New arena being considered to mark next Preston Guild celebrations

There is no timeframe for Preston Guild Hall reopening. Is it time for an alternative? Credit: Blog Preston

A new arena in Preston is being seriously considered by Preston City Council.

The city has been lacking a medium or large sized venue since Preston Guild Hall closed in 2019, following on from the closure of 53 Degrees in 2014.

The Guild Hall is back in the hands of the council in 2024 but any plans have been scuppered by the presence of RAAC (Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) that has essentially mothballed the Grand Hall and Charter Theatre.

The repair bill is expected to run into seven-figure sums.

Now, The Lancashire Lead has revealed a new-build structure is instead being considered for Preston as the city’s next project following the completion of the Harris Museum renovation and the Animate leisure complex.

Cllr Anna Hindle, cabinet member for culture and arts at Preston City Council, told The Lancashire Lead: “If you look around Preston you’ll see evidence of a lot of public sector investment we’re doing at the moment, such as the Harris Museum.

“And we’re thinking that an arena could be the next piece in the jigsaw, the next big project.”

Preston celebrates the Guild every twenty years – and has done since 1542 – with processions and major events which draw large crowds. The next one is due to take place in 2032.

Cllr Hindle added: “We’re getting to the stage where we’re thinking, ‘what will we be providing’? We’re wondering whether this could be our next big project, having an arena.”

Any plans would not come without challenges. Those working in the industry have long suspected that bigger acts – who already often don’t play both Manchester and Liverpool – are unlikely to be drawn to Preston.

But Preston City Council feels the success – and crowds – from BBC Radio 2 in the Park point towards a city crying out for more.

“We’re super ambitious,” said Cllr Hindle, “but it would have to stack up, be viable, and have serious investment.”

Preston architect John Bridge, who designed the new Tram Bridge and Preston’s Market canopy, has thrown his weight behind the idea.

He told Blog Preston: “I think that the location of Preston is the capital of Lancashire. You’ve got to go through Preston to get anywhere. Look at the good that the festival in Moor Park with Radio 2 did – that had such an impact on this economy.

“We’ve got amazing capacity in Preston – particularly with all the housing around the periphery and the city-living strategy of the city centre. Even the pure history of bands like Oasis playing here. We used to have the snooker.

“We can pull a crowd and we’ve got the people. If you build it, then they will come. I’m a big believer in that.”

The prospect of an arena in Lancashire was unexpectedly put on the agenda in November when Blackpool South MP Chris Webb called for an arena in Blackpool.

He did so after the collapse of the developer Nikal who had been working on a £300m leisure complex at the Blackpool Central site.

Blackpool Council wants to plough ahead with those plans – which don’t include an arena – but Webb says investors have already been in touch over his idea.

This story was first reported by The Lancashire Lead. They provide in-depth journalism for the whole of Lancashire via a twice-weekly newsletter. You can see their work and subscribe for free here.

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