Council approves plans for £36m Hull live music venue

Hull City Council councillors have approved the next phase of plans to create a large-scale music and events centre in Hull.

The development aims to put the city on the UK map as a location for major events, shows and music concerts.

Feasibility work already carried out showcases that the 3,500 capacity venue would create 500 long-term jobs and attract 240,000 visitors, who will spend £13.8m in the city every year.

For the first time ever, the proposed venue will enable Hull to hold large corporate and association conferences, exhibitions and trade tours as well as major touring concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows and sporting events.

The main auditorium will have the capacity to hold an audience of 3,500, rivalling the likes of the Harrogate International Centre and 02 Academy Leeds. The flexibility of the building will also allow for conferences of up to 800 people to host smaller plenary events and 2,000sq m of exhibition space for a range of shows.

The venue will also feature dividable break-out rooms, a restaurant, dressing rooms with en-suite facilities, an outside broadcast space and acoustics suitable for conference and amplified music.

The council has committed £36.2m towards the cost of building the venue on the site behind Princes Quay shopping centre whose owners are committed to deliver new retail facilities and a hotel as part of the overall scheme.

Following the decision by Hull City Council’s Cabinet, the process of finding a partner operator to run the facility alongside a contractor to build the facility will now begin.

Councillor Steven Bayes, portfolio holder for visitor destination, said: “A high-quality, purpose-built events and conference centre is absolutely essential to making Hull a top visitor destination and to secure a long-term legacy from our year as UK City of Culture.”

He noted that a city the size of Hull “needs a facility such as this,” which will “continue to attract events capable of delivering a big economic impact beyond that.”

Steven added: “Most importantly, it will deliver 500 long-term jobs for our local workforce and young people, which is part of the legacy that we want to deliver for Hull and the economic future we need.”

Design plans will be completed and contractors appointed by the end of 2015, with the venue scheduled to open in 2018.

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