I understand it is now against the law to smoke in the M.E.N Arena but why can't I leave the venue for a cigarette and then return?

Unfortunately the City Centre location of the Arena, next to the inner ring road, does not offer a safe place which can be a designated smoking area for the visiting general public due to the potentially large numbers involved.  Therefore for Health and Safety reasons, there will not be an opportunity for the general public to leave and re-enter the venue. A strict policy of no re-admission to the venue will be enforced.

How do I book a ticket?
You can book a ticket using one of the following options:

• by telephone on 0844 847 8000 (Ticketmaster 24 hour booking line). Special Needs booking line 0161 950 5229 (10.00am - 5.00pm Monday - Saturday).
• Online via this site
• by post, send a cheque/postal order made payable to SMG (UK) Ltd to Box Office, M.E.N Arena, 
  Victoria Station, Manchester M3 1AR
• in person at the M.E.N. Arena box office or a Ticketmaster outlet.

Full booking details are available by clicking here

Will I be charged a booking fee?
All ticket sales through Ticketmaster are subject to a booking fee and a possible handling charge; These amounts are set in relation to the ticket price. Credit card sales via the M.E.N. Arena box office are subject to a surcharge which is passed on to the credit card company. The M.E.N Arena box office makes no charge for cash, cheque or debit card payments.

Will my tickets be posted to me?
Tickets booked with Ticketmaster (by telephone or via the internet) can either be posted out for a charge or left for collection at the box office.  Tickets may be collected 48 hours after purchase; the cardholder must be present and produce the credit card, the Ticketmaster reference number and sign for the tickets before they are released.
Postal bookings to the M.E.N. Arena should include a stamped self-addressed envelope.
If souvenir tickets are being produced for an event, it is likely that tickets will not be posted out until approximately two weeks before the performance.

Please advise when my tickets will be sent out?

Please contact your ticket agent for confirmation.

Can you tell me when I am able to pick up my tickets from the box office and does it have to be on the day of the event?

Ticketmaster customers can collect their tickets at any time (unless souvenir tickets are in use in which case they will be available approx 30 days prior to the event). Customers of other ticket agents can only collect on the evening of the show.

How can I collect my tickets if I am delayed?

Our Box Office will close at approx 9pm on an event night or just before the main act take to the stage - after this time tickets can still be collected from our Customer Services Desk (please access the venue by the Hunts Bank entrance).

Are there any age restrictions for shows at the M.E.N Arena?

There are no age restrictions to any shows however we request that no children under 14 come unaccompanied and we also advise that no under 14s go on the floor for standing floor shows.

Generally children shows allow babes in arms up to 23 months however some shows specifically targeted at younger audiences require a ticket at the age of 12 months.

How does the block and seat numbering work?

For standard shows the Arena bowl has fixed tiered seating starting at block 102 and goes round in an anticlockwise direction to block 115.  Seats are numbered from 1 upwards meaning for blocks 102 - 105 & 202 - 205 seat 1 is nearest to the stage but furthest from the stage for blocks 112 - 115 & 212 & 215. The floor blocks are normally numbered 1 -18 left to right when facing the stage.

Do you have a glossary for the information printed on tickets?

BL - Block

Upper tier - 200 level - all blocks starting with a 2

Lower tier - 100 level - all blocks starting with a 1

DP - Disabled platform

CP - Camera platform

Side view - on the side of the stage - may be some restriction of view - eg. Can't see the screens

Restricted View - same as side view but obstructions from production and stage equipment

Rear View - Some shows sell in the round and open seats behind the stage and the production quality is unaffected although the view to the artists is through the back-line

How do I get to the M.E.N Arena?
The M.E.N Arena is in Manchester city centre, on the corner of Trinity Way, Hunts Bank and Great Ducie Street and adjacent to Victoria Station.
There is a 900 capacity multi-storey car park on site and approximately 3,500 spaces within 10 minutes walk of the venue. Please beware of unauthorised car parks and street parking, especially around the Strangeways area, as a rise in incidents has recently been reported. We advise anyone with walking difficulties to arrive as early as possible and use the car parks at the Arena, Shudehill or the Printworks. 
The M.E.N. Arena is well served by public transport from buses, trains and trams and there is a taxi rank outside Victoria Station.

Which entrance should I use?
The M.E.N Arena has three main entrances - City Room (off Victoria Station), Trinity Way (near the NCP car park entrance) and Hunts Bank.  Whilst access to all areas can be gained from each one, the following suggestions are a guide to the closest entrance.

City Room:
Blocks 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209
Blocks D, E, F, G, H, J or unreserved standing on the floor

Trinity Way:
Blocks 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215

Hunts Bank:
Blocks 101, 102, 103, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 201, 202, 203, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222
Blocks A, B, C on the floor

The City Room entrance is recommended for disabled customers.

Does the M.E.N. Arena cater for special needs?
The M.E.N Arena prides itself on being accessible to everyone. The on-site NCP car park offers many spaces for disabled customers and there are lifts available both within the car park and giving access to the Arena box office and City Room entrance.  There is also a lift from platform 3 on Victoria Station and to the right of the Hunts Bank steps.

Designated seating within the M.E.N Arena caters for wheelchair users and their carers or those with walking difficulties.  We also offer lowered counters and disabled toilet facilities.

Further information is available, along with contact details for our Special Needs co-ordinator by clicking here.

