Bradford Live saga 'yet another embarrassment' for city

Councillor Matt Edwards, leader of the Green Party group on Bradford Council, has also urged the NEC Group to "start being open with the people of Bradford" about its intentions amid the "sorry state".

In 2018, a year after it was announced the NEC Group had been chosen as operator for the venue, it was revealed in a press release that contracts had been exchanged between the Birmingham-based events company and developer Bradford Live.

At the time, it was stated the entertainment venue, once completed, would host more than 200 events a year, attracting 270,000 people to Bradford city centre annually and boosting the local economy by around £10 million per year.

Fast forward six years and the NEC Group has not said anything publicly about its involvement with Bradford Live since early-2024.

The company failed to respond to a question in a recent open letter submitted by the Telegraph & Argus asking if it still envisaged itself operating Bradford Live.

The taxpayer-backed £50.5m project - which has seen the city's old Odeon cinema transformed - is in limbo amid "legal processes".

Bradford Live (Image: Newsquest/Mike Simmonds)

It was previously stated Bradford Live would open this autumn in time for UK City of Culture 2025 - but no launch date has yet been officially announced.

No gigs or events have been announced and, as previously reported by the T&A, the Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) national Great British Beer Festival Winter will not go ahead at Bradford Live next February after "stonewalling" from the NEC Group.

'A sorry state'

Cllr Edwards told the T&A: "The situation with Bradford Live is yet another embarrassment our city is being subjected to.

"2025 is meant to be a game-changing year for Bradford and this venue was meant to be a key part of that.

"But, while the uncertainty continues, our city is losing out big events like the CAMRA winter festival which is exactly the kind of events our city and local economy need.

"It would be a disaster for Bradford if this wonderful venue was sat empty during City of Culture year.

"I really hope NEC start being open with the people of Bradford about its intentions so we start to move on from this sorry state."

Cllr Edwards is deeply concerned about the Bradford Live situation - like many people in the city (Image: Newsquest/Mike Simmonds)

Earlier this month, Si Cunningham, chair of Bradford Civic Society - who used to be a Labour councillor on Bradford Council - urged the NEC Group to provide answers "as a matter of urgency".

"We have heard statements from Bradford Council and Bradford Live, yet the radio silence from the NEC - the apparent operators - is concerning," he said.

"NEC's silence is beginning to do serious harm to Bradford's regeneration efforts and its reputation as a cultural destination."

The T&A put the concerns raised by Cllr Edwards and Mr Cunningham to the NEC Group - but no comment was given.

More questions asked 

Last week, the T&A asked Bradford Council's leader, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, for an interview regarding Bradford Live either over the phone or at City Hall - but was told she was unavailable.

Instead, Bradford Council's press office sent a written statement from Cllr Hinchcliffe saying: "Bradford Live is a major part of our ongoing investment in revitalising the city for the benefit of the whole district.

"The main building work has now completed and it's great to see this stunning building brought back to life for the next generation of visitors.

"Preparations can now be made for fit out of the venue by the operator and the legal processes relating to handover to the NEC Group are progressing."

The T&A asked the Council what further information it could give at this stage about the "legal processes" and how long it expected they would go on for.

We also asked how much taxpayers' money the Council had so far spent in relation to these "legal processes" and how much more public cash it expected it would spend on them in the future.

A Council spokesperson failed to answer these questions and referred us to the brief statement issued by Cllr Hinchcliffe.

The T&A has submitted further Freedom of Information requests to Bradford Council on the matter amid intensifying public concern.