UK's largest indoor concert venue scraps opening show again
On Thursday's instalment of BBC Breakfast, viewers learned more about Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena cancelling its opening show, which was supposed to take place on Wednesday evening.
During the show, fans saw correspondent Sarah Rogers outside of the arena informing people about the string of mishaps that the venue has had before even opening its doors.
However, it seemed as though viewers were less than impressed with how much the segment dominated the show as many questioned where the “real news” was.
@MFolgate reeled: “BBCBreakfast has #1 news story as Manchester venue delays. Not the murder in Hainault, neither the situation in Gaza and the US, nor the forced expulsion plans for migrants. Totally and insensitively Manchester-centric.”
@ilovemypets56 asked: “Seriously @BBCBreakfast. Unfinished concert venue 1st item on the News? I must be living in a parallel universe!”. @BlowerGill89857 commented: “Watching paint dry is more entertaining.”
@Peterhardwick17 tweeted: “Slow news day. They happen occasionally. It’s not as if there were anything important happening today, like elections or war…….”
@silvergold1972 wrote: “If that Arena was anywhere else but Manchester it wouldn’t even be in the main news, never mind the main story! #bbcbreakfast.”
With @HughEdw31897368 adding: “Important local/mayoral/pcc elections. TODAY didn’t even get mentioned at 6am. Lead story Co-Op Arena fiasco.”
During the segment, the BBC correspondent gave an insight into what happened on Wednesday evening when fans were at the arena waiting to see Olivia Rodrigo.
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Revealing that attendees were handed a piece of paper from the arena, Sarah read out the statement which said: “We kindly ask fans to leave the area, we deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience that this will cause for many.”
Since then, it’s been revealed the abrupt cancellation was caused by part of an air condition unit falling from the gantry inside before the gig.
Although nobody was hurt, the sponsors of the venue want answers from the Oak View group, who are responsible for the building.
Sarah continued: “This is part of a string of problems, the general manager has already quit.
“Peter Kay was meant to open this venue on the 23rd, that was pushed back to the 29th, that has now been pushed back even further to May.”
The programme also spoke to fans outside of the arena after they found out the show had been cancelled minutes before it was due to begin.
Many of the teens were furious as they told the BBC they’d travelled far to see Olivia Rodrigo.
