VIP hospitality sales at the Bonus Arena in Hull have doubled since the venue re-opened after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Demand for premium experiences has rocketed at the Myton Street venue as guests treat themselves to upgraded balcony seats or pre-show dining, making the most of the recent return and defying the downturn.
The venue, which is managed by ASM Global on behalf of Hull City Council, has even created new spaces to cater for increasing demand. More guests than ever before have enjoyed upgraded seats or eaten in the venue’s restaurant prior to shows such as Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, Paloma Faith, Calum Scott and Ne-Yo, all of whom performed at the Bonus Arena in 2022.
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And demand for hospitality upgrades shows no sign of slowing down in 2023 as more than 100 people ate on site ahead of last weekend’s Queen Extravaganza show – the highest number at a single show since the venue opened in 2018.
Darren Moore, general manager, said: “We have seen a notable increase, since the pandemic, in people wanting the best possible experience when they are enjoying a night out. 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 Bonus Arena created a new restaurant space which can seat 80 covers, but this has been oversubscribed, with additional space found. 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 £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. Further shows are to be announced later this month.
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