Angry fans seek compensation from Co-op Live after third opening show axed | Greater Manchester

Angry concertgoers have demanded compensation from the troubled Co-op Live arena after it canceled its opening concert for the third time, leaving thousands of young fans stranded in Manchester.

The venue announced minutes after the doors opened on Wednesday night that US star A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie would no longer be performing due to a “technical issue”.

A spokesperson for the £365m venue later said that part of an air conditioning unit had fallen from a gantry during the soundcheck. No one was hurt but it meant organizers also had to pull the plug on Olivia Rodrigo’s two sell-out shows this weekend.

It is the latest humiliating setback for the UK’s biggest indoor arena, whose bosses have blamed Brexit, Covid and even the Manchester weather for a series of missteps that led to the cancellation of shows by Peter Kay, the Black Keys and a significantly reduced-capacity test event by Rick Astley on April 20.

Jo Lunn, 51, said her 16-year-old daughter had traveled more than 200 miles from Hampshire to see A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie with her 18-year-old sister on Wednesday, only to be let down at the last minute.

Some fans had already been allowed into the venue and thousands more were queuing outside when Co-op Live posted on X at 6.40pm that the concert had been cancelled.

“It’s just really unforgivable,” said Lunn. “I had a lot of faith in it [the venue] and really wanted it to succeed but it’s just so disappointing. They’re going to be the laughing stock of the industry.”

Lunn’s family have twice been left disappointed because they had tickets to one of the canceled Peter Kay gigs last month. In total, she said, they had spent almost £1,000 on travel and hotel rooms for the two events, including £300 on train tickets.

She added: “Am I going to get lots of compensation? Probably not, but a gesture would be nice. Unless you live a stone’s throw away I just wouldn’t take the risk of going. It’s crazy. The communications have been either arrogant or naive, thinking people will just show up the next week.”

The venue’s recent setbacks have ranged from power supply issues to faulty building works and a PR gaffe that prompted its general manager, Gary Roden, to resign a fortnight ago when he told the BBC that grassroots venues were often “poorly run”.

However, the troubles date back long before Rick Astley’s test show.

The venue’s manager admitted earlier this week that Co-op Live may still not be completed for another year.

Tim Leiweke, chief executive of the venue’s manager, the US-based Oak View Group (OVG), told the Manchester Evening News that the operators were still working through a “600-point” list of issues to resolve. He added: “Finding skilled labor is a lot harder to do right now in the UK than it was before Brexit.”

It is understood that one of the most pressing issues is the installation of a communications system for the emergency services, after concerns were raised by Greater Manchester police (GMP) and the fire service.

Other internal security systems and fire safety measures were still being resolved as recently as last week.

The bumpy launch was forecast two months ago when GMP and others expressed reservations about Co-op Live’s readiness during a two-day licensing hearing.

GMP said it had been unable to examine the venue’s plans for a major incident or terror attack because there was no framework “available to scrutinise”.

The police and others also shared concerns about the ability to get tens of thousands of ticket holders to and from Co-op Live – four miles from Manchester city center –with limited public transport at 5am, its originally proposed closing time.

The venue was eventually granted a license on 1 March after councilors said it would be a “significant benefit” to the region.

However, there are now doubts about its ability to host upcoming concerts, including a five-night residency by Take That starting on Tuesday.

Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester’s night-time economy adviser, said he was “monitoring the situation closely”. He added: “As with all event venues, the safety of staff and customers is the highest priority even if that means there are delays.”

Amanda Mather, 46, whose 17-year-old daughter was one of thousands left disappointed on Wednesday night, said the venue’s owners had potentially put young people at risk by immediately ordering them away from the site instead of allowing them to be collected.

Mather said: “It was just: ‘Go – get away from the area and leave.’ It showed a disregard for their immediate safety.”

The fiasco is also embarrassing for the Co-op Group, which has the naming rights for the venue. The company said it was “shocked” at the latest cancellation and would be demanding answers from OVG.

But the biggest humiliation may yet transpire for Co-op Live as the rival AO Arena – which fiercely opposed plans for the new venue – was on Thursday expected to explore plans to host the canceled concert by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and another by Keane, who are due to play Co-op Live on Sunday.

That would fail to ease the disappointment for Liam Hadway, 27, who bought tickets to Olivia Rodrigo’s canceled gig for his 16-year-old sister’s birthday.

The pair were due to drive up from Milton Keynes for the concert on Saturday but had been left dejected: “The communication has been terrible for the last couple of weeks. Is it happening? Isn’t it happening?”

He added: “It still doesn’t seem like it’s ready. I feel like some sort of accountability needs to be taken. They definitely need to do something, whether it’s reimburse people for hotels – which are expensive on a Saturday night in Manchester. It’s not great.”