Bristol Street Motors has signed a major commercial deal with Manchester's newest arena, Co-op Live.
The car retailer has become a founding partner of the £350m venue which is due to open in the shadow of Manchester City's Etihad Stadium in 2023.
The partnership will see Bristol Street Motors as the official motor retailer and auto partner for the venue, with exclusive naming rights to a 4,000-capacity space inside Co-op Live now known as 'The Street'.
The company, the trading name of North East headquartered Vertu Motors, will have branding and marketing rights in The Street, including being able to showcase vehicles and use the space for its own events.
The 23,500-capacity venue is backed by investors, Oak View Group, City Football Group and singer and actor Harry Styles.
Jessica Koravos, co-chair of OVG International, said: "We’re on track to open Co-op Live in 2023, and we’ve already assembled a really impressive team of partners, with Bristol Street Motors the latest to join.
"The project is gaining real momentum and I’m looking forward to working together with all our partners to create a truly global venue in Manchester."
Tommy Barnett, commercial director at OVG International, added: "It’s brilliant to have Bristol Street Motors on board as a Founding Partner. From day one, we connected on a vision for this unique partnership centred around The Street which will be buzzing and alive with people having an amazing time in 2023 and beyond."
Robert Forrester, chief executive of Bristol Street Motors, said: "As the nation’s first all-electric arena, we’re thrilled that Bristol Street Motors is a Founding Partner of Co-op Live, especially as the electric vehicle market continues to grow.
"It’s fantastic that the electric vehicles we’ll be supplying will help facilitate the arena’s sustainable day-to-day activity, working towards building a planet-friendly venue as well as one capable of hosting the world’s best events.
"This extensive partnership allows Bristol Street Motors to work with the arena and its sustainability vision, particularly as we move towards the EV era and providing our future customers with the very best expertise, advice and support when they come to purchase one."
Liz Cope, chief marketing officer of Bristol Street Motors, added: "Becoming a founding partner of the UK’s biggest and most exciting entertainment arena was a thrilling opportunity for us.
"From the earliest days of driving, people have had music in their cars and cars have inspired so many great songs.
"There’s an amazing synergy that already exists between music and the cars we sell, and so we’re incredibly excited to see the space we create together.
"Within an arena that will deliver a world class experience, The Street will be an inviting, fun and interactive place to meet up, aligning exactly with what we strive to provide customers within our dealerships across the country.
"From showcasing some amazing cars to creating many exciting areas for the public to enjoy, we’re very excited to meet at The Street in 2023 and hope others will be too."
