Nothing ever quite beats a behind-the-scenes, hard-hat tour of a major new venue which is just a few months away from being opened to the public.
It’s always a privilege to get to see, and hear, how things are taking shape - and the main feedback from Becketwell Live, Derby’s new £45.8 million entertainment and conference venue in the heart of the city centre, is that everything is well on schedule for the Spring opening.
What’s even better is that its innovative design, state-of-the-art facilities, and sheer attention to detail will make this sparking new entertainment venue one of the finest theatres in the whole of the UK.
The keys will be handed over to the venue management company ASM Global on 20 January. And the curtain will rise in April. But there is still plenty of work to do…
So - officially described an entertainment and conference venue - Becketwell Live is well on schedule for its Spring opening, at which point, the new venue will become a key component in the transformation of Derby into a vibrant city centre with culture at its heart.
Boasting a larger and more flexible space than the city centre has had in the past, the venue will also complement the activities and events staged in the Pride Park area of the city, at nearby Derby Arena.
As an events venue, Becketwell Live will be capable of staging a range of concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows and musical theatre, as well as conferences, exhibitions and events, to an audience of up to 3,500 people (or, 2,100 fully seated). It is anticipated it will host over 200 cultural and commercial events each year, attracting an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby city centre annually.
The project forms the second phase of the £230 million Becketwell regeneration scheme, which is being led by property developer St James Securities who are now delivering on the vision to create a place where people can ‘live, work and play’.
The new performance venue is now being described as an “absolute game-changer” for the city centre. And the fact that ASM Global, world leaders in operating venues, is involved is yet another ‘first’ for Derby.
Businesses nearby are already starting to refurbish their own premises on the back of the fact the performance venue is coming; and the impact cannot be underestimated. The streets around the performance venue will completely change over the next five years.
While a multi-storey car parking facility is part of the current development, the team at Becketwell also have plans for a hotel to be built adjacent to the new venue. “There’s already a long queue of hotel groups wanting to take this on”, says a spokesman.
