Music venue to reopen in 2027 after refurbishment

The O2 Academy Sheffield is set to reopen in February 2027 following a four-year closure for major refurbishment work.

The music venue, which temporarily closed in September 2023, will have a new roof, air conditioning and a state-of-the-art sound system, organisers said.

Originally opened in 1968 as the Top Rank Suite, the Arundel Gate site has hosted gigs by artists including The Police, The Clash, Joy Division and David Bowie over the last forty years.

A spokesperson for Academy Music Group (AMG), the venue's owners, said: "Having welcomed legendary artists to the stage, it has a brilliant musical heritage that we're helping to carry forward."

The venue closed due to areas of unstable reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), a lightweight material prone to collapse, in the roof.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warned that Raac, which was used extensively in the 1950s and 60s, was beyond its lifespan and could "collapse with little or no notice".

Sheffield City Council granted permission in February for the problematic roof deck to be replaced with the new flat one.

Commenting on the venue's opening date, Liam Boylan, chief executive officer of AMG said the Sheffield site was an "important venue in the region".

"One that promoters and artists will have missed being able to include on their routing whilst it has been closed."

The venue was acquired by AMG in 2008 and other notable acts to play there include The Prodigy, Kasabian, Self Esteem, The Streets, The Killers and Stormzy.

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