Arena to replace every seat in the house in refurb

A MULTI-million pound refurbishment of the Manchester Arena will see nearly every seat in the venue replaced over the coming months.

The venue, which is in its 20th anniversary year, and has previously been known as the Nynex, the MEN and most recently the phones4u Arena, says ticket sales are at record levels, making it second only to London’s O2 arena as the nation’s most popular.

Prospects for the remainder of 2015 are good too, with the likes of Taylor Swift, Fleetwood Mac and One Direction, due to appear in the coming months.

General manager James Allen, said the arena was now a vital cointributor to Manchester, but said its operator SMG Europe, is taking nothing for granted.

“With increasing demands being placed on people’s leisure time, it is vital that we continue to deliver an extra special experience for our customers. As well as replacing all of our auditorium seats as part of a multi-million pound project this summer, we are revisiting all aspects of our customer experience, from how the tickets are booked, right through to providing early-entry and late opening to allow more time for socialising and networking before and after the events.

“Physically, our corporate suites will be refurbished and modernised with a more open plan feel. We are looking forward to unveiling all of these changes later in the year.”

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