Calls for Blackpool to get arena sized concert venue to bring in line with Manchester and Liverpool

The town is ‘way behind Manchester and Liverpool’ and people are saying it’s about time a bigger venue was built.

People involved in the local music industry are saying a 15-20,000 capacity arena is needed to entice big names to the resort.

“Our biggest is 3000 capacity and its just not gonna entice bigger names to the resort”, says Jason Fubar, a DJ and nightclub owner.

They are saying that the Council-owned Winter Gardens and Tower Ballroom are ‘no longer fit for purpose for touring’, while other towns and cities get bigger venues.

A new £30m conference and exhibition centre was built in the Winter Gardens complex last year, bringing the capacity to 7,000.

“Manchester gets a 2nd arena, even Morecambe is to build one as part of the Eden project,” said DJ Andy Richardson.

And there are missed opportunities for locations to build a new venue – Mr Richardson said: “The site in the centre of town would have been ideal. Instead the towns getting something that’s aimed at day tourists.”

Meanwhile, a new £365m indoor arena will open in Manchester next April. The Co-op Live megastructure is being built near Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.

Test events are planned to be staged in April with an exact date for the first act open to the paying public due to be announced in the coming months.

About 80% of the events will be music but bosses have previously hinted that bids could be submitted to host NBA, tennis or boxing matches as well as a range of family-friendly acts.