O2 size music venue for Manchester?

A new music venue has been proposed for Manchester. Now we know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking Roadhouse, Mint Lounge and Moho.

Think bigger.

The Academy, the Apollo, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Central?

Bigger still.

In fact, think 16,000 people.

Director of Sankeys Club, David Vincent, has found a rather large venue called Stadium Point on the Quays, not far from the Imperial War Museum. He submitted proposals for a mammoth gig venue, to Trafford Council just before Christmas.

The project is estimated to cost a whopping £5,000,000, but as David points out in his proposal, it has the potential to generate plenty of revenue for the city given that artists are no longer relying on record sales, but tours and promotional work.

If approved, Stadium Point will be an enormous warehouse space capable of holding 16,000 people standing. David hopes it will put Manchester on the world stage for live electronic dance.

The developer's brochure for the venue states: ‘We want to turn Stadium Point into the world's premiere standup Live and Electronic music entertainment venue which Trafford can be proud of in the same vein as the London O2.’

It seems the Sankeys lot are hell bent on a new venue for Manchester's music scene, given that this is their second attempt. And good on them. The first was a widely opposed proposal in 2008 for a club called Labyrinth with a capacity of 2,500 near to Beetham Tower. It was promptly rejected. Clearly not one to be beaten, the new venture takes the idea up a notch, to say the least. They're already reaching for the stars.

‘Our market is not old bands like Elton John and Paul McCartney etc. It is more Madonna, Eminem, Ian Brown, Dizzy Rascal, Calvin Harris, Moby, Basement Jaxx etc. Where the public want to dance instead of being seated and artists want to perform in a more edgy venue’.

The idea is still in the very early stages and will no doubt face opposition, including that of local residents - some of whom are already leaflet dropping against the plans. Local Labour councillor David told residentadvisor.net: "It's the wrong place to have it. We've not had a venue of this scale, with these numbers of people, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the representative for the area, I'm very concerned about it, and in my opinion it shouldn't be approved."

It’s largely a debate over concerns about noise and traffic against the prospect of a boost to tourism, more jobs and potential world status. Ultimately the decision is up to Trafford Council who will reach a decision about the proposal in February.