Co-op Live Launches Backstage Private Dining Experience Inside Manchester Arena
The new premium series opens Co-op Live’s artist dressing rooms and recording studio to paying guests, extending the arena’s hospitality offer beyond show night seating into higher-end private dining, brand entertaining, and bespoke event experiences.
Co-op Live is launching a new Backstage Private Dining series this summer, opening some of the Manchester arena’s most exclusive artist-only spaces to guests for the first time. The program will run across 10 selected dates from May 2026 and will take place in dressing rooms used by major touring acts including Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga, adding a new layer to the venue’s premium hospitality strategy.
The concept pushes Co-op Live further into experience-led hospitality rather than traditional pre-show food and beverage. Guests will be able to book tailored packages ranging from intimate dinners for two to larger private occasions, with menus curated by chef Simon Rimmer and event delivery handled in partnership with Taylor Lynn Corporation. The offer is designed to serve both private celebrations and higher-end corporate hosting, using backstage real estate that would not typically be part of the public-facing arena experience.
“From day one, our ambition has been to challenge expectations of what an arena can deliver, and we’re now delighted to introduce a new dimension of premium hospitality at Co-op Live. This collaboration unlocks new creative potential within the venue, offering experiences that have not previously been possible. It reflects our commitment to innovation and meaningful impact within the communities we support.” – Becci Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer, Co-op Live
Package design is central to the product. Co-op Live said options will range from private receptions with Ace of Spades champagne and three-course dining in artist dressing rooms to more elaborate experiences featuring Bentley chauffeur-driven arrivals, live entertainment, and extended backstage access. At the top end, the most premium package will include access to the arena’s adidas Originals recording studio, engineered by Abbey Road, creating a hospitality product that blends dining, music culture, and behind-the-scenes venue access.
That structure gives Co-op Live a broader premium mix than a typical arena club-and-suite model. Rather than centering solely on concert-night seating inventory, the venue is using artist areas, production-adjacent spaces, and bespoke food-and-beverage programming to create limited-availability hospitality experiences that can be sold around milestones, client entertaining, and one-off events.
“Having worked with Co-op Live for some time, it’s incredibly exciting to now be involved with this unique series of Backstage Private Dining. It’s a rare opportunity to further combine the world-class music venue with exceptional food, and I can’t wait to showcase how these experiences can come to life together, creating truly unforgettable evenings for our guests.” – Simon Rimmer, Chef
Taylor Lynn Corporation’s involvement also signals that Co-op Live is treating the series as an events business, not just a food-and-beverage activation. TLC has been brought in to design and deliver the experiences and has also been appointed to produce the venue’s official Summer Party in June as part of Co-op Live’s second anniversary programming.
“Opportunities like this are rare. Co-op Live is a venue built for scale, spectacle and ambition — and that’s exactly how we are approaching these events. Whether it’s an intimate milestone celebration or a brand hosting at the highest level, these will be immersive, one-night-only experiences designed to deliver real impact. We are proud to have been chosen to help shape this next chapter, bringing creativity, precision and bold thinking to a space that demands nothing less.” – Liz Taylor, Founder and CEO, Taylor Lynn Corporation
The launch also extends Co-op Live’s broader positioning as a next-generation arena built around hospitality, design, and premium guest experience. Since opening, the 23,500-capacity venue has emphasized club spaces, premium restaurants, lounges, and technology-led design through its Smart Bowl concept and acoustics strategy. Backstage Private Dining adds another layer to that model by turning restricted operational spaces into bookable hospitality assets.
Proceeds from the series will support the Co-op Foundation, the venue’s official charity partner, connecting the program to the foundation’s work on inequality and community support across the UK. Availability is limited, with Co-op Live positioning the series as a finite run tied to selected dates on the arena’s summer calendar.
