Co-op Live

Choosing Co-op Live hospitality comes down to group size. A private suite takes up to 16 guests; places in the Level 2 club lounge, with dining and a designated premium seat, suit a couple or a small party better. Both use a premium entrance at the UK's largest indoor arena, on Manchester's Etihad Campus, where premium doors open half an hour before general admission on the venue's current listings.

What hospitality does Co-op Live offer?

Co-op Live offers hospitality at three scales: a private suite for a group of up to 16, a place in the Level 2 club lounge, or the venue's general-admission club, which adds early entry and a bar to a standard ticket. Some spaces are sold with a ticket for one show, others as annual memberships.

• Private suites for up to 16 guests on Level 2: the group's own room, with a private viewing platform and premium seats just outside it, food served in the suite from menus ordered in advance, a private bar and a dedicated host for the evening, plus early entry through a premium entrance.
• The Level 2 club lounge: its own premium entrance, bars and dining, a merchandise shop and a designated premium seat for the show, with the lounge open before and after it.
• A pre-show steakhouse restaurant for premium guests, also on Level 2.
• Members' spaces, including a members' club beside the performers' green room and a membership lounge serving a Mediterranean menu.
• Two Level 4 lounges, kept for the customers of the venue's partner brands.
• The venue's general-admission club on Level 1, with its own bar, seating and street food. Its package holders come in through a separate VIP entrance about an hour before general doors. The package does not include early access to the standing floor, and the upgrade version needs a separate ticket for the show.

Alcohol is served to over-18s only, and ID may be requested.

What time do premium doors open at Co-op Live?

Doors at Co-op Live open in stages, so hospitality guests arrive before the main crowd. For a 19:30 show the venue lists three times: 17:30 for its general-admission club, 18:00 for premium doors, which serve the suites and premium lounges, and 18:30 for general admission. A 19:00 show carries the same three times. That gives premium guests an hour or more inside before the show starts.

Door times are set event by event and can change nearer the date.

What are the age and bag rules at Co-op Live?

Co-op Live sets age rules event by event, and its terms add a rule for hospitality: the buyer must be 18 or over, and anyone under 18 may use a hospitality package only when accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian. Each guest may bring one bag, no larger than A4. The arena is cashless, and there is no re-admission once a guest has left the venue.

Current listings range from keeping under-16s off the standing floor to keeping it for over-18s only, which matters for any group bringing teenagers. The same listings require a child aged 14 or under, or 15 or under on some nights, to be with an adult aged 18 or over.

Backpacks, laptop bags and large tote bags are not allowed inside. Every payment inside is made by card, contactless or phone.

How do you get to Co-op Live and home again?

Co-op Live has its own Metrolink stop, Etihad Campus, directly next to the arena. The tram from Manchester Piccadilly takes about 10 minutes, and passengers need a valid Metrolink ticket before boarding. The journey home is the part to plan: the nearby Velopark and Holt Town stops may close after events to manage crowds, so groups should expect to board at Etihad Campus.

• Walking: the signed CityLink route from Piccadilly station takes about 25 minutes, following blue lampposts through Ancoats, New Islington and Holt Town. It is step-free, well lit and covered by CCTV, and the venue says it is monitored on event days and after events.
• Taxis and private hire: designated drop-off and pick-up points near the arena, plus a free Event Pick-Up Point for taxis, private hire and lifts from 22:00 on event nights, in one of two campus car parks signed on the day.
• Driving: official parking is limited and booked in advance, and many visitors leave the car at a Metrolink Park and Ride site and take the tram in.

Is Co-op Live accessible?

Yes. Co-op Live has step-free access to all floors, with four public lifts serving every level. Every bar, restaurant and lounge can be reached without steps, with lowered counters that carry hearing loops. Entrance B is the dedicated accessible entrance, open to any fan who would benefit from support, including those whose disability is not visible, and the venue runs a free accessible drop-off point outside it.

• Entrance B can be used by fans with access requirements even when their ticket names a different entrance, and the staff there can answer access questions on arrival.
• Accessible toilets on every public level, plus two Changing Places facilities: one on Level 0 by Entrance C, and one on Level 1 facing Block 114.
• A staffed Respite Room on Level 1 for a break from the noise and the crowds, and sensory bags to borrow from Fan Services.
• A hearing loop across the arena bowl, with loop equipment to borrow from Fan Services on Level 1.
• Essential Companion tickets for fans who attend with a companion or personal assistant, and support for assistance dogs.
• House wheelchairs for getting around the building, from Entrance B or Fan Services.
• Mobility aids on the standing floor: for safety, wheelchairs, walking frames, crutches and walking canes are not allowed there, and the Access Team can help a standing-ticket holder find a more suitable place.
• Accessible parking for Blue Badge holders, booked in advance. The Entrance B drop-off is reached through the Blue Car Park.
• Dietary needs and allergies: the venue asks guests to contact its Access Team before the visit, including anyone who needs to bring food or drink for a medical condition.

What major events does Co-op Live host?

The BRIT Awards come to Co-op Live on Saturday 27 February 2027, marking 50 years since the first televised BRITs. The arena staged the first BRIT Awards held outside London on 28 February 2026. Sport shares the calendar with music: UFC 304 was held there in July 2024, the arena's first summer. The building opened on 14 May 2024 with a concert by Elbow, the Manchester band.

Last updated: 25 September 2026.