'Defining moment' as long-awaited arena named
YTLBristol's long-awaited 20,000 capacity arena has officially been named.
About 2,000 jobs are expected to be created in the construction of what will become the Aviva Arena in Filton, north Bristol.
Developers YTL confirmed the venue, the first of its kind in the west of England, is set to open at the Brabazon New Town site in late 2028, six years after it was originally planned to open on the former airfield.
Colin Skellett, CEO of YTL UK Group, has said the naming of the facility "marks a defining moment" in the journey to create one of "Europe's most exciting live entertainment venues".
"We are proud to be bringing the Brabazon Hangars back to life for a new generation," Skellett added.
The venue's name and multi-million pound sponsorship deal with the insurance firm was announced at Aerospace Bristol earlier, with singer-songwriter Tom Greenan performing underneath the Concorde.
The arena, first announced in 2018, will be located in one of three Brabazon Hangars which were used in the development of the supersonic jet.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the arena will put the region on the "global map for live entertainment".
Dame Amanda Blanc, group chief executive officer of Aviva, said the company was "proud to back this new world-class arena" which will become "a landmark destination".
What else is going to be there?
The arena forms part of the Brabazon Park project, the redevelopment of brownfield land on the Bristol and South Gloucestershire border.
The site will include a conference centre and 6,500 homes as well as a 15-acre park, schools and leisure facilities.
How will people get there?
While there are currently no plans on how the A38 — the main route by road to the site — would be improved, those visiting will be able to reach the arena by train.
The new unstaffed North Filton station, which sits on the southern edge of the old Filton Airport site and immediately east of the arena, is due to open in the autumn.
On the Henbury line, concert-goers will be able to catch trains to and from Bristol Temple Meads in the city centre.
How many jobs?
Alongside 2,000 construction jobs, YTL said it expected a further 500 permanent roles to be created once the facility was operational. It said the arena would contribute an estimated £1bn to the local economy in its first decade of trading.
It is expected to hold 120 major events a year, welcoming 1.4 million people annually.
YTLDr Ian Smith, a senior lecturer of economics at the University of the West of England who specialises in urban regeneration, said while students may be delighted in taking up said jobs, there was "sometimes an issue" with the quality of the jobs created at venues.
"You'd need to take a view on the quality of those jobs, whether everyone's on zero-hours contracts or it's temporary, project-based work," he added.
He said the displacement of workers also needed to be considered as he questioned where 2,000 construction workers would come from, especially as the government hopes to build 1.5 million homes by 2029.
"We're quite short on construction workers doing an awful lot of things. Where are those 2,000 workers? We can't train 2,000 people in 18 months to work on this - it's four or five years, the apprenticeship cycle," he added.
Smith said the risk of a "downside effect" to the construction industry in the region "should be thought about".
How does it compare to others?
The arena, which has faced a number of setbacks, including problems with planning and transport infrastructure and delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be fully-electric and feature 20 dressing rooms.
YTL said there would also be extensive production facilities, flexible end-stage and centre-stage configurations and a large services yard capable of accommodating up to 60 touring lorries simultaneously.
YTLBut how does it compare in terms of size to other arenas in the UK?
Bristol's arena will be on par with the O2 arena in London and is set to be the third biggest indoor arena in the UK, with a 20,000 capacity.
Only Manchester's arenas will be bigger than it, with the city's Co-op Live arena able to hold 23,500 people while the AO Arena has a 23,000 capacity.
The Bristol arena will be significantly bigger than its closest indoor arena, Utilita Arena Cardiff, which has a capacity of about 7,500 (standing and seated).
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