Inside the Co-op Live arena – was it worth the wait?

On Tuesday, some fans also took an unusual interest in the ceiling. The ventilation system wouldn’t normally get much attention, but a recent incident – when a piece of pipework fell on to the standing area – has heightened the nerves surrounding the venue.

That happened two weeks ago, just before a crowd was due to be let in to see rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.

As Tim Leiweke, chief executive of Co-op Live’s operator Oak View Group put it, it could have been “catastrophic” if the accident had happened 15 minutes later.

No-one was injured and they have “triple checked” all the fittings, he says. But no authorities have since inspected the venue.

The Health and Safety Executive say it’s not their remit, and Manchester City Council say they have received documents from the venue providing reassurance that they have “considered their duties under Health and Safety law”.

We, too, must trust that it’s been fixed.