Cash boost for six Coventry projects with £3.8 million earmarked for Ricoh Arena - The Coventry Observer

Cash boost for six Coventry projects with £3.8 million earmarked for Ricoh Arena

Coventry Editorial 4th Aug, 2020 Updated: 5th Aug, 2020   0

AN OVERHAUL of the indoor arena at the Wasps-owned Ricoh Arena stadium is among projects receiving a tranche of cash from Coventry’s Local Enterprise Partnership.

Government funds worth £3.8 million are intended for ‘legacy building’ following Commonwealth Games events at the stadium in 2022.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership – which includes Coventry City Council representation – announced the money for ongoing building projects in the city.

As Ricoh bosses welcomed the investment, it roused outrage among some Coventry City supporters, following the collapse in talks between the club and the Ricoh’s owner Wasps rugby club.




Ongoing legal battles between Coventry City owners and the council have centred on allegations Wasps benefited from unlawful state aid in its acquisition of the Ricoh, approved by the council in 2014.

Altogether, the CWLEP is providing £5.3 million to the Ricoh Arena for a ‘Commonwealth Games Convention Centre.’


Its proposed the centre will form a pavilion at the south entrance of the venue, with digital displays, audio visual structures and conference facilities.

Ricoh managers stated the project would give ‘seamless access’ to more than 8,000 square metres of conference and exhibition event space.

They said: “The existing 6,000 square metre exhibition hall will also undergo state-of-the-art cosmetic refurbishments in preparations for hosting judo and wrestling at the Commonwealth Games, while additional food and beverage offerings are also being introduced in the venue atrium.”

Stephen Vaughan, Chief Executive at Ricoh Arena, said: “This investment ensures that Ricoh Arena and North East Coventry will continue to feel the economic benefit of having the Commonwealth Games for many years to come thanks to its top-class facilities.

“As a venue we take great pride in being at the forefront of the event industry’s curve – as was seen with the implementation of 5G technology last year – and we feel this latest investment will enable us to realise the venue’s full potential by attracting more large scale conferences and exhibitions, on top of the hundreds that we already host every year, and in turn, creating more jobs from additional food and beverage outlets.

“This is an exciting time for Coventry with City of Culture and Commonwealth Games on the horizon, and we are looking forward to playing our part in helping the region to flourish from both of their legacies in the years to come.”

The government has allocated £66 million to the West Midlands Combined Authority to fund regional construction projects.

In addition to the Ricoh Arena, the CWLEP said other projects identified included the renovation of Coventry’s historic Charterhouse and improvements to St Mary’s Guildhall.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle

Speaking on BBC CWR, Coventry cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Jim O’Boyle said: “This fund helps support projects which are already in train – whether its our Very Light Rail project, the Charterhouse or creating legacy for the Commonwealth Games.

“All these projects are in situ and any extra money to help and support them will be good. It helps to create jobs and keep the economy going.

“That is exactly what we need at the moment.

“While the Charterhouse has funding from many different funds, St Marys Guildhall is another beneficiary of this fund.

“We are going into really choppy economic waters, and the one thing is this protects jobs in the city whilst we are in a recession. I don’t want to spread doom and gloom – but recessions kill people.

“We need to do all we can to help support our economy as we go through these difficult times.

“This is new money to be clear, and we had to demonstrate to Government that these are ‘shovel ready’ projects which can be finished in the time allocated.

“For St Mary’s for example, we would have been borrowing around £3 million for renovations. That makes a huge difference if we don’t have to borrow that money.

“For example, the Very Light Rail, we are looking for funding elsewhere- we have funding going on and the actual vehicle at the moment is being assembled at NP Aerospace here in Coventry.

“Regarding money for the Ricoh Arena, when the Government announced this funding stream, it said the money was to support ongoing schemes which need to support legacy – one of the things identified in Coventry and Warwickshire was the Commonwealth Games.

“The Alexandra Staadium in Birmingham has funding from the Combined Authority, The Bowling Club in Leamington and the Aqautic Centre in Sandwell have money from the Combined Authority.

“The rugby, judo and wrestling are happening at the Ricoh, so far Wasps have not had any public money – now the government are putting in money to support the legacy of the Commonwealth Games at one of the venues which are hosting events.

“Its important that St Mary’s becomes one of the best city visitor attractions in the country, and for the Charterhouse the historic Coventry Trust are doing a fantastic job – they’re working on Drapers Hall and on some of the City Gates.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “At a difficult time for the West Midlands’ economy brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, it is great to see the government putting further cash on the table to help aid our recovery.

“This £66 million from the Getting Britain Fund will go towards exciting, shovel-ready, projects across the region that will make an immediate difference by helping to create and secure local jobs for local people.

“In Coventry it is great to see more money going towards Coventry City of Culture 2021. The WMCA is already the scheme’s biggest funder, and it is a phenomenal opportunity – alongside the Commonwealth Games the following year – to showcase our region on the global stage and help re-boot the economy.”

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