The UK’s largest indoor arena is located in Hunts Bank in the north of Manchester City Centre. With a seated capacity of 21,000, Manchester Arena hosts a huge variety of events, including concerts and sporting world championships. Receiving over a million annual visitors, the Manchester Arena is regularly ranked as one of the busiest in the world.
Manchester Arena was originally built as part of an unsuccessful bid for Manchester to host the Olympics. Its diversification has ensured a legacy that has continued long past its opening in 1995. When world-famous musicians and bands play a gig in the north of England, then Manchester Arena is usually first on their list. Various annual sporting events are on the roster, and the arena has been the venue for a variety of world championships.
The arena is located above and around Manchester Victoria Station, one of the city’s three major railway stations. Direct trains arrive at Manchester Victoria from destinations across the north of England, along with local trams and trains from Manchester Piccadilly. It’s highly advisable not to travel by car as there is very limited parking in the vicinity of the arena, as many of the surrounding streets can only be used by buses.
Manchester Arena opened with an ice dance performance by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Great Britain’s Olympic medal winning ice skaters. Since then it has hosted ice hockey and basketball matches, musical concerts from the likes of Take That and Britney Spears, Premier League darts, stand-up comedy, and the world swimming championships.