Steelwork starts on Derby’s newest entertainment and conference venue

Main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland said it is on course with construction of the Becketwell Entertainment Venue as the important steelwork erection phase has now begun.

Shipley Structures is fabricating, supplying and erecting 1,500t of steelwork for the project and is due to complete its work in January 2024.

Heavy machinery will be helping the 10 operatives involved with fixing the steelwork into place and, with the heaviest single piece weighing 3.5t and the longest single span at 12.9m, it is said to be a mammoth task.

Developed on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub, the £45.8M Becketwell Entertainment and Conference Venue will be a fully flexible, scalable space. It will have a maximum seated/standing capacity of 3,500, while a secondary space will have a capacity of up to 400.

Bowmer + Kirkland Site Manager, Joshua Bredenkamp, said: “It’s exciting to see the steelwork starting. Now everyone can see the structure taking shape and the venue really becoming part of the city landscape.”

Paul Morris, Director of St James Securities, added: “We are delighted to see construction work underway on this exciting new entertainment, events and conference venue, which will serve the people of Derby and the wider region.”

It is anticipated that the venue will hold hundreds of cultural and commercial events each year, offering a varied programme for local people and attracting an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby every year.

The project is due to be completed by early 2025.