For generations it has been “the beating heart of Bradford” – and now the iconic former Odeon is set to open its doors again as Bradford Live.
The venue’s 95 year history began in 1930 when it was launched as a 3,318-seat art deco cine-variety theatre. Over the years it has been known as the New Victoria, the Gaumont and the Odeon – and has welcomed performers who have had a seismic effect on the world of music, including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
By Annette McIntyre
All that came to an end in 2000 when the Odeon closed its doors and there were fears the building would be demolished.
But Bradford Council acquired the building in 2013 and has spent almost £44 million on the Bradford Live project with the remainder of the scheme £50’s million cost coming from other sources, including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The venue was seen as an important part of Bradford’s City of Culture year but the project hit turbulence when the original operator, NEC Group, pulled out in September.
Now the venue’s new operator – the Trafalgar Group – is stressing it is in it for the long haul with the aim of turning the building into the “jewel in Bradford’s crown”.
The much-loved venue is in very capable hands. Trafalgar Entertainment is a global award-winning entertainment company, founded in 2017 by Sir Howard Panter – whose father came from Bradford – and Dame Rosemary Squire, two of the world’s leading theatre impresarios and respected advocates for cultural industries in the UK and internationally.
Dave Bradbury, PR and Comms Manager at Trafalgar Entertainment said: “We focus on new productions, venue operations, live music and comedy, events and hospitality, Performing Arts education, ticketing and the distribution and filming of event cinema and TV live-streaming – everything from David Tennant in Macbeth to Taylor Swift. But before Trafalgar, Howard and Rosemary built from scratch and ran for its first 25 years, the world’s largest and most successful live theatre business Ambassador Theatre Group. Between them, Howard and Rosemary have clocked up more than 100 years in the business, no small feat! So, with a strong background in all forms of live and streamed entertainment, Trafalgar is a great fit for Bradford Live.”
The company has a growing portfolio of 21 venues includes Trafalgar Theatre in the West End and Olympia Theatre in London, the Theatre Royal Sydney in Australia, Bradford Live, Eastbourne Theatres, Southend Cliffs Pavilion, Glasgow Pavilion, G Live Guildford, New Theatre Cardiff, and Fareham Live.
“We have our own production arm, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, that produces new shows and classic musicals in the West End, around the UK, and globally, including Fiddler on the Roof, Good Night, Oscar, Clueless the Musical, Kiss Me, Kate, Anything Goes and The Rocky Horror Show. Our production content is further bolstered through our other production houses, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and Imagine Theatre, who are one of the biggest pantomime and family entertainment producers,” Dave said.
“Our global event cinema business Trafalgar Releasing distributes specialised content to over 13,000 cinemas, television and other broadcast platforms in more than 132 countries worldwide, with content ranging from Beyoncé to Royal Opera House, and our education businesses Stagecoach Performing Arts and Drama Kids, who are leaders in their fields, provide extra-curricular performing arts tuition to tens of thousands of students around the world. And we sell tickets too through our ticketing division and London Theatre Direct, one of the UK’s leading ticket retailers and distributors. Trafalgar is a huge operation overall, and the company has undergone exceptional growth in recent years.”
It’s easy to see what attracted the company to become the operator for Bradford Live.
Dave said: “Bradford Live is simply stunning, and you can clearly see the love and attention to detail that has been poured into this venue. There are so many beautiful features including the glorious Ballroom with its art deco decoration, the tearoom with original ornate windows or the Boiler Room Bar – which houses the original boilers that heated the building – to name just a few. What’s not to love!
“Trafalgar operates a varied portfolio of 21 venues, from the more traditional theatres to multi-purpose and adaptable live entertainment spaces, such as Fareham Live and G Live in Guildford. We also operate a fantastic boutique cinema in Chiswick, and we’re set to open the largest theatre in London in over 50 years – the Olympia Theatre.
“Bradford Live is Trafalgar’s first venue on this kind of scale and the sheer size and number of event spaces alone provide enormous opportunities for us to present a vast array of shows, events, parties, weddings, and large-scale hospitality. Bradford has undergone great regeneration in recent years, and its City of Culture status has only cemented the city as a go to destination. Bradford is thriving right now, and we wanted to play a part in its growth, both culturally and economically.”
Raj Todd, Head of Marketing Bradford Live, described their impressions of the way the derelict former cinema has been converted.
“Walking through the doors for the first time was quite the defining moment and the Trafalgar team are thrilled to be the new custodians of this magnificent venue,” he said.
“Lee Craven and the team at Bradford Live and Bradford Council have done a tremendous job transforming this wonderful building into a modern, world-class destination, whilst honouring and preserving its stunning Art Deco heritage. It has been lovingly restored and stands as a symbol of Bradford’s creativity, ambition, and cultural pride. Since we came into the venue, our immediate priority was the operational fit-out, which included everything from lighting and sound equipment, to kitchens, bars, and signage. Our teams worked around the clock to get the venue up and running in time for our first summer events.”
The official opening of Bradford Live will take place at the end of the month and there will also be a preview event on Yorkshire Day.
Dave said: “Bradford Live will officially open at the end of August with one of the UK’s biggest comedy stars, Bill Bailey performing his critically acclaimed Thoughtifier show on 30 August, presented in association with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Then the following day, we have our official gala opening night, with a special performance of The Prat Pack starring four titans of British entertainment, Bradley Walsh, Brian Conley, Shane Richie, and Joe Pasquale. It’s going to be an exciting weekend. But we’ve been operating to some degree over the summer months with a number of conferences and City of Culture events, and a special visit from The King and Queen of course!
Raj said:” Plans for Yorkshire Calling to celebrate Yorkshire Day are well underway, and we’ve just announced an extra something special for the event, none other than singing superstar Aled Jones. He’ll be joining renowned poet and playwright Ian McMillan, the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, Leeds International Piano Festival finalist Yuanfan Yang and the BBC Radio Leeds Bantam of the Opera choir, with Bradford City legend, Chris Kamara, who is the choir’s ambassador. It’s going to be a wonderful day, bringing people together from across the county to celebrate all things Yorkshire!”
There is already a lot of interest being shown by promoters and producers – and Bradford Live looks set to have exciting times ahead. “Bradford is already a thriving place to see, visit and play,” Raj said. “It is a cultural destination and since we were announced as the operator for Bradford Live we have been inundated with positive conversations with promoters and producers. The scope and scale of Bradford Live gives us a fantastic opportunity to bring the best premium programming, from the biggest live-music events and comedy to large-scale entertainment of all kinds.”
Raj described how important the iconic building is to the people of Bradford he stressed the importance of preserving its heritage.
“We view Bradford Live as the beating heart for the city of Bradford,” he said. “We know that this venue has been part of the local community for over 95 years and everyone who is local to Bradford tells us their story and what this venue means to them. There is a rich history that has been woven into the fabric of the restoration, and we are playing our part in the next chapter for Bradford Live.
He added: “We know it is paramount that we preserve the rich history and heritage of this beautiful venue. You can already see and feel it when you walk through those iconic doors. Not only do we have the stunning auditorium, but also the breathtaking secondary spaces such as the ballroom where we are proud to host events as well as conferences, weddings and parties, complemented by our first-class, event-planning and hospitality services.”
The timing of the opening of the venue could not be better – coming as it does in the middle of Bradford’s City of Culture year.
Raj said: “We are proud to be part of the City of Culture year and the events in and outside of Bradford Live. Bradford is one of the most diverse places in the UK. Bradford 2025 have been and will continue to showcase its rich history through events, exhibitions and activities that span across its landscape. We know being part of this special year will leave a lasting legacy for future generations, and we are thrilled to be involved during such an important moment for the city.”
Dave believes Bradford Live will help to grow the market for live entertainment in the region – complementing existing venues such as the Alhambra and St George’s Hall.
“We see ourselves as part of the cultural landscape for Bradford. We passionately believe that audiences deserve the very best and we’re committed to making all our venues welcoming, accessible and central to the communities they serve,” he said. “We fell in love with the venue from the moment we stepped inside, and we know audiences will feel the same. We can’t wait to share Bradford Live with everyone – it belongs to the people of Bradford, and the wider region.
He added: “Our vision is for Bradford Live to be the jewel in the crown for Bradford and be part of the city’s legacy. We want the venue to be a hub for live touring artists, comedians, and bands, providing exceptional live entertainment experiences that cater for everyone, whilst creating lifelong memorable moments for fans and inspiring audiences for years to come. There’s a lot to do, but we’re in it for the long haul. Bradford Live isn’t just a venue for the City of Bradford. It’s a venue for the whole of the UK. And it’s up there with the best of the best.”
