Iconic Derby Arena celebrates its 10th anniversary

Derby Arena – the multi-use indoor arena and velodrome on Pride Park – is 10 years old today.

A decade ago, the iconic building was officially opened at a special launch event held on 19 March, 2015, by multiple Paralympic gold medal winning cyclist and swimmer Sarah Storey and former Derby South MP Margaret Beckett.

Since then, the venue, which features a 250-metre indoor cycling track, badminton courts, café, gym and group exercise studios, has hosted numerous major sports and entertainment events.

The £30.8 million arena was constructed on behalf of Derby City Council by Bowmer + Kirkland – the same company which has just finished building the new £45.8 million Becketwell Live performance venue for the council.

Leader of Derby City Council, Cllr Nadine Peatfield said “It’s hard to believe that Derby Arena has been operating for 10 years already. In that time we’ve seen her become an iconic sporting and cultural venue, hosting hundreds of thousands of happy visitors and users including corporate events, pantomimes, music and comedy, national sporting tournaments and of course, the velodrome.

“Our Derby Live team do a fantastic job in bringing top events to Derby for all to enjoy. Happy 10th anniversary Derby Arena!”

Bowmer + Kirkland began construction of the arena in March 2013 – and completed the build in October 2014.

The arena was the first of a trilogy of major leisure projects delivered by the firm for Derby City Council in recent years – the others being Moorways Sports Village and Becketwell Live.

Gus Kedzior, regional director at Bowmer + Kirkland, said: “It was a great honour for us to build the first Olympic legacy project in the Midlands and our team is immensely proud of Derby Arena.

“It is an amazing space providing the city and the region with a unique sporting venue.

“Since completing the arena, we have continued our valued relationship with Derby City Council and have collaboratively worked together on two other amazing leisure facilities in the city – Moorways Sports Village and Becketwell Live.”

Following its official opening on 19 March, Derby Arena opened to the public the following day and offered a 30-day programme of events designed to ‘unwrap’ the arena.

The venue hosted its first major track cycling meeting later that year, which was the opening round of the 2015-16 Revolution series, featuring a number of Olympic and World champions including Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Jason Kenny and Ed Clancy.

That year, the arena also came to the rescue of the annual Christmas panto when a fire caused the closure of the Assembly Rooms.

From 2015, it began hosting the panto – and still does so to this day. Last Christmas, the production of Cinderella, attracted record crowds.

In 2022, Team GB’s Olympic cycling programme relocated to the arena to use its velodrome while its usual home, the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, underwent renovation work.

Team GB’s track cyclists secured one gold, three silver and four bronze medals at last summer’s Paris Olympics.

Following the conclusion of the games, members of the team revealed the key role the velodrome at Derby Arena had played in their success.

For a number of years, the arena has hosted the annual University of Derby graduation ceremonies – and during the Covid pandemic, doubled as a vaccination centre.

It has also welcomed top comedians, such as Jimmy Carr, and hosted various music concerts.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “It is incredible to think that Derby Arena is already 10 years old.

“Over the past decade, it has proven to be an invaluable multi-functional space for the city – from training top athletes and hosting major sporting events, to staging award-winning pantomimes and concerts.

“It also shows absolutely no sign of aging – a testament to its futuristic design and the quality of workmanship that went in to building it.”

To find out more about Derby Arena visit https://www.derbyarena.co.uk/.