Final seat fixing marks key milestone for £45.8m venue

The £45.8 million Becketwell Live venue has moved a step closer to completion after the final auditorium seat was fixed into place.

Representatives from main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, developer St James’ Securities, the building owner’s Derby City Council and venue management company ASM Global, recently came together to witness the ‘golden’ seat, specially made for the occasion, being put into place.

They were joined by a selection of representatives from B+K’s supply chain, who all worked together to get the project to this stage.

With the handover date of January 2025 moving ever closer, Becketwell Live is almost ready to welcome entertainment seekers from across the city and the wider East Midlands.

Work between now and practical completion includes testing and commissioning, including 150 acoustic tests.

Councillor Nadine Peatfield, city council leader and cabinet member for city centre, regeneration, strategy and policy, said: “Installing the final seat is a huge and very exciting step in the Becketwell journey, bringing us closer to realising our vision of transforming Derby into vibrant city centre that puts culture at the forefront.”

Robert Kirkland, life president at B+K, said: “Becketwell Live has been an important scheme for us all.

“It has continued a long-standing relationship we have with the city of Derby; it will bring vibrancy and much-needed commerce to this area of the city, and we are all very proud to have been part of this exciting development.”

Becketwell Live’s main auditorium has flat floor seating, a lower tier of retractable bleacher seating, an upper tier of fixed seating and there a ring of VIP seating on the central and side balconies – enabling a capacity audience of 3,500 to enjoy the range of concerts, family and comedy shows, theatre performances, and more that the venue will host.

Marcus Sheehan, manager at ASM Global, said: “The installation of the final seat is a major milestone bringing us one step closer to opening our doors to the people of Derby.

“We’ve already begun announcing our first confirmed events for 2025 and beyond here at Becketwell, featuring live music, comedy, and more.

“The future here is bright, and we’re committed to delivering the very best guest experiences and unforgettable live entertainment. I look forward to seeing you all in a packed-out auditorium very soon.”

Investing back into the local area has been at the heart of the project.

Of the 1,424 people who have worked on site, 51% are from within 20 miles of Derby and over the span of the whole project, £5.3 million has been spent within the local area.

The project has also supported 36 apprentices and T-Level students equating to 506 weeks of on-the-job training.

Paul Morris is development director at St James Securities, which is delivering the overall project to regenerate Becketwell.

He said: “We are thrilled to see the Becketwell Live entertainment, events and conference venue reach this important milestone.

“This project represents a significant step forward in revitalising Derby’s city centre and providing a state-of-the-art facility that will serve the people of Derby and the wider region.

“We are proud to have created a scheme that will bring new energy to the city and provide a platform for a diverse range of performances and events.

“This is an exciting moment for Derby, and we look forward to seeing the venue open its doors in 2025.”

Councillor Peatfield said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming audiences from across the region into the city centre to enjoy a variety of performances and functions, with tickets already on sale for some of next year’s shows.

“A huge thanks to all of our partners and everyone involved for getting us to this stage in the journey – the final seat is in place, but this is just the beginning for Becketwell Live.”