Bradford Council has received a £5.3 million compensation payment from NEC Group after the operator ended its contract to run the Bradford Live venue. The £5m+ settlement followed the ICO’s ruling that the amount be made public, overturning earlier confidentiality clauses that had kept the figure hidden.
NEC Group had been the operator for Bradford Live since 2017 but withdrew from the project in September 2024, prompting the council to find a new operator. Trafalgar Entertainment has since signed a 25-year lease to manage the venue.
The funds, now deposited in the council’s bank account, helped reduce Bradford’s borrowing requirement. The council’s original reluctance to disclose the settlement was based on commercial interests, but after securing a new operator, the public interest argument led to the ICO’s approval for the release of the information.
Trafalgar Entertainment has invested £3 million into renovating the venue, and its launch is expected to bring 300,000 visitors annually. The venue’s first major event, Yorkshire Calling, is scheduled for 1 August, featuring artists like Aled Jones and Chris Kamara.
