First Look At Hull's New £36m Music Venue

Pictures have been released of the new £36m music and conference centre that could soon be built in Hull.

Councillors have approved the next steps to creating the 3,500 seater venue in the city centre.

It's hoped the facility, which is expected to open in 2018, can help put Hull on the UK map as a location for major events, shows and music concerts.

The proposed centre is expected to attract 240,000 visitors spending £13.8m in the city every year – creating at least 500 long-term jobs.

Hull City Council has committed £36.2m towards the cost of building the complex on the site behind Princes Quay shopping centre whose owners are committed to deliver new retail facilities and a hotel as part of the overall scheme.

Situated close to the key road and rail routes in and out of Hull, the new Hull Venue will revitalise and reconnect the heart of the city centre by providing a link between the historic Old Town, the 1950s-built ‘new town’ and the city’s transport interchange and St. Stephen’s shopping centre. The aim is to provide an iconic landmark for visitors travelling to and through the city, as well as offering conference delegates and gig-goers spectacular views of Hull Marina.

Portfolio Holder for Visitor Destination, Councillor Steven Bayes, said:

“A high-quality, purpose-built events and conference centre is absolutely essential to making Hull a top visitor destination and to secure a long-term legacy from our year as UK City of Culture.

“Put simply, a city of Hull’s size needs a facility such as this. We will formally hand over the City of Culture title to another city in 2020, but this development will allow us to continue to attract events capable of delivering a big economic impact beyond that. “Most importantly, it will deliver 500 long-term jobs for our local workforce and young people, which is part of the legacy that we want to deliver for Hull and the economic future we need.”