Bristol Beacon celebrates visitor surge since reopening
The concert venue reopened last November after five years of refurbishment work
Concert venue the Bristol Beacon has welcomed nearly 100,000 visitors since reopening late last November.
The Beacon has released the figures for December, January and February saying 97,000 tickets have been sold since 30 November.
That is a 30 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2017, when the Beacon was last fully open.
Why was the Beacon shut?
The Bristol Beacon, then known as the Colston Hall, closed its doors in 2018 for a total refurbishment, which ended up taking five years and costing £132 million.
The work saw the creation of a new music education centre in the cellars, a new bar and restaurant and four new performance spaces, as well as a total refurbishment of the main auditorium.
Now described as “one of the great cultural icons of modern-day Britain”, by Arts Council England, since the reopening acts to have performed include Sophie Ellis Bextor, Jools Holland and Bombay Bicycle Club.
Meanwhile, more than 2,300 children and young people have used the new practice and education spaces.
Louise Mitchell, chief executive, Bristol Beacon, said: “We are thrilled by the response and success we’ve experienced since reopening Bristol Beacon.
"The remarkable increase in ticket sales and huge numbers of people through the doors is a heartening reminder that we are wanted and needed by our artists, audiences and communities, who are coming back to experience live music with us now that we’re open again.
"It’s fantastic to see our building back in use as it was intended and we look forward to continuing to delight audiences and fostering shared and memorable experiences for years to come.”
There has been criticism of the amount of money spent on the work, which was partly tax payer funded.
However, speaking when the Beacon reopened last year, Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said: “Bristol Beacon is not a two, three, or even five-year project.
"It is a 100-year legacy for Bristol; from the main stage to the cellars’ recording studio, it is a venue designed by the people of Bristol, for the future of Bristol."
The £132m needed to complete the work came from a range of funders including Arts Council England, central government in Westminster, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the West of England Combined Authority as well as Bristol City Council.
Additionally, more than 9,000 individuals made one off donations, with contributions ranging from £5 a month as a seat namer up to a £1 million gift.