I have bought tickets for the standing floor but I have since broken my leg.  Can I still come to the concert?For your safety, and for those around you, we do not allow people using crutches onto a standing floor.  This is because, even though your friends around you could help to look after you, crowd movement on the floor is unpredictable. However, we will always endeavour to find you an accessible position within the Arena so that you can still come to the concert.  Please call our SPECIAL NEEDS LINE on 0161 950 5229 (10AM-5PM: MON-SAT) and they will do their best to find alternative tickets.

When is the best time to arrive at the M.E.N Arena if I want to avoid standing in any queues to get in and need extra time to get to my seat?

Please arrive as close to the advertised door time as possible and you should encounter fewer people in any queue and then have more than enough time to get to your seat.

Why can I not take my own food into the M.E.N Arena?

In accordance with common practice it is our policy not to allow guests to bring their own food and beverage into the building.  The arena endeavours to raise awareness to customers of this policy by printing on the reverse of tickets and on all ingress routes and above doors it clearly states that refreshments or refreshment containers are strictly prohibited.  A varied range of refreshments is available inside the venue.

What should I bring with me?
Patrons are advised to bring the least amount of belongings possible.  Small bags are permitted but may be subject to searches and, at some events, may be removed from standing floor ticket-holders for collection afterwards. The unauthorised use of cameras, video or any other form of recording equipment is strictly prohibited. 35mm cameras are permitted at most events but professional cameras with a detachable zoom lens are not. At certain events, the promoter may request a ban on all photography and signs to this effect will be displayed at all entrances.  No food or drink is to be brought into the venue.  Banners are also prohibited.

Why can't I leave the the M.E.N Arena and come back in as I can at my local pub?

There are a number of reasons why the M.E.N Arena does not allow people to leave the venue and come back in.

The first is a licencing issue.  At your local pub, if you go outside, you run the risk that the pub fills up to capacity and you will not be allowed back in.  The Arena holds around 15,500 on a normal concert and it is less easy to see when the building has reached its capacity.  We use the tickets to keep an accurate count of the number of people in the building.

We are a licensed premise which means that we have a duty to control the consumption of alcohol in the building.  It has been known for people to keep stores of alcohol outside a building and keep popping in and out to 'top up'!    

We, like many other venues, have ongoing issues with secondary ticketing. People buying tickets from touts or unofficial ticket and auction websites could have bought duplicate or reprinted tickets which look right but may no longer be valid.  As a counter measure we limit the opportunity for people to  pass tickets to each other by not allowing them to go out and re-enter the building. 

On busy concert nights, allowing people to pop out, say for a cigarette or to return to their vehicle can causes congestion with the people trying to come in for the first time.  Keeping the flow of people in one direction at any time is the safest way to work.

We do not have a safe space outside our venue for people to congregate which will not block entrances or cause fire hazards or traffic problems.  We aim to get people away from doors as quickly as possible both at the beginning and end of the concert.

Letting people out of the building, even with their ticket, is a potential cause of conflict on the doors.  If anything happens which means that you cannot get back in - you lose your ticket or have it stolen or the machine can't read it the second time - this is likely to result in an argument.  If we allow re-entry, we face people claiming that their tickets have been lost but their family is still inside and so on.

We know the majority of our customers are honest concert goers, but for that minority who will try to get in without paying or break the rules of our licence, we have to create one rule which applies to everyone.

What can I buy when I'm at the M.E.N Arena?
The M.E.N Arena has a large and varied number of refreshment stands offering a variety of hot and cold food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages. Official merchandise is also usually available inside the venue and occasionally in the City Room.  Patrons are advised not to buy merchandise from vendors outside the M.E.N Arena as these are not licensed suppliers and the quality of products cannot be guaranteed.

Please be drink aware and make sure you have a great night out.

For help and advice on how to keep a good time good please click here

What should I do if I have a problem on the night?
Any problems should be notified immediately to one of the stewards (identified by their bright yellow jackets). They will either be able to rectify the situation straight away or may refer the problem to Customer Services, located at Hunts Bank on the concourse.

It is difficult for Customer Services to respond to a problem if it is not reported at the time.

Please note that Upper Tier seats are very steep and are not advised for the elderly, infirm or those with an aversion to heights.  If any of these apply, please do not purchase seats in the Upper Tier as relocation on the night is not possible.

 Will there be any pyros-lasers-strobes at the event I'm attending?-

Most shows have some form of flashing lighting or strobes. Signage is displayed around the concourse to advise people if pyros - lasers or strobes will be in use.

How do I get to know what's on sale?

All on-sale information is updated on the event sections of this site plus you can also sign up for free e-mail alerts plus all the latest news and competitions from the M.E.N Arena. Simply join our mailing list which can be found on our homepage.

How do I find out event times?

Please refer to your ticket for door opening and start of show times.  Please note due to the nature of live entertainment all times including end of show times are approximate and subject to change and we cannot confirm what time the main artists will arrive on stage in advance. Please arrive in plenty of time to avoid disappointment and to get through security and ticket checks.  Please also be aware all concert goers are responsible for making sure they leave the venue in time to catch their last coach or train home.

Who do I contact for lost property?

Please call 0161-950-5000 and choose option 3 for Venue Management, and then select option 6 for Customer Liaison and then lost property - please hold to be connected.

I'm bringing a school party to an event at the Arena and need to carry out a risk assessment in advance. Can we visit the venue before our visit to do this please?

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of requests, it is not possible for us to accommodate individual site visits. However, we do have our own risk assessment which you can download by clicking on the RISK ASSESSMENT PDF to the top right of this page.

We hope you enjoy your visit to the Manchester Evening News Arena.

Click here for a useful map of the M.E.N Arena.