£4m bid secured to boost transformation of Bradford Odeon into live events venue

The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership has secured a bid for £4m to help with the transformation of Bradford’s former Odeon cinema.

The bid is one of three chosen to share the £15m made available through the Government’s Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund.

The £4m will go towards the rejuvenation of the building as a 4,000 capacity live event venue, which is being led by Bradford Live with operating partner NEC Group International.

Once completed, the venue is expected to host over 200 events a year, attracting 270,000 people to Bradford city centre annually and boosting the local economy by around £10m.

Roger Marsh OBE, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, said: “This project will bring a much-loved building back into use, provide an exciting new facility and support the continuing economic transformation of Bradford city centre.

“A rejuvenated Odeon will be a valuable addition to the vibrant cultural offer of the Leeds City Region which already includes the recently reopened Piece Hall in Halifax and The Hepworth Wakefield, the Art Fund Museum of the Year.

“The fact that the Leeds City Region bid is one of just three to secure funding from this fund shows the strength of the case we put forward in partnership with Bradford Council and Bradford Live and the power of the vision we share for Bradford and the wider area.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and leader of Bradford Council, added: “This is fantastic news and another significant step forward for this project to bring the former Bradford Odeon building back into use, attracting 270,000 people to the city centre and boosting the economy by £10m every year.

“Our success in this bid, following our shortlisting to host the Great Exhibition of the North, represents further national recognition of the strength of Bradford’s cultural contribution and the role it is playing to deliver a great quality of life and support the city’s economic growth.

“Thanks to support from Bradford Council and the Leeds City Region Business Rates Pool, empty buildings and spaces across the city will be transformed into a venues hosting events to further complement the Great Exhibition of the North over the summer months.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →