There’s been a lot of publicity in recent weeks about the newly opened Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester and not all of it good. We weren’t sure what to expect last night when we went to watch The Killers at their Rebel Diamonds tour and thought we would share our experience by answering some of the questions I had before we went.
The Co-Op Arena at a glance
- Address is: Etihad Campus, 1 Sportcity Way, Manchester, M11 3DL
- Capacity of 23,500
- Largest floor space of any indoor arena
- Good selection of food and drinks available to buy
- Off street parking available to pre-book
- Fully accessible arena for disabled visitors
- Efficient ticket inspection
- Book tickets through Co-Op app and Ticketmaster.
Where is the Co-Op Live Arena?
Near to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium (which is just north of the Centre of Manchester).
The official address is: Etihad Campus, 1 Sportcity Way, Manchester
Post code for Co-Op Live: M11 3DL
What 3 Words for Co-Op Live: ///leans.couple.accent
Getting to the Co-Op Live Arena
We drove through Salford, coming off the M60 before we reached Manchester Way as at peak time this is a nightmare.
Nearest train station to Co-Op live: The nearest main train station is Manchester Piccadilly, which is then a 30 minute walk to the Co-Op Live.
Nearest Tram Station to Co-Op live: You have several tram stops to choose from. The Philips Park (88 metres – 2 mins walk) and Etihad Campus Metrolink Stop A (288 metres – 4 mins walk) are right nearby and super handy. Etihad Campus (Manchester Metrolink) is (389 meters away – 6 min walk).
This the the Ashton-Under-Lyme to Eccles Service. Post-event shuttle buses are also included with your event ticket and run from the Blue Car Park at the Etihad Campus back to Piccadilly Gardens.
Trams keep running until Midnight (Mon-Thurs) and 1am (Fri-Sun) so you will easily catch them after the concerts have finished. No more having to leave before the finale!
Buses will depart from Sports City Way: ///shorts.digs.expand
Where to park at Co-Op Live Arena:
You can book Official off-street parking through the app when you buy your tickets. This is through Bristol Street Motors.
There are plenty of other parking areas nearby where you need to pre-book – Your Parking Space and Just Park are companies that we have used before.
There are also several businesses that open up their car parks to pay on the night – The going rate is £10 for the evening. We parked just a 5 minute walk away from the arena, near to Philips park Fire Station.
How big is the Co Op Live Arena?
HUGE! Said to have the largest capacity of an inside stadium in Europe, the Co-Op Live holds 23,500 people. The floor space is huge- I’d say twice as wide as the AO Arena in Manchester.
Who owns Co-Op Live Arena?
Apparently, Harry Styles is one of the backers of Co-Op Live along with a joint venture between City Football Group and Oak View Group.
Will concerts ever been on at the same time as Manchester City play at home?
Yes, there will be and there already has been with Elbow playing on the same day as the 23-24 Football season finale. This could be interesting especially for parking but having seen how efficient the Co-Op Live operates, I think space around the venue will be fine.
How high and steep is the Co-Op Live?
Its high! This is one of the questions I tried looking for before we went as I’m really not good with heights. It was difficult to see how high and steep the upper seating areas would be at the Co-Op Live when we booked and obviously the venue had not opened then.
The seating is good up there and the footwells are slightly more generous than other arenas but be ware if you are not good with heights.
The staff were really good and actually moved us to the Premium seating on the first floor (where the boxes are) as there were places available. This is not a given though, it just happened that there were places available on the night. They will only do this for genuine cases- It was plainly obvious that I was sweating and clinging on when we were making our way up!
Is the Co-op Live hot or cold inside?
The temperature inside was roasting last night. Bar Staff were saying how hot they were, which led us to think it isn’t always that warm.
Inside the auditorium, there was a slight breeze (probably from all the people dancing) but still really warm, so dress in layers that can be removed.
Food and Drink Options at the Co-Op Live Arena
Prices of food and drink
I’m not going to lie, they are on the expensive side. One pint of Grolsch (how retro!) is £8.95. 2 pint plastic glasses are available.
We got a round of 3 pints and one Raspberry Vodka with Lemonade (Don’t take your adult children on a night out, people!) and it came to £35.
When we got a second round, Mr C wanted a drink of tap water (Huge fan of tap water). The bar staff said that the tap water was really cloudy and not great quality, so offered him a can of water instead and wouldn’t take payment for it. Lovely.
There are Co-Op outlets all around the venue selling drinks and snacks.
The choice of hot food available was vast – The HotDogs look great with plenty of toppings. There are Asian outlets too.
We had pizza (£15) which was lovely – Non-greasy, good quality, crispy and tasty.
We also had a portion of Salt and Pepper Chips (£6) which were some of the nicest I’ve had. Again, non-greasy although a fairly small portion.
Where to eat before visiting the Co-Op Live Arena?
A full post is coming soon on the best places to eat before a show at the Co-Op Live Arena but for some places to try are:
- Higher Ground Bistro, New York St, Manchester M1 4DY
- Can Petit Tapas, Ancoats, Manchester
- Elnecot Small Plates, Ancoats, Manchester
- Rudy’s Pizza, Ancoats, Manchester
What are the queues like at Co-Op Arena?
On first glance, there were long queues but they are continuously moving and you are only in them for around 5 minutes. Very efficient.
What is it like to work at the Co-Op Live Arena?
Obviously, I don’t work there but we did manage to speak to a number of staff who all said they are loving working there at the moment.
Either the recruitment and training at the Co-Op Live is exceptional, or people genuinely do like their working environment as there was nobody that wasn’t extra helpful or cheerful. (Or perhaps they are just huge The Killers fans!)
Accessibility at the Co-Op Live Arena
What are the arrangements for wheelchair users and people with mobility problems?
There are plenty of lifts around that Co-Op Live staff will help you access. You might have to wait a short while for a lift, due to the volume of people but this wasn’t too bad.
There are escalators taking you from one floor to another and at the end of the concert all the escalators are changed to travel downwards.
What are the toilets like inside the Co-Op Live Arena?
They are great – We went into the ground floor toilets when we arrived and they were clean and well stocked with NO QUEUES! The soap dispensers weren’t operational yet so they had put loads of liquid soap bottles and hand sanitiser around the place.
The toilets on the first floor are so posh! Each toilet area has its own resident cleaner and they are very luxurious. White Company soap no less!
What is the Premium area at Co-Op Live like?
We were really lucky to experience the posh part of Co-Op Live and get a tour of the venue at the same time.
There are wide open spaces with comfy sofas on the first floor and plenty of bars and eatings places.
Very chilled and relaxing both before and during performances if you need time out.
There is also a Respite Room available – Ask Co-Op Live staff for details on using this.
What are the seats like at the Co-Op Live?
They aren’t massive – Black fabric seats – I felt very cosy with the person next to me in the upper third tier before we moved. Each seat has a cup holder which is good as saves littering the floor but these make the seat even narrowere.
The Premium seats are slightly wider and leather.
What is the atmosphere like in the Co-Op live?
We found this venue was much more about the sound and performance than when we went to watch The Killers at Old Trafford Cricket Ground previously. The Cricket Ground was definitely more of a part atmosphere but this could be because we were in standing at the front there.
The sound quality was great in the Co-op Live, Brandon Flowers ‘ voice was super clear and loud – If you are into your music as opposed to going for a night out, this is a great venue to visit.
Can I buy Merch inside the Co-Op Live?
Yes, when you go into the ground floor, you will see a huge lit up sign directing you to Merchandise.
How to get tickets for the Co-Op Live?
The best way is to become a Co-Op member (Its free and you get all sorts of offers and discounts) then download the Co-Op Live app. You will also need a Ticketmaster account. Co-Op members get first access to buying tickets which is how we got our The Killers tickets last November.
Getting through security and into Co-Op Live Arena:
Your tickets will be held in your Co-Op Live app and you can save them into your Apple Wallet. When you come to scan them at the entrance though, you won’t be able to use these Wallet tickets or screenshots so make sure your App is updated and signed in already.
Ticket staff will help you scan your tickets and its really very calm considering how many people are trying to get in at once. There are loads of machines.
You are then sent to security scanners which are quick and effective – and then you are in!
Can I take bags into the Co-Op Live Arena?
Yes. One bag is permitted per person as long as it is no bigger than an A4 piece of paper.
Can I take my own refreshments into the Co-Op Live?
All food and drink must be bought inside the Co-Op Live Arena. You will be asked to dispose of bottles before you enter. Having said that, I expect you would get away with taking a few sweets in loose in your pocket.
Can I vape inside the Co-Op Live?
No, this is a no smoking venue and like most arenas, you are not permitted to go for a smoke and re-enter.
Disposable vapes are not allowed into the venue and you will be asked to dispose of them in the special bags at the entrance.
People are asked to leave their refillable vapes at home/in the car, although we did see some cheeky people on the floor area having a quick puff .
What age can you go into Co-Op Live?
Over 16’s only can go into the standing ticket holders area.
Age 14 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Other age restrictions may apply according to the act you are hoping to see, so check before you buy.
Are there Changing Places available at the Co-Op Live?
There are 2 Changing Places facilities within the Co-Op Live.
Is the Co-Op Live Arena finished?
Understandably, there were some teething and technical issues at the start but as of June 2024, it really is a beautiful new venue and we really liked it.
What’s coming soon to the Co-Op Live Arena?
Artists coming to the Co-Op Live Arena in the first half of 2024 are:
- 14th Feb – Craig David
- 22nd Feb – Snow Patrol
- 13th March – Sabrina Carpenter
- 25th April – Andrea Bocelli
- 8th May – Olly Murs
- 10/11th June – Robbie Williams
Co-op Live Address
1 Sportcity Way, Etihad Campus, Manchester, M11 3DL, United Kingdom.
What 3 words Co-Op Live Arena – ///weds.door.piano
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