The brand spanking new Co-op Live Arena finally opens this week and while it might be a touch later than expected, it’s still a huge deal for Manchester and the region as a whole.
While the inaugural pair of shows by British comedy legend Peter Kay might have been postponed (twice), along with The Black Keys, due to unexpected power supply problems, Co-op Live is due to open its doors to the public on Wednesday 1 May.
Boasting a jam-packed and ambitious programme already, with shows lined up well into 2025, there’s a lot to take in and as always with new venues, it can be helpful to know all the important details before your first visit – and we’re all in that boat in this case.
There’s been a lot of talk about Co-op Live drinks prices, and about how to get there with it being a little way out of Manchester city centre.
But don’t worry, we’ve got you sorted with a whirlwind guide to the Co-op Live.
Everything you need to know about Co-op Live Manchester
Let’s start with why everyone’s getting so excited. Well not only is it going to become the UK’s biggest indoor entertainment venue and one of the biggest in Europe full stop, boasting a maximum capacity of 23,500 people but, like the newly opened Aviva Studios, it’s also set to bring huge revenue into the city.
All told, the total cost of the venue has clocked at approximately £365 million, making it one of the most expensive buildings to ever be erected in the region.
Attracting not only huge artists, comedians and other live acts but now even the likes of the UFC later this year, it really is poised to be an all-purpose entertainment space.
It's official, the @ufc is finally coming back to Manchester! 👊
So who exactly is behind this huge new addition to the city? Well, there are a few big names involved, first and foremost the City Football Group (yes that one – they are neighbours after all).
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Man City owner and UAE royal Sheikh Mansour has put forward the lion’s share along with the Oakview Music Group, co-founded by American music mogul and ex-Ticketmaster CEO, Irving Azoff.
Thirdly, another key investor who has played a big role in the marketing for Co-op Live, in case you haven’t already seen him in the promos, is Harry Styles.
Putting in an undisclosed amount into the building as a minority equity shareholder along with Emma Spring, co-director of his record label Erskine Records, Emma Spring, his brand alone is set to help rake in big sums for the venue.
We know that you've been waiting to hear from him…
The former One Direction star speaks ahead of Co-op Live opening to the public.
Those Co-op Live drinks prices…
Yep, a lot of you will have surely heard about them already and if you haven’t seen the drinks prices at Co-op Live yet, you might want to sit down for this one.
As confirmed by many accounts on social media, the cheapest pints available at the flashy new arena are £8.35 for a Grolsch, with Guinness, Asahi and Salfordian brewers Seven Brothers‘ IPA all setting you back £8.95. Double pints are priced at £16.35 and £17.45.
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If you’re looking to save money with bottles or cans, you’ll still be paying around seven quid and wine will cost you £8.95 or £9.25 for 187ml or 200ml servings, respectively. A bottle of vino clocks in at £35 and sprits range anywhere between £9.50 and a whopping £17.40 for a tequila. Yikes.
You’re better off sticking to a soft drink at £4.80 for a pint and that way you can still save money in case you need a bite to eat, as pies are £8.25 and you’ll have to cough up £11.50 if you want a burger. We’ll let you draw your own conclusions on this front, though we’re sure we could make an educated guess.
Seating chart and venue map
Seated for Peter KayStanding and seated for Olivia RodrigoCredit: Ticketmaster
You’ll find the typical arrangement for seated events and standing gigs above but, like most modern event spaces like this, the ‘top-in-class’ venue will likely be able to shuffle into different configurations where needed.
As you can see, there a three main tiers – the ground floor standing area in the lower bowl, level one seating and the upper tier – and there are a total of 32 bars, restaurants and various lounges wrapped into the entire complex.
When it comes to how you get into the arena itself, guests are encouraged to consult their gate (A-G) allocation through their tickets on the dedicated Co-op Live app, which also includes all info regarding shows and the latest announcements from the venue.
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Here’s a wider look at the lay of the land:
A rough guide to getting around Co-op Live (Credit: Supplied)
How to get to Co-op Live in Manchester – parking and more
Tram
Now, as for how you’ll get to shows at Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad Campus stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Bus
If you want to take another new and improved arm of the Bee Network public transport system, not only is there a whole host of routes that drop you off close to the venue but there’ll also be a free shuttle bus from the city centre to and from events between 20 April-30 June 2024.
