Major music venue plans for derelict Bradford building move forward

AMBITIOUS plans to redevelop Bradford’s derelict Odeon site into a 4,000 seat performance venue have been backed by senior council officers.

Bradford Live, the charitable company behind the plans, will present its vision to Bradford Metropolitan District Council’s executive committee on Tuesday.

The building shut in 2000 and was bought by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward in 2003, which later entered into a development agreement with Langtree Artisan.That agreement, which would have seen the building demolished, was scrapped last September after the Homes and Communities Agency took over the site following the abolition of Yorkshire Forward.

Earlier this year the building was bought by Bradford Council for £1 with the authority stating it wanted to find a sustainable future for the Odeon.

Lee Craven, the businessman behind Bradford Live, spoke to TheBusinessDesk.com about his plans.

Craven said the venue would be the third biggest music venue behind the Sheffield and Leeds arenas. “Can Bradford support a venue like that? Yes. It would be a regional venue,” he said.

“It would be putting Bradford on the map for major performers and musicians touring, and that is really exciting. Westfield is great, but that’s more for the day. There needs to be another big attraction here in Bradford for the evening economy. 

“Bradford has a great advantage with the fact that the city centre is actually very small. There is a genuine opportunity to make a cultural quarter around City Park.”

City Park is a six-acre park in the heart of Bradford which contains the largest man-made water feature in any UK city. “There a great opportunity there. The Odeon building is in effect phase 2 of City Park – they work really well together.

“It could give Bradford city centre something really special,” Craven added.

Craven owns Yorkshire-based linings and pocketings textile business Jessgrove, one of the premier lining companies in Europe with a turnover of approximately €40-€50m.

Bradford Live’s business plan indicates the venue holding around 150 events a year in the main auditorium and up to 200 events a year in the smaller ballroom venue. Craven said the ballroom and restaurant area can be created into a second performance space and can be run separately to the main auditorium.

“It gives more flexibility and keeps the building alive,” he added. “It is a much smaller space and therefore makes it more affordable for community groups or charitable groups to use.”

Bradford Live will be renting out the main space venue on a long-lease to a commercial operator.

Craven is currently in discussions regarding funding for the £18m project. The funding is needed only for the capital conversion costs and Craven said he is looking at the RGF, the Arts Council and ERDF as means to get the necessary cash.

Should the project get the go-ahead on Tuesday, and the funding is secured,
Craven hopes it will have an opening date of spring 2018.

He also added that there is a large site at the rear of the building.

“There’s enough space for new buildings to be built once the main venue is done,” he said. “It is a key link building between City Park and  the university and college. There is a real opportunity there.”