Bristol’s long-awaited arena facing fresh delays

The long-awaited indoor arena in Bristol will not open until late 2025 or early 2026 the developers have confirmed.

The venue, originally planned to open in 2024, will potentially now not hold its first event until two years later than hoped.

Plans to build an arena in the city have taken years to come to fruition and there has been a series of false starts.

The original plan was to build a venue in the city centre on land next to Temple Meads train station.

Millions were invested in the project but the scheme failed to materialise. Attention then shifted to the current site at the former Filton Airfield.

Chief executive of developer YTL, Andrew Billingham, said the Covid-19 and challenges in the construction industry are behind the delay.

When completed, the arena – part of the Brabazon development – will have a capacity of 19,000.

The arena will be housed in a former aircraft hangar at the site that was used an airfield by British Aerospace.

The Brabazon development will also see thousands of new homes built on the site in Filton.

Billingham said: “Given delays resulting from the impact of Covid and the general challenges in the construction market, our estimated opening is now late 2025 to early 2026.

“YTL is totally committed to opening Bristol’s first major indoor music arena and entertainment complex.

“Work has begun on key pieces of infrastructure required including new road connections, establishing new power supplies and site preparation works.”