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
Better still, as part of Manchester City Council and TfGM embracing the new addition to the skyline, they’re also helping cover the costs of people’s journeys when using public transport.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue but this must be pre-booked ahead of time. Parking will be released up to 4 weeks before the event and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the Etihad Campus is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
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Lastly, it’s also just a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, with Co-op Live working on some improvements to the footpaths between town and the arena.
Especially from Holt Town onwards you’ll spot these upgrades, like huge light installations and murals by local artists.
This is the recommended walking route (rather than along the canal).
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the boke all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
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Co-op Live opening and closing times
While times will obviously change depending on the show, you can expect doors to open around the standard window between 6-7pm.
That being said, the venue is urging visitors to arrive at evening events in the main bowl no later than 9pm. As for curfew, Co-op Live gigs are due to finish by 11pm unless otherwise stated.
Accessibility info
One thing they’re taking very seriously at the Co-op Live is accessibility and after teaming up with disability charity Attitude Is Everything, you can find a full guide to access the arena HERE.
Having installed lowered service counters, step-free access to all floors, a designated respite room, support for assistance dogs, hearing loops for those with aids/implants, ambulant seating and plenty more, they’ve got it covered so all you have to do is come along and enjoy the show.
And that just about wraps up everything we can think when it comes to what you need to know ahead of Co-op Live’s grand opening at the end of this month.
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It’s set to be a world-leading venue and we can’t wait to see it lit up in its full glory when the first acts roll through the doors of big shiny black box this weekend.
Speaking of, once the action is underway, there’ll be a lot of acts coming thick and fast. It’s a new era for Manchester’s live music and entertainment scene.
Ed Sheeran at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘intimate’ UK tour
Thomas Melia
The red-headed, guitar-strumming, lyrical genius, also known as Ed Sheeran, is back, and he’s heading to Co-op Live for one night only as part of his current UK tour.
‘Bad Habits’, ‘Shape of You’, ‘Thinking Out Loud’, Sheeran has built quite an impressive music catalogue over the years and amassed a whopping 60 billion streams while doing so.
The UK music heavyweight scored his ninth number one album with Play, all while adding two more top ten hits to his discography with ‘Azizam’ and ‘Sapphire’, driving his overall top ten singles total to 43 – that’s ‘Perfect’.
Last week, Sheeran dropped his latest musical addition, Play (Deluxe), which features 14 brand new tracks, and lucky fans who have tickets to these upcoming shows will be eager to see which ones he adds to his setlist.
Ed Sheeran at Co-op Live, Manchester – all the key info you need to know
Ed Sheeran is performing a run of ‘intimate’ shows in the UK (Credit: Press Shots via Petros Studio)
Now he’s bringing his huge hits to Manchester’s biggest indoor entertainment venue, Co-op Live, just across from the ‘Castle on the Hill’, Etihad Stadium, which Sheeran has performed at on eight occasions.
If you’re patiently trying not to get your hopes up, thinking about tickets for Sheeran’s latest gig while simultaneously saying ‘I Don’t Care’, think again.
All you ‘Beautiful People’ after tickets to go see Ed Sheeran when he plays out at Co-op Live on 7 December, you’re in luck as there’s a handful waiting to get snapped up HERE.
Ed Sheeran setlist
Prepare yourself, but with 43 top ten hits next to his name, it’s no surprise Sheeran’s setlist is quite a lengthy one; here’s what he performed at his Paris show earlier this month:
Give Me Love
Castle on the Hill
Shivers
Sapphire
The A Team
Don’t
Boat / Life Goes On
Galway Girl
Nancy Mulligan
Old Phone
Celestial
One / Photograph
Thinking Out Loud
Eastside / 2002 / Cold Water / Little Things / Love Yourself
I See Fire
River / Peru / Beautiful People / I Don’t Care
Camera
Slowly
Perfect
Symmetry
Bloodstream
You Need Me, I Don’t Need You
Shape of You
Azizam
Bad Habits
Afterglow
Merry Christmas
What are the stage times for Ed Sheeran in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can ‘2step’ to this chart-topping superstar’s tracks and get tucked up in bed before the early hours of the morning.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open from 6pm, and not one but two very special guests as the support acts: contemporary Irish band, Biird, and folk duo, Nizlopi, who Ed Sheeran has been a big fan of for a long time now.
You can hear more about his connection with the group down below.
