Soccer star to open city’s first purpose-built indoor football arena
A former Lincoln City football star has invested £250,000 to create the city’s first purpose-built indoor football arena.
Banks Long & Co helped Dan Hone and his wife Stacey’s dream become a reality by leasing the pair ideal premises on behalf of Lincolnshire Co-op.
Active Arena, which is located behind the M&S store on Moorland Way, is currently undergoing an extensive fit-out. The building’s mezzanine floor is being transformed to create two adult five-a-side pitches, while a junior five-a-side pitch and a one-versus-one area are being created on the ground floor.
There will also be a café/bar and facilities for corporate events on site.
The venue will provide a new home for Hone’s youngsters’ football programme, Kixx Lincoln, and will be open for the wider community to enjoy.
Hone said: “Active Arena has been two years in the planning. It’s something I have always wanted to do. It’s great to be filling a gap, because there is no purpose-built football venue of this kind around here. I had been searching for a long time for the right commercial unit, capable of taking my expansive layout.
“I’m really excited about our move because Kixx Lincoln, a football activity programme for children from 18 months to 10 years old, will be based here and we will also host community health and fitness sessions, walking football groups, holiday clubs, adult five-a-side football leagues in the evenings, and more.
“Our facilities will be available for private hire and corporate events and our Sports Café & Bar will be open for users and visitors. The bar will also show live sporting events on big screens.”
Hone already employs a mix of 18 full and part-timer staff across the business, and is now planning to create three more full-time jobs when the Active Arena opens its doors.
Banks Long & Co associate director James Hall added: “We are delighted to have acted for Lincolnshire Co-op in leasing the Moorland Way warehouse to Dan and Stacey. It is great news that it is going to be put to wider community use and we wish them both the very best for the future.”
