Investment News | 17 December 2024
Final touches being made to new £45.8m performance venue
A new £45.8 million performance and events venue in Derby city centre has moved a step closer to completion after the final auditorium seat was recently fixed into place.
Representatives from Becketwell Live’s main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, developer St James’ Securities, the building owner’s Derby City Council and venue management company ASM Global, 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.
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.”