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Featured Images — Petros Studio and Mark Surridge (via Press Shots)
Audio
Hazlett at Manchester Academy 3 – some of the best ‘sad and depressing songs’ you could ever ask for
Danny Jones
On Thursday evening, we finally got to see Hazlett in a small, tightly-packed room here in Manchester and have maybe never heard so many people sing so expertly quietly so as not to even remotely dullen the stunning voice of this rising solo artist.
For anyone who isn’t aware of Hazlett, he’s an Australian singer-songwriter who has been gradually growing in popularity over the last couple of years, but his journey to where he is dates back much further than that.
Noticing a few familiar faces in the crowd from his last visit to the city for a performance at The Deaf Institute just over a year ago – one we sadly missed and have been kicking ourselves ever since – he acknowledged that many may already know his story, but it’s nevertheless worth sharing with the class.
After self-deprecating (how oh-so British) about gigging in pubs when he was younger, and being told to stick to covers rather than try any of his own material, he moved to Sweden in 2019 and fell in love with not only a much more seasonal European but winter, specifically. No wonder he looked at home here.
Here’s our review of Hazlett at Manchester Academy 3, 4/12/2025. (Credit: Audio North)
Kicking off with one of his best-known tracks, ‘Please Don’t Be’, it immediately struck us how full and mournful it all felt in the flesh – arguably even more so than the studio version we’ve been playing in our headphones since 2023.
The atmospheric but not over-produced engineering is an aspect we’ve always admired about Hazlett‘s discography, and we were so relieved it came across on the night, with the Brisbane-born ex-pat crediting his talented live band with helping bring that same sound to life on stage.
It’s a regular trapping, we’ve found, when it comes to acoustic-led music; that instinct, perhaps, for an artist and/or a producer to use seemingly as many of the tools at their disposal as possible just because they’re available to them.
Sadly, this easy pitfall often ends up taking away from what makes those tunes so beautiful to begin with – but not in this case.
The rising solo star seemed to have an expert command not only of his vocals, but the second mic that added those subtle and yet stirring layers, and built those moving, almost ethereal effects on top of the words themselves.
Honestly, we were literally in awe of him just whistling…
Admittedly, it’s hard to put a finger on what exactly made this such a special show, but we think it is THAT same appreciation and embrace of colder months and how it’s inspired his music.
Just bear with us for a minute, it’ll make sense soon.
He actually said it was one of the things he loves the most about people in this country, and this specific part of the world, as well as other parts of Europe, such as his now beloved Sweden, where he says he found his creative spark.
It’s that feeling of the weather and the mood it brings so intensely that he says it helped him write ‘Bones Shake’, which was fittingly chilling as he played it to the spellbound, would-be choir, and could hear the soft sibilance of people gently repeating those S-sounds back to him.
There’s a genuine sense of being able to chart the slight sorrow in the passing of time through the seasons, and while some may not be afforded that same feeling from the sun-soaked shores of his homeland, it’s a concept he’s really run with – especially on his most recent LP.
Simply titled, last night you said you missed me, it’s almost something he kind of tried to resist, confessing that he wrote and finished the album in the space of about a month, fearing that it couldn’t be good enough/ready purely because it came together so quickly.
Given that two specific tracks from this record made a lady standing with us well up and eventually shed several tears (you know who you are), we’d say he absolutely nailed it.
Our only minor gripe was not getting to hear ‘Tell Me What You Dream About’. (Credit: The Manc)
He did joke that his set is filled with nothing but “a bunch of sad and depressing songs” and had a laugh at the idea of people being “dragged along” without any real idea of who he is or the kind of stuff he makes, but having now witnessed him play live, we can assure you it’s much more than that.
Bloom Mountain was an emotional, magical debut that found us in a particular place and time in our lives that we’ll always appreciate, but hearing him knit it together with his newest material confirmed to us that his music has to be more than listened to – it has to be felt.
Like the changing of the seasons. Like the winter. Like the cold.
We unfortunately didn’t manage to make it in time to watch the support act, Hans Williams, but judging by the reaction from the audience who did get in there early enough, the authentic but inventive stylings of the Americana, folk and soul-infused indie-pop artist, he definitely won over plenty of new fans.
As Mitchell Hazlett Lewis, to use his full name, he’s had our hearts since the very start and will continue to do so for however long he keeps bringing his relatable lyricism, delicate but impressive guitar-picking and gentle charm to Manchester.
Please check out his tour dates and see him the next time he’s in town. You can guarantee you’ll find
Please enjoy the song from his latest album that he says his mum likes best.
Danny Jones -
24th April 2024 
