Milton Keynes is getting a major new live music venue

Just a 30-minute ride from London

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An artist's impression of the Milton Keynes music venue.
(Image credit: MKDP)

Milton Keynes is getting a new venue that will be able to compete with some of London’s major music spots.

A 4000-capacity space is planned for the site of the old bus station at Elder Gate, just a couple of minutes’ walk from Milton Keynes Central train station.

The project is a partnership between the council-owned Milton Keynes Development Partnership (MKDP) and ATP Entertainment — it operates a whole bunch of London theatres. But ATP Entertainment is also responsible for Swansea’s Building Society Arena, which is closer to what we picture for Milton Keynes’s new venue, as a place for a wide range of entertainment to thrive.

“This new venue will complement the success of Milton Keynes Theatre by enabling larger-scale live music, comedy, and entertainment experiences that cannot currently be accommodated, broadening the city’s cultural offer for residents and visitors alike," says Nick Potter, COO of ATG Entertainment.

A 2029 opening?

The bad news: this venue project still has plenty more hoops to jump through and even if it gets through them, won’t be open for a few years.

It needs to go through the usual public consultation process, expected later this year, with 2029 eyed for its opening.

“Identifying ATG as our preferred partner takes us one step closer to delivering a world-class events venue for Milton Keynes,” says MKDP chair Nicola Sawford.

“The venue will not only bring incredible live entertainment to the heart of the city but also boost the local economy, create jobs, and strengthen Milton Keynes’ reputation as a destination for music, culture, and events.”

This will easily become Milton Keynes’s premier live music venue, with current options limited to the likes of Unit Nine and MK11, alongside Milton Keynes Theatre. And neither of those is remotely close to Milton Keynes station, which is after all only a 30-odd-minute train ride from Euston if you pick the right train.

Milton Keynes’s new venue is being funded through a £76 million investment fund, with hopes to bring in £158 million for the local economy and the creation of around 70 jobs. It doesn't have an official name yet, but the artist's impression mock-up suggests it could be called CMK: Live.

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Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams
Contributor

Andrew Williams has written about all sorts of stuff for more than a decade — from tech and fitness to entertainment and fashion. He has written for a stack of magazines and websites including Wired, TrustedReviews, TechRadar and Stuff, enjoys going to gigs and painting in his spare time. He's also suspiciously good at poker.

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