Motorpoint arena coming down?

Seen some great bands at the arena. Apparently looking to demolish the building to open up a canal quarter there.

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.or ... 20%251%24s

Makes sense, the new 10k/15k arena down the Bay is said to have an additional 3k-5k venue attached so no point keeping the CIA. I like the initial looks of the canal quarter plans for Churchill Way and Guildford Crescent so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're planning once the arena is gone.

Makes sense, the new 10k/15k arena down the Bay is said to have an additional 3k-5k venue attached so no point keeping the CIA. I like the initial looks of the canal quarter plans for Churchill Way and Guildford Crescent so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're planning once the arena is gone.

Agree with this; and I actually look forward to seeing the last of a horrid, non-atmospheric and unwelcoming venue that is/was The Motorpoint Arena

We need a proper concert auditorium in Cardiff and new complex down The Bay looks to be a good one...

Makes sense, the new 10k/15k arena down the Bay is said to have an additional 3k-5k venue attached so no point keeping the CIA. I like the initial looks of the canal quarter plans for Churchill Way and Guildford Crescent so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're planning once the arena is gone.

Agree with this; and I actually look forward to seeing the last of a horrid, non-atmospheric and unwelcoming venue that is/was The Motorpoint Arena

We need a proper concert auditorium in Cardiff and new complex down The Bay looks to be a good one...

Yep, although I hope that the new venue is up and running before the Motorpoint is taken down. It may be pretty poor but without it we wouldn't have any decent sized bands coming to Wales.

It’s really the Bute Docks feeder from Blackweir.. canal used to run by the Castle, with a lock on Queen Street by the Principality, then off down Mill Lane, Loudon Sq etc..Sea lock at the Hamadryad

Makes sense, the new 10k/15k arena down the Bay is said to have an additional 3k-5k venue attached so no point keeping the CIA. I like the initial looks of the canal quarter plans for Churchill Way and Guildford Crescent so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're planning once the arena is gone.

Agree with this; and I actually look forward to seeing the last of a horrid, non-atmospheric and unwelcoming venue that is/was The Motorpoint Arena

We need a proper concert auditorium in Cardiff and new complex down The Bay looks to be a good one...

Yep, although I hope that the new venue is up and running before the Motorpoint is taken down. It may be pretty poor but without it we wouldn't have any decent sized bands coming to Wales.

MillStad apart, of course; but I believe the new venue down the Bay is well advanced

Why new arena in bay, not city centre? City centre been savaged through covid and how do 12,000 people leave the bay after a gig? All in their cars? Surely access to the main train station and all the city centre hospitality is crucial for a meaningful venue.

Why new arena in bay, not city centre? City centre been savaged through covid and how do 12,000 people leave the bay after a gig? All in their cars? Surely access to the main train station and all the city centre hospitality is crucial for a meaningful venue.

From looking at the overall plans the Bay and this new arena will be fully connected to town including an undercover walkway and shuttle buses/trams. There simply isn't enough space to build an arena the size of the new one in the City centre (it's almost three times the size of the Motorpoint and the idea is to have is surrounded by places to eat and drink).

It's quite exciting, I remember the plans for the Bay and we all said that it wouldn't happen and would be awful for the city. But actually it did happen and has made Cardiff a very attractive destination which is something that I never thought I'd see growing up through the 60s, 70s and 80s in what was a grey, flagging, capital city.

I do miss the mud tho.. all this clean water is a nuisance. If I want a good waft of the brine have to go over the barrage these days..

Why new arena in bay, not city centre? City centre been savaged through covid and how do 12,000 people leave the bay after a gig? All in their cars? Surely access to the main train station and all the city centre hospitality is crucial for a meaningful venue.

From looking at the overall plans the Bay and this new arena will be fully connected to town including an undercover walkway and shuttle buses/trams. There simply isn't enough space to build an arena the size of the new one in the City centre (it's almost three times the size of the Motorpoint and the idea is to have is surrounded by places to eat and drink).

It's quite exciting, I remember the plans for the Bay and we all said that it wouldn't happen and would be awful for the city. But actually it did happen and has made Cardiff a very attractive destination which is something that I never thought I'd see growing up through the 60s, 70s and 80s in what was a grey, flagging, capital city.

I don't have any confidence in the liklihood of trams or shuttle buses serving the demand. The required footprint does not need to be three times as big and capacity is increased by height as much as footprint.

Whilst equally as unsuitable as the bay, the area around the new ice rink and pool remains unfinished with vast swathes of wasteland. Despite all the talk, never will be a snow dome.

I think the Council need to finish some of the projects they have started before embarking on others that will inevitably have an unfinished look to them in another twenty years time.

The real concern is the further kick in the face to the hospitality industry in the existing city centre who benefit from the events. Doesn't make sense to me to shift all this a mile down the road. It's not a great distance but it's a distance that matters before and after an event on a wet night in November.

Build the tram line first and I'd have confidence but the council cant and won't to that. Look at the bus station fiasco.

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

shame wonder where else the smaller bands will perform at.
I saw endless of great bands there including Ghost, Five Finger Death Punch AND More. Would be a shame to demolish the home for live music.

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

What a venue that was. Queuing for tickets.

Great bands early 80's...Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy...

Shite beer in plastic pints.

Roof fell in under heavy snow.

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

Seen Slade play there in December 1981, just weeks before the roof collapsed under the weight of the snow and they had to demolish the place. Ironic that Slade were the last band to play there and one of the songs they sang that night was "we'll bring the house down".

