Bristol Gets Help With Arena

A few months ago, the government knocked back the local city council’s bid for £40 million from its regional growth fund.

Now, neighbouring councils in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset are supporting the project.

The capital cost of building the arena is estimated at £80.2 million with a further £8.1 million needed for on- and off-site costs.

The local council faced a shortfall of £27 million. Bristol doesn’t have an arena-sized venue and many locals travel to Cardiff, London or Birmingham to see top acts.

The West’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which has already pledged £25 million toward the cost of the build, will now consider if it can add to that figure.

LEP chairman Colin Skellett told BBC News that an application for the extra cash will be considered in December.

“Some of the numbers have changed and there’s a discussion going on at the moment but I’m quite sure we’ll get there,” he said. North Somerset Council leader and LEP board member councillor Nigel Ashton said Bristol was “free to bid to for additional funding.”

The arena is part of the city’s plan to regenerate about 170 acres of land surrounding Bristol Temple Meads station. Bristol Deputy Mayor Geoff Gollop said he was “encouraged by the friendly response by our neighbouring authorities.”

He pointed out that the four neighbouring council areas would share the benefit of the wider economic impact of an arena, as well as having access to the biggest top flight bands and events currently denied to the region.