
“We are in discussions with festival organisers about events for this year and beyond”
“We’re a large site with big ambitions to bring a greater mix of events to the Midlands. We are in discussions with festival organisers about events for this year and beyond. Our audience database for the NEC and our arenas is comprehensive. The challenge for us is bringing new events to the region which can revitalise the local festival and events landscape.”
AIF CEO John Rostron says the move represents a big addition to the AIF membership.
“Not only does it demonstrate creative thinking from NEC Group, it also points to the value of AIF as a resource to businesses connected to the festival industry, alongside the promoters themselves,” he says. “We look forward to working closely with the NEC, carving new opportunities for both the venue and our festival members, and promoting the interests of the sector more broadly.”
Steve Heap, general secretary of the AFO, adds: “We are delighted that the NEC has joined us. AFO’s credibility has built gradually since we formed in 1987, and we now have more than 150 grassroots festivals, many of whom move sites from year-to-year, that would welcome engagement with the venue. We look forward to working more closely with the NEC as the year progresses and beyond.”
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