Work to turn Concorde hangar into city arena begins

The 1940s hangars have been stripped back to their steel frames

Work to turn historic 1940s hangars in which Concorde was built into an arena that can hold 20,000 people has begun.

Demolition work is under way on the Brabazon hangars at Filton Airfield, in South Gloucestershire, ahead of the construction of Bristol's YTL Arena.

YTL Construction UK says the hangars have been stripped back to their steel frames and trusses and that roofing is being readied for removal to allow for the building of the seating bowl.

"Demolishing parts of the hangar has been a delicate operation, as we know how important it is to preserve its structure both for its legacy as the birthplace of Concorde and its bright new future," said John Thompson, the firm's chief executive.

Work is on schedule to be finished in 2028

"To see the hangar stripped back to its original structure is both a striking reminder of its long history and a powerful signal of its future as a world-class arena," said Andrew Billingham, chief executive of YTL Arena.

"Every stage of dismantling brings us closer to welcoming A-list artists and their fans through the doors," he added.

The sliding hangar doors have also been removed and other buildings around the site have been demolished to clear the way for the next stage of the development, which will include an accessible bridge to link it to the rest of Brabazon.

The government recently earmarked the 6,500 homes being built at the Brabazon site as one of several new towns being built across the country.

YTL Construction UK says the construction of the £2bn project is currently on schedule to open in 2028.

The new North Filton train station being built as part of the development and could open in late 2026.