MP 'confident' Bradford Live venue will open

Work is ongoing to finish the Bradford Live venue

A Bradford MPs has said she is "confident" the city's new music venue will open despite uncertainty over its future.

Work on Bradford Live is due to be completed in June and the former Odeon cinema has been handed to NEC Group to run.

Naz Shah, who represents Bradford West for Labour, was asked about the lack of information from NEC, after two concerts announced for November were removed from the venue's website.

Bradford Live and NEC Group did not respond to requests for comment.

“The work is carrying on," Ms Shah said.

“The builders are there on the site. I’m very hopeful that we will have Bradford Live.

“I’m confident that we will get it, but let’s wait and see as I’m not aware of the finer details of those negotiations.”

Referring to speculation about when the venue would open, Ms Shah added: "Yes, of course, there's always going to be concern if there are newspaper reports that Bradford hasn’t quite got it there.

“What I don’t want to be saying is that we’ve got problems here when I know full well that Bradford and the people of Bradford are really, really working hard for Bradford 2025.

“But, of course, these are things that we have to take into account.

“We have to work to give trust back to investors.”

Naz Shah MP said Bradford has confidence in the Bradford Live project

In April, a spokesperson for Bradford Live said: “Bradford Live has a contract with the NEC to deliver this venue, and we are working to that contract.”

He added: “We are on track to reach practical completion by June.

"All questions regarding operation and programming need to be addressed to the NEC.

"We are looking forward to revealing this stunning and unique venue to the people of Bradford."