BRADFORD Council says it has no concerns about the success of the Piece Hall overshadowing Bradford Live as a music venue.

The new city centre music destination is due to open in the former Odeon building next year, and has been hailed as one of the biggest regeneration projects for the Bradford city centre in years.

But since the scheme was announced, Bradford’s neighbour to the west - Halifax - has become a major music destination thanks to a series of major outdoor concerts.

In the past year, the historic Piece Hall has hosted concerts by bands ranging from ska legends Madness to nu-metal heroes Limp Bizkit.

Acts lined up to play next year include McFly, Pixies and Jess Glynne.

Noel Gallagher has called the venue “iconic” while other artists have compared playing Piece Hall to performing in Venice.

When it opens, Bradford Live will be run by the NEC Group, and operate as a 3,800-capacity music venue.

Millions have been spent on the project to transform the former cinema, derelict for almost two decades, into a venue that will attract top acts and thousands of music fans to the city centre.

In a recent question to Bradford Council’s Executive, Councillor Debbie Davies (Cons, Baildon) questioned whether the Piece Hall’s success could hit Bradford Live. She asked: “Could the Leader of the Council confirm whether she is concerned that the success of the Piece Hall in nearby Halifax as a music venue will impact on the success of the entertainment venue being developed in the Odeon?”

Her response from the Council Executive said: “No, and neither is the NEC Group who will operate the venue.

“The Piece Hall, although seen as a permanent building, is an external venue and effectively part of the national festival season where indoor venues’ music output historically reduces anyway and NEC would not have expected to see those acts at Bradford Live in that period.

“Although the Piece Hall has established a great relationship with the promoter there and are clearly trying to increase the number of events per year, NEC also have a good relationship with that promoter from their arena content in Birmingham and they have already expressed excitement about another venue operating in their capacity range.

“It is worth bearing in mind that the Piece Hall only runs a set number of concerts in certain months of the year compared to the high number of events Bradford Live will host throughout the year.”