Derby Arena

Derby Arena is a multi-use indoor arena and velodrome at Pride Park in Derby, England. It was opened in 2015 and has hosted cycling, badminton and entertainment events.

Derby Arena
Aerial view of Derby Arena, July 2023
LocationPride Park, Derby
Coordinates52.9127°N 1.4464°W / 52.9127; -1.4464
OwnerDerby City Council
OperatorDerby City Council
Capacity1,700 (velodrome)
5,000 (concerts)[1]
Field size250 metres
SurfaceSiberian pine (velodrome)
Construction
Broke ground2012
Built2012–2015
Opened19 March 2015
Construction cost£27 million
ArchitectFaulknerBrowns
Project managerMace
Main contractorsBowmer & Kirkland
Tenants
Team Derby (2014–2015)

Construction
Derby Arena, under construction in October 2013 as seen from Royal Way.
Derby Arena, under construction, viewed from within The Sanctuary Local Nature Reserve, October 2013

Construction was expected to be completed in November 2014 with the opening of the venue originally scheduled for January 2015. In May 2012 its development seemed uncertain due to a change of local government.[2] It was constructed by contractors Bowmer and Kirkland[3] and was scheduled for completion in 2014.[4] The Arena was finally opened three months late in March 2015 by Sarah Storey and Margaret Beckett.[5] It is Britain's fifth 250-metre indoor track, which is raised to allow easy access to the 12 badminton court size infield area. There are also a café, fitness gym, group exercise studios and a spinning studio.

Also proposed was an outdoor 1.7-kilometre (1.1 mi) closed road circuit race track and a mountain bike skills area which would have been built on The Sanctuary bird and wildlife reserve. A coalition of 16 local wildlife conservation groups expressed concern at the proposal,[6] but it was approved in February 2014.[7] An injunction brought against Derby City Council by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust led to a Judicial Review being granted which could have overturned the planning approval. On 15 March 2014 Derby City Council announced it was abandoning its plans to develop the site. [8]

In August 2014 a Derby-based company, Moda Bicycles, was appointed to provide 100 bicycles for hire at the Arena, which would be painted black-and-blue to match the Arena's branding.[9] Accreditation to be permitted to use the track will require a four-stage training course, taking six hours to complete at a cost of £65, announced in a package of charges in August 2014.[10]

Events

Cycling

The Arena hosted its first major track meeting in August 2015, when it hosted the opening round of the 2015-16 Revolution series, featuring a number of Olympic and World champions including Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Jason Kenny and Ed Clancy.[11][12]

Badminton

National Badminton League franchise Team Derby played at the Arena during the league's first season in 2014–15, before relocating to the University of Derby Sports Centre.[13]

Entertainment

Derby City Council relocated their annual pantomime to the Arena from 2015 onwards, following the fire-related closure of the former Assembly Rooms venue.[14] Other events to take place at the Arena include comedy shows by Jimmy Carr and Russell Brand. The venue's first music concert took place in October 2016, with the Happy Mondays supported by The Bluetones and Cast.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Event and Space hire". www.derbyarena.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  2. "Labour councillors will have a free vote on scrapping £22m arena plans". Derby Evening Telegraph. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  3. Johnson, Robin (12 September 2013). "VIDEO: Velodrome has the wow factor already". Derby Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  4. Project website, Bowmer & Kirkland website
  5. "Delayed Derby Arena velodrome opens for business". BBC. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  6. Mallett, Chris (20 August 2013). "Wildlife trust opposes plans for bike track at nature reserve". Derby Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  7. Mallett, Chris (7 February 2014). "Cycle track plan on Derby Sanctuary nature reserve is approved by one vote". Derby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  8. "Council says it 'genuinely believes' cycle track would not have affected wildlife". Derby Telegraph. 17 March 2014. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  9. "Derby-based Moda Bicycles wins Derby Arena contract". Derby Telegraph. 13 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  10. "Charges for using new track at Derby's velodrome are revealed". Derby Telegraph. 15 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  11. "Revolution Series 2015/16 - Round 1". Derby Arena. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  12. Severn, Joey (14 August 2015). "World's elite cyclists wow the crowds... as does Derby Arena". Derby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  13. "Uni sports centre lands nationals and Team Derby". Derby Telegraph. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  14. "Derby Arena to host city's pantomime after 2014 show cancelled". BBC News. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  15. "Happy Mondays play at Derby Arena - check out our photos from the gig!". Derby Telegraph. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
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