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

Seen Slade play there in December 1981, just weeks before the roof collapsed under the weight of the snow and they had to demolish the place. Ironic that Slade were the last band to play there and one of the songs they sang that night was "we'll bring the house down".

I saw them too.Excellent they were.

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

Seen Slade play there in December 1981, just weeks before the roof collapsed under the weight of the snow and they had to demolish the place. Ironic that Slade were the last band to play there and one of the songs they sang that night was "we'll bring the house down".

Last band I saw there too.Excellent they were.

Yes they were brilliant, one of the best live acts around back then

Why new arena in bay, not city centre? City centre been savaged through covid and how do 12,000 people leave the bay after a gig? All in their cars? Surely access to the main train station and all the city centre hospitality is crucial for a meaningful venue.

From looking at the overall plans the Bay and this new arena will be fully connected to town including an undercover walkway and shuttle buses/trams. There simply isn't enough space to build an arena the size of the new one in the City centre (it's almost three times the size of the Motorpoint and the idea is to have is surrounded by places to eat and drink).

It's quite exciting, I remember the plans for the Bay and we all said that it wouldn't happen and would be awful for the city. But actually it did happen and has made Cardiff a very attractive destination which is something that I never thought I'd see growing up through the 60s, 70s and 80s in what was a grey, flagging, capital city.

I don't have any confidence in the liklihood of trams or shuttle buses serving the demand. The required footprint does not need to be three times as big and capacity is increased by height as much as footprint.

Whilst equally as unsuitable as the bay, the area around the new ice rink and pool remains unfinished with vast swathes of wasteland. Despite all the talk, never will be a snow dome.

I think the Council need to finish some of the projects they have started before embarking on others that will inevitably have an unfinished look to them in another twenty years time.

The real concern is the further kick in the face to the hospitality industry in the existing city centre who benefit from the events. Doesn't make sense to me to shift all this a mile down the road. It's not a great distance but it's a distance that matters before and after an event on a wet night in November.

Build the tram line first and I'd have confidence but the council cant and won't to that. Look at the bus station fiasco.

Council as got history of not delivering on promises.... as for trams mmmmm if its like the integrated idea with tram hub still have people having to use car to access the bay? The bay needs a transport hub right in middle not by old brains brewery ... public transport in cardiff as been destroyed by councils incompetence and stupidity as you say bus stn fiasco tells you that

shame wonder where else the smaller bands will perform at.
I saw endless of great bands there including Ghost, Five Finger Death Punch AND More. Would be a shame to demolish the home for live music.

At the Tramshed or the new venue down the Bay

The new Arena should have been built in Sophia Gardens.

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

What a venue that was. Queuing for tickets.

Great bands early 80's...Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy...

Shite beer in plastic pints.

Roof fell in under heavy snow.

Me too except for Sabbath

I still miss Sophia Gardens Pavilion,saw some great bands there.

What a venue that was. Queuing for tickets.

Great bands early 80's...Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy...

Shite beer in plastic pints.

Roof fell in under heavy snow.

Me too except for Sabbath

Yep, add Hawkwind, Quo (when they were good !), Slade and so many others.

Mind you, the fact the roof fell in would probably point to the idea that it was past it's sell by date

I remember queuing to get Thin Lizzy tickets and chatting to a few in the same queue that were hoping to get Shakin' Stephen tickets.

So excited they were...

Nearly.. I was in the Lizzy queue, and saw you in the Shaky queue...

Was that the 81 snow.. great that was..

Nearly.. I was in the Lizzy queue, and saw you in the Shaky queue...

Was that the 81 snow.. great that was..

In the Shaky queue.

1981 another great year for tours.

I think we saw Ozzy a few days before Lizzy on the Renegade tour

Great times

Makes sense, the new 10k/15k arena down the Bay is said to have an additional 3k-5k venue attached so no point keeping the CIA. I like the initial looks of the canal quarter plans for Churchill Way and Guildford Crescent so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're planning once the arena is gone.

Agree with this; and I actually look forward to seeing the last of a horrid, non-atmospheric and unwelcoming venue that is/was The Motorpoint Arena

We need a proper concert auditorium in Cardiff and new complex down The Bay looks to be a good one...

Chris, a blast from the past but I remember seeing The Clash at Sophia Gardens; now that was a hell of an atmosphere!!

Makes sense, the new 10k/15k arena down the Bay is said to have an additional 3k-5k venue attached so no point keeping the CIA. I like the initial looks of the canal quarter plans for Churchill Way and Guildford Crescent so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're planning once the arena is gone.

Agree with this; and I actually look forward to seeing the last of a horrid, non-atmospheric and unwelcoming venue that is/was The Motorpoint Arena

We need a proper concert auditorium in Cardiff and new complex down The Bay looks to be a good one...

Chris, a blast from the past but I remember seeing The Clash at Sophia Gardens; now that was a hell of an atmosphere!!

I remember the snow bringing the roof down, around the time The Jam played there, great gig that. it was a dump. Having a proper place down the BAy is a good idea - lots of space for other outlets to operate too. Someone was criticising the Council on their promises - don't know about that, but have to say CArdiff as a city is a far more developed and commercially successful place than many other cities int he UK. When you look at Bristol for example, Cardiff is light years ahead and has been for decades.

Jan 82 was the big snow.. checked me old snaps

Some decent enough bands mentioned
But they cannot surpass the Stones in 64 or especially the Who in 1970 both of which I saw in SG

Dreadful venue

Agreed. And vastly overpriced drinks