​Manchester's Co-op Live and AO Arena go head to head in licensing debate

Manchester's two biggest arenas, the AO Arena and the Co-op Live arena, have become embroiled in a licensing row — with the latter claiming it is being blocked from a 24-hour alcohol license for "competition reasons".

Set to open in April, the newly built Co-op Live arena is in the midst of applying for an operating license — seeking a late-night clause, that would allow it to remain open 24/7 on 25 occasions a year, reports the Manchester Evening News.

According to the BBC, the license will allow the Co-op Live arena to accommodate sports events such as “UFC for a global TV audience.”

Multiple oppositions were made against this request from residents, councillors, charities and other local forces including the Greater Manchester Police.

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Rival Manchester venue, AO Arena, objected to the application over concerns of “public safety.”

Mark Donnelly, Chief Operating Officer of Oak View Group, the developers behind Co-op Live said: “We are quite disappointed to see [ASM] are trying to put conditions on us when they operate with an unrestricted licence.”

“We feel these [objections] are competition-based. We feel there’s very little from a licensing point of view. A lot of transport issues were dealt with at planning and that was approved unanimously.” he concluded.

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After the Co-op Live revised plans, a portion of the earlier objections were withdrawn.

Despite this, the BBC reported that “32 residents, two councillors, the council's public health team, ASM and charity the Music Venue Trust (MVT)” maintained their position.

Following this Mr Donnelly critiqued MVT, claiming its oppositional stance was a result of Co-op Live choosing to decline a “£1-per-ticket levy” which funds the MVT's "pipeline investment fund" for grassroots venues.

In a statement seen by Mixmag, MVT dismissed Mr Donnelly's comments as “inflammatory” and “misleading.”

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The statement continued to raise several concerns about Co-op Live’s application. Namely, MVT highlighted issues with the venue’s capacity and late-night hours pointing to the impact this might have on the local area and venues.

“The business model proposed is effectively a walled garden where the operator tries to ensure that all monies from the night out in hospitality namely entertainment, food and drink are spent under the one roof,” continued the statement.

MVT concluded by adding that if hours were reduced to 11:30PM for "all areas and activities" it would be “happy to support.”

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Currently under construction, Co-op Live is to be one of the UK’s largest indoor arenas with a capacity of 23,500 seats, usurping London’s O2 and Manchester’s AO Arena.

April’s line-up boasts the likes of Liam Gallagher, Take That, Pearl Jam and Olivia Rodrigo with Peter Kay set to perform on opening night, April 23.

The venue is set to host “cutting-edge visual technology, exceptional acoustics and innovative sound bowl design” according to a report by Manchester City Football Club.

In 2020, it was revealed Harry Styles is an investor in the venue, taking an active role in the development of the project.

Mixmag has reached out to Co-op Live and AO Arena for comment.

Belle Richardson is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter