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AO Arena
Photo: Rob Sinclair · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Arena · Manchester, Great Britain

AO Arena

AO Arena is a 21,000-capacity arena in Manchester, opened in 1995, about 5 km from the city centre. Below: 11 places to eat and drink within a 20-minute walk, and upcoming shows starting with Fontaines D.C. on Sat 21 Nov 2026.

Eat and drink before the show

11 picks within a 20-minute walk, closest first.

  1. 01 min The Beer House Bar & Kitchen Bar / pub
  2. 02 min 1853 Restaurant Restaurant
  3. 02 min Starbucks Café · coffee_shop
  4. 04 min Mamucium Restaurant
  5. 04 min That’s Thai Restaurant · thai · Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00
  6. 04 min Victoria Tap Bar / pub
  7. 05 min Base Bar Bar / pub · We-Fr 17:00-23:30; Sa 12:00-00:00; Su 12:00-19:00
  8. 05 min Sadler's Cat Bar / pub
  9. 06 min Mowgli Street Food Restaurant · indian · Mo-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:30-22:30; Su 11:30-21:30
  10. 06 min Proper Tea Café
  11. 06 min The Allotment Vegan Eatery Restaurant · Mo-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-21:30

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors. Walking times are our estimates.

Upcoming shows here

Nov21Sat
Fontaines D.C.
Sat 21 Nov 2026 · 18:00
Trip guide →

Stay nearby

Stay within walking distance and skip the transport queue after the encore.

Hotels near AO Arena

Good to know

Parking
CitiPark, the official on-site multi-story car park has a capacity of 1,000. Visit AO Arena - Manchester | CitiPark for more information. In addition, approximately 7,000 recognised parking spaces within 10 minutes walk serve the AO Arena.
Accessibility
AO Arena has been awarded GOLD status by Attitude is Everything, the disability-led charity with over 20 years' experience improving Accessible people's access to live music. Provisions have been made to cater for wheelchair users. Lifts have been installed and it is possible to enter the arena by the access link between Trinity Way and Victoria Station. The second raised tier of seating (BLK 201 and above) requires…
Venue rules
What items are NOT allowed into the arena? Backpacks, holdalls, luggage, oversized bags and cushions. (Bags larger than 35cm x 40cm x 19cm will not be permitted) No video cameras, still cameras or recording devices. No food or drink allowed. The AO Arena is a non-smoking venue, this includes e-cigarettes and vapes). In addition to these, a full list of items that are also not permitted into the arena can be reviewed…
Children
Children under the age of two are admitted free, except for children's shows where the age limit may be 12 months. If unsure check event details when booking an individual show with Ticketmaster. Children without a ticket will not be allocated a seat and must sit on the parents lap. Seated Tickets: Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult. Standing Tickets: Strictly over 14s only in the standing area, admission to…
Box office
The box office is situated on the Trinity Way link corridor next to the Arena Car Park entrance. This box office will be available from 1 hour before general doors open and will close 15 minutes after the main act has gone onstage. Opening times will change for Box Office depending on the time of the show. Please check https://ao-arena.com/your-visit/ prior to attending the event to ensure you have