Derby: ‘We will entertain you’
Rapid progress is now being made on the construction of Derby’s new £45.8 million entertainment and conference venue, Becketwell Live, which is set for completion in the Spring of 2025.
The new venue is seen as a key part of the journey to transform 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 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. It’s 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’.
At a recent Derby Property Summit, St James Securities’ director Paul Morris explained why major names like property developers Grainger plc and Los Angeles based venue and event management company ASM Global have also now come on board.
“The first time I spoke at the Derby Property Summit seven years ago, I came with a big bright idea, which was all drawings, CGIs and nothing more,” explained Morris. “The vision was to actually make sure we could bring people back into the city centre to live, to enjoy their leisure time, and also to do some work as well.
“We felt very confident - having undertaken substantial regeneration projects in places like Leeds, Wakefield and Sheffield - that Derby had all the ingredients: the workforce, the spending power, and an incredibly attractive city centre places like The Strand and The Wardwick. So, we saw something that was very special.”
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 another first for Derby.
Morris also spoke of the ripple effect of regeneration: “There are already people starting to refurbish their own premises on the back of the fact the performance venue is coming. The impact cannot be underestimated. The streets around the performance venue will completely change over the next five years. Moving forward, we’ve worked out the feasibility for the remaining sites. What we can’t do is stop”.
He concluded: “Looking towards 2025, I’ve never felt more optimistic. We are incredibly excited to be working as part of a team with the other developers here in Derby to make this great city something really, really special.”
Find more details of the Derby Property Summit here.