Co-op Live has been named the winner of the Building of the Year Award by Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
The award was presented at the Chamber’s Property and Construction Annual Dinner, held at the Imperial War Museum North on 12 March 2025.
Co-op Live is Europe’s largest indoor arena. The world-class, 23,500-capacity venue is located opposite Manchester City’s stadium, on the Etihad Campus. The venue is a joint venture between Oak View Group and City Football Group.
Since opening, it has hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards and acts including Paul McCartney, The Eagles, Barry Manilow, The Killers, Take That, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish.
Blandy & Blandy provided a significant level of advice and input, over an 18-month period, on the premises licensing application, including working with Co-Op Live to draft and issue a comprehensive application, liaising with the Responsible Authorities and preparing Co-op Live for the two-day hearing (at which ASM Global/AO Arena, Manchester opposed the grant of the new Licence). At the time, this aspect of the project attracted significant media interest, with those covering the project ranging from BBC News and The Times to Rolling Stone and NME.
Sue Dowling, a partner at Blandy & Blandy, specialising in venue licensing, acted for the venue on its entertainment and alcohol licensing requirements. Sue has advised in relation to many of the country’s most notable stadia and arenas, including Wembley Stadium; Tottenham Stadium; Twickenham Stadium; Lords Cricket Ground and London’s O2 Arena. The firm’s expertise in this area of entertainment and alcohol licensing is acknowledged in both of the UK’s leading guides to law firms, Chambers UK and The Legal 500. The latter credits Sue as an “excellent lawyer”, “highly regarded” for her “unrivalled knowledge” and experience in the area of venue licensing.
Sue commented: “Congratulations to the team at Co-op Live on this well-deserved award. It was a fantastic project to be involved in and is undoubtedly a landmark venue and an asset to Manchester, the north of England and the UK as whole.”
Diane Elebert-Morgan, property and construction group manager at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “Co-op Live is a world-class venue which has rapidly become a major part of Greater Manchester’s cultural economy. This striking building is a venue that can compete with anywhere in the country and is a major draw for visitors from far and wide.”
For further information or legal advice, please contact law@blandy.co.uk or call 0118 951 6800.
