People are being given a first look inside Britain’s biggest indoor arena this week – with new images being shared of the upcoming £350m Manchester venue.
The 23,500 capacity stadium is being built in the Eastlands area – with developers Oak View Group striking a 15-year sponsorship deal to name the venue Co-Op Live.
Hosting live music, comedy, sport, and various other types of entertainment, Co-Op Live will feature a “smart bowl” design with 32 bars, lounges, restaurants, food markets, suites and club spaces inside.
New footage offers a first glimpse of what the venue will look like.
32 bars, lounges, restaurants, suites and club spaces will be inside the arena / Image: Co-Op Live
Co-Op says the new arena will be the “envy across Europe” and the “one stop every musician will look forward to when touring”.
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The company also has plans to make the venue the “most socially responsible” in the continent – tying in with Manchester’s zero carbon agenda.
Co-Op Live is expected to generate around £1m each year for Co-op Foundation causes.
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Singer-songwriter Harry Styles has also invested in the project, citing the “contribution it will make to the city, and most importantly, that it will allow even more live music to thrive in Manchester.”
The £350m venue is set to open in 2023 / Image: Co-Op Live
Construction of the venue has generated controversy, however, with critics arguing the city will be unable to sustain a second large-scale performance venue.
ASM Global, operators of the existing AO Arena by Victoria Station, denounced the approval of Co-Op Live, claiming there was “compelling evidence [which] shows there is simply no market for a second major arena in Manchester”, with the venue set to “pull visitors, footfall and spend away from the city centre.”
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More than 580 objections were also raised in a public consultation.
But Oak View Group have said Co-Op Live will cater for a different crowd, and that over 20 years the two arenas will generate up to £1.5 billion for the UK economy.
The AO Arena also announced its own redevelopment plans last year – looking at ways to expand capacity to 24,000 and thus take the title of ‘biggest indoor arena in UK’ itself.
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The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
The Manc -
20th July 2021 
