Most negative Google reviews for Co-op Live arena in Manchester vanished after the venue was plagued with last-minute cancellations and disgruntled concertgoers. A study published on May 2nd ranked all UK indoor arenas based on Google and Facebook reviews, wherein Co-op Live came in last.
At the time, Co-op Live had registered 25 reviews on Google, averaging 2.1 stars. A week later, only five of those initial reviews remained and two new 5-star reviews appeared. One of the new 5-star reviews has no text description, while the other reads “Amazing Venue”. Co-op Live Facebook reviews are still available, adding 25 new reviews that drove the venue’s overall score even lower than a week earlier, to 1.3.
The research published on May 2nd by QR Code Generator ranked all 27 indoor arenas in the UK based on all the available reviews from Google and Facebook users. The review scores and counts are true as at May 2nd, 2024.
The study found that Manchester’s newest concert venue, Co-op Live, was already the worst-rated indoor arena in the United Kingdom before opening. It registered 25 reviews on Google averaging to 2.1 stars out of 5. Meanwhile, Facebook reviews were even worse, with a score of 1.4 out of 5 across 38 reviews. When combined, these averaged to 1.75 stars, which is the lowest score among all UK indoor arenas.
With the highest capacity of all UK arenas, estimated at 23,500, Co-op Live garnered an impressive selection of A-listers lined up to perform this month. These initially included Olivia Rodrigo, Take That, Eric Clapton, Keane, Nicki Minaj and Eagles. A highly anticipated venue for Manchester’s bustling music scene, it is yet to host its first concert after a troublesome start.
In a three-line message on Facebook at 6.40 PM on Wednesday, the venue “ask[ed] fans to leave the area” because the show scheduled for that night would “no longer go ahead” due to “a venue-related technical issue”. It confused ticket holders further because it was unclear whether the show had been postponed or cancelled.
Two hours later, another last-minute announcement leaves concertgoers exasperated: Olivia Rodrigo’s shows for the 3rd and 4th of May had been postponed. Fans who had made travel arrangements expressed their anger at the “absolute incompetence”, as one commenter on Facebook said. Others who had bought tickets for shows in the immediate future pleaded with the artists to move their concerts elsewhere, appearing worried about possible safety concerns due to public pressure to solve any issues as soon as possible.
Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator QR Code Generator PRO S.L, commented on the findings: “The last thing we expected from such a grandiose venue is for it to review-bomb before it even opened. It is unclear what the nature of the issues are with the venue, but their public communication needs urgent improvement too.
“With concert ticket prices soaring, fans invest a lot of time, money and effort in planning to attend a concert.
“The venue still has a chance to redeem itself at least by communicating in a much clearer manner. Better yet, they could also partner with local hotels and transport providers to alleviate at least some of the cost and inconvenience to customers. External damage control now would still cost them less than if they were to continue with last-minute cancellations.”
Where could the Co-op Live concerts move?
Shortly after the cancellation debacle on May 2nd, Take That announced they would be moving their shows to the AO Arena in Manchester. This is the most straightforward alternative for Co-op Live. The only other venue with the same capacity in the country is in London, at the O2 Arena.
The AO Arena is fourth best-rated outdoor arena in the UK, according to QR Code Generator’s ranking. It scored 4.4 stars across Facebook and Google reviews and can host 21,000 concertgoers, 2,500 short of Co-op Live’s capacity.
A maximum of 20,000 can attend events at the O2 Arena in London. However the venue is among the lowest-rated in the country. It scored only 3.75 stars across 127,664 reviews on Facebook and Google, making it the third worst-reviewed indoor arena in the UK. Still, the high number of reviews indicates the venue’s clear popularity, possibly for lack of comparable alternatives.
At a 1.5-hour train ride away from Manchester is the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, which could be an alternative for the still undersold concerts at the Co-op Live. It can seat 15,685 people and is also the 4th best-rated indoor arena in the UK, on par with several other venues.
Leeds is even closer by train or car, where concertgoers could attend Co-op Live’s cancelled shows at the First Direct Arena, should they be moved there. It is the second-best indoor arena in the UK, scoring 4.5 out of 5 across 11,896 reviews on Google, and has a capacity of 13,781. If artists moved their sold-out concerts here, they could split them into two dates and thus ensure every fan is taken care of.
Only a half-hour train ride away from Manchester, Liverpool could also be a viable alternative for Co-op Live. The M&S Bank Arena can host 11,000 people and is the fourth-best indoor arena in the country, scoring 4.4 stars across over 10,000 reviews on Google and Facebook. Depending on availability, artists could split the original Co-op Live shows into two dates to cover all the ticket holders.
The very best outdoor arena in the UK is the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) in Newport, however, its auditorium can only seat 1,500 people. One of the newer venues in the country, the ICC Wales quickly won over its customers, who rated it with 4.6 stars out of 5 since it opened its doors before the pandemic.
Image credits:
Photo © Peter McDermott (cc-by-sa/2.0)
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