IF things were going according to plan, the £50.5 million live music venue you have helped to pay for would no doubt have featured very prominently at the programme launch of Bradford 2025 City of Culture on Thursday night.

But amid all the many fabulous announcements during the 90-minute event at St George's Hall, amid all the hopes and dreams for next year, there was no mention of Bradford Live.

Zero. Zilch. Nothing.

Bradford Live was due to open this autumn, just in time for the city's year in the spotlight.

"It'll be a world-class entertainment venue," those behind it said at one point in time - before all the silence fell.

By now, if things were going according to plan, the fit-out would be taking place. Promised jobs would be being filled. Amazing acts would be being announced. Tickets would be up for grabs. Excitement would be mounting ahead of the opening of the rejuvenated old Odeon cinema.

But zero. Zilch. Nothing.

Intended operator, the NEC Group, has distanced itself from Bradford Live.

The Birmingham-based company issued a press release about Bradford Live way back on December 14, 2023 - exactly nine months ago today, in fact - stating it was "set to be a premier destination for exceptional entertainment, delivering amazing experiences for visitors".

The Telegraph & Argus has been contacting the NEC Group most weeks since March, when we became concerned that things were not going according to plan with the £50.5m live music venue you have helped to pay for.

We have been repeatedly putting concerns to the firm and asking questions - pushing for answers on your behalf.

But zero. Zilch. Nothing.

Representatives from Bradford Council and developer Bradford Live have repeatedly said "the legal processes relating to handover to the NEC Group are progressing".

Last week, the T&A revealed that only a preliminary contract - not a formal lease - currently exists between Bradford Live and the NEC Group.

Fresh Land Registry checks this week show there is no change on that front.

Bradford Live posted before and after pictures of the beautifully restored huge auditorium on its Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram accounts on August 12.

But since then, zero. Zilch. Nothing.

At Thursday night's event, the T&A approached Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw - Bradford Council's portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, and also a director of Bradford Live - and asked him if Bradford Live would be open in time for the start of City of Culture year.

He said "you've already had my statement on Bradford Live" as he exited the bustling St George's Hall, not taking any further questions.

If things were going according to plan, maybe the launch event would have been held at a bustling Bradford Live.

Bradford Council leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe has previously declined to speak to the T&A in person or over the phone about Bradford Live, with the authority's press office saying she was unavailable.

She was, however, available to talk to ITV Calendar for Thursday night's show.

"NEC are under contract to open that (Bradford Live)," she said.

Cllr Hinchcliffe said she could not say when Bradford Live would open because "I'm not the NEC".

Bradford Council owns the Bradford Live building. Bradford Council is also listed as the only 'person of significant control' of developer Bradford Live on Companies House. As it teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, Bradford Council has pumped £43.75m of taxpayers' cash into Bradford Live, with the remainder coming from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Jeanette Sunderland, a long-serving Liberal Democrat councillor representing Idle and Thackey, criticised the "lack of transparency" from Bradford Council and the NEC Group.

She said: "There seriously needs to be openness and honesty about the situation now.

"All this silence is very, very concerning.

"Let's not forget, £50.5m of public money has gone towards Bradford Live.

"I fear for the future of this project, I really do."

If things were going according to plan, those behind the huge regeneration project would now no doubt be shouting from the rooftops about the £50.5m live music venue you have helped to pay for, energetically promoting it amid a buzz of fervent excitement.

But zero. Zilch. Nothing.

Speaking before Thursday night's event, however, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy - who has been in the job for 10 weeks - seemed upbeat about Bradford Live.

She told the T&A: "I'm confident Bradford Live will be a real success.

"I'm really looking forward to it being open.

"I think this is going to be a really exciting year for Bradford.

"I think you're going to see a whole host of things opening, a whole host of jobs being created, and most of all, you're going to see the country really sit up and pay attention to what Bradford has to offer.

"That's the legacy that I think it's going to leave and I think Bradford Live will be a big part of that."

This week, the T&A put further concerns to Bradford Council and the NEC Group, asking whether Bradford Live would play a role in City of Culture year.

It was a perfect opportunity for some reassurances to be provided over the future of the £50.5m live music venue you have helped to pay for.

And what came?

Zero. Zilch. Nothing.