Hospitality sales boom at Bonus Arena

CHEERS!: Venue has increased capacity for pre-show dining

By Simon Bristow

Hospitality sales at Hull’s Bonus Arena have doubled since the venue re-opened after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Demand for VIP premium experience has rocketed at the Myton Street venue as guests treat themselves to upgraded balcony seats or pre-show dining.

The venue, which is managed by ASM Global on behalf of Hull City Council, has created new spaces to cater for increasing demand.

Guests have enjoyed upgraded seats or eaten in the venue’s restaurant prior to seeing shows by stars including Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, Paloma Faith, Calum Scott, and Ne-Yo, all of whom performed at the arena in 2022.

Demand for hospitality upgrades shows no sign of slowing down in 2023, with more than 100 people enjoying food in the venue’s restaurant prior to last weekend’s Queen Extravaganza show – the highest number at a single show since the venue opened in 2018.

Customers can upgrade their seats to the loge balconies or enjoy pre-show hospitality in the venue’s restaurant or Aurum Lounge.

TASTY: Some of the dishes on offer

Darren Moore, general manager at Bonus Arena, Hull, said: “We have seen a notable increase, since the pandemic, in people wanting the best possible experience when they are enjoying a night out at the Bonus Arena. People don’t just want a ticket to a show, they want to create memories and make the most of their night out.”

In late 2022 the arena created a new restaurant space which can seat 80 covers and is open prior to all events at the venue. But even this facility oversubscribed and additional spaces were used at events last week to cater for customers.

Mr Moore added: “We’ve had to move our restaurant to a larger room, increasing the number of tables to cater for demand. For last week’s Queen Extravaganza show we had to create even more space, welcoming 115 guests in total to eat prior to the show. This is the most we’ve catered for at a single show since the arena opened in 2018.”

Premium upgrade packages, which start from just £20 per person as an upgrade to a ticket purchase, are already close to selling out for shows later in 2023, such as Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals in May, and Deacon Blue and Jimmy Carr in October.

Brand new shows for 2023 and 2024 are set to be announced during February.

• Anyone interested in upgrading their tickets for shows at the Bonus Arena can email hull@eu.asmglobal.com for more details.