Co-op Live arena cancels debut show for third time

Manchester's troubled new Co-op Live arena has postponed what was supposed to be its opening concert at the last minute because of a "technical issue".

The venue, the biggest indoor arena in the UK, had already postponed its opening twice last week.

It meant US rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie's show would have become the first official event in its schedule.

The venue posted at 18.40 BST that the show would no longer go ahead as fans queued up outside waiting to go in.

A statement on X read: "Due to a venue-related technical issue, tonight's A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie show will no longer go ahead."

Co-op Live asked ticket-holders to leave the area and said they would "receive further information in due course".

Peter Kay had been scheduled to be the first performer at the venue in April, but the show had to be postponed because the venue was not finished.

Co-op Live manager Gary Roden resigned last week, following the delays to opening and a backlash over comments he had made about some smaller live music venues being "poorly run".

The arena distanced itself from his comments, saying it did not "share the sentiment".