Live Nation and Academy Music Group invest £9.5 million to reopen Brighton Hippodrome

US live entertainment company Live Nation and its UK subsidiary Academy Music Group (AMG) have signed an agreement to reopen the Brighton Hippodrome as a performance venue, committing £9.5 million as part of a wider £25 million restoration and modernisation project.

Pollstar News reports that the Grade II listed venue on Middle Street in Brighton has been vacant since 2006, and will be brought back into operation by AMG following extensive structural restoration work carried out by Brighton-based property owner Matsim Properties, which acquired the building in 2020.

Matsim's restoration programme has included the installation of a new roof to protect the venue's iconic circular auditorium and ornate ceiling, and has increased capacity from 1,800 to 2,300. The scheduled reopening is 2027.

Live Nation's in-house global design and development group, Blueprint Studio, is leading the interior fit-out alongside architect Burrell Foley Fischer, venue designer Charcoalblue and developer Matsim. The fit-out investment will deliver infrastructure and facilities upgrades while preserving the Hippodrome's historic architectural character.

"This wonderful building was in a perilous state when we bought it, and we are proud to have saved it from loss," said Simon Lambor of Matsim. "After five years of tackling extensive damage caused by dry rot and water penetration, we are thrilled to see the Hippodrome ready for its next chapter."

Steve Hoyland, Chief Operating Officer of AMG, described the appointment as a privilege. "Investing in British live entertainment and cultural institutions is vital for the future of our industry. The Brighton Hippodrome is an extraordinary venue with a rich history, and we're proud to play a part in restoring it for generations to come."

Originally opened in 1901 and converted from a skating rink by theatre architect Frank Matcham, the Brighton Hippodrome has a performance history spanning Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Sammy Davis Jr.

Find out more about the Brighton Hippodrome restoration in the complete story.