Music venue with uncertain future can keep signage

An application for the purple sign to stay on the Bradford Live building has been approved

Signage on a new £50m music venue in Bradford can remain in place, despite uncertainty about the building's future.

Bradford Council approved an application for the purple sign to stay on Bradford Live, in Godwin Street, as its advertising contract was running out earlier this month.

The sign was installed on the building earlier this year ahead of Bradford becoming UK City of Culture in 2025 - months before operator NEC Group said it was leaving the project in September.

Planners said the sign will provide “interest and animation” to the building, which was built on the site of the city's old Odeon cinema.

They said: “Given the large-scale nature of the building, along with the blank elevations to the building, the proposed screen is considered an appropriate addition to the host building.

“It would provide interest and animation to the building, reflecting the vibrancy and nature of the proposed events venue.”

The 3,800-seat venue had been due to open in November, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, after months of silence on the venue’s future, it was announced that the NEC group had pulled out in September.

The group said it would "step away from Bradford Live with immediate effect" after agreeing with the council to be released from its contract.

A council spokesperson added at the time NEC Group had decided "the venue will be better served by an alternative operator" and that it would be “focussing on its existing operations in the Birmingham area”.

The council is currently searching for another operator for Bradford Live.

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