An image of the Manchester Arena foyer, where a suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured 250 others, has been released as the venue prepares to reopen on Saturday.
The picture shows repair work under way in the arena’s City Room, one of the three main entrances to the venue, which was heavily damaged by the blast at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May.
It was released by a charity supporting victims of the attack with the aim of preparing concertgoers for the arena’s reopening on Saturday night, 111 days after the deadliest attack on UK soil in more than a decade.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will share a stage with the Courteeners, Blossoms, Rick Astley and others at the benefit concert, We Are Manchester, to raise money for a permanent memorial dedicated to the victims of the atrocity.
The first glimpse inside the arena came after more than 500 people who were directly affected by the bomb – including bereaved families, those who suffered life-changing injuries and many witnesses – were given a private visit to the City Room on Thursday.
The controlled visit was supported by Greater Manchester police and the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation, a charity that supports victims of terrorist atrocities founded after the IRA bombing in Warrington in 1993.
Nick Taylor, the charity’s chief executive, said the victims showed “resilience, solidarity as well as emotional outpouring” when taken inside the arena for the first time since the blast: “What we’ve found is people found it difficult but overall found it positive and helpful.”
The charity will have an emotional response team on duty on Saturday night, as well as a suite where people can talk to mental health professionals and trauma experts.
“It will be difficult for some people to return and there will be a lot of attention on this event but the artists are giving their time for free,” Taylor said. “There’s going to be much-changed security in place … Security is being put first.
“For many people walking into that arena, and walking out at the end, it’s going to be a difficult experience. But the event’s sold out and the message we’re giving is that we’ve got to come together and stand together and send a strong message of support to those people affected, but also send a strong message out that this is our way of life and it’s going to continue.”
Concertgoers have been told to expect tight security. All entrants willbe screened on arrival and bags larger than 35cm x 40cm x 19cm are banned. The City Room, which is still undergoing repair work, will open to ticket-holders at 5pm on Saturday.
Councillor Sue Murphy, deputy leader of Manchester city council, said: “Those who perpetrate terrorist attacks want to divide us and stifle our freedoms. No one will ever forget the terrible events of 22 May but Manchester has reacted with love, solidarity and a determination to continue doing the things which make this such a vibrant city.
“We welcome the re-opening of the arena, a major venue which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, as a powerful symbol of this defiant and resilient spirit. It is entirely fitting that the re-opening event should be a memorial fundraiser. Plans for the form and location of any permanent commemorations will be determined in liaison with the families of victims and others affected by the attack.”
