Gary Roden, the general manager of Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, has resigned following delays and controversies surrounding the newly opened venue. Co-op Live Arena is now the largest indoor arena in the UK, with a capacity of 23,500. Roden has recently come under fire for his comments on the state of grassroots music venues in the UK, having previously called them “poorly run.” He also declined a proposal for a £1 ticket levy that would have supported grassroots music.
Co-op Live stated that it did not “share the sentiment” of Roden and remains committed to supporting grassroots music in Manchester and beyond. Roden’s resignation comes after reports of “power supply issues” and last-minute work being done ahead of the planned opening to the public on April 20th. Thousands of ticketholders were informed of cancellations just an hour before opening, with 11,000 people, including almost 2,000 staff, set to attend a test event headlined by Rick Astley.
Comedian Peter Kay was also scheduled to appear at the newly opened arena, but his shows were canceled, along with upcoming performances from The Black Keys and two rescheduled shows from Peter Kay. Co-op Live thanked Roden for his contributions in bringing the new venue to live entertainment fans and announced that the former O2 Arena boss, Rebecca Kane Burton, will take his position in the interim.
Despite the controversies surrounding the venue and Roden’s resignation, Co-op Live believes it will be an important cultural hub for Manchester and remains committed to supporting the city’s cultural initiatives and grassroots music scene. The arena’s opening has been a much-anticipated event for Manchester’s music and entertainment industry, and despite its shaky debut, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on the city and the UK’s live cultural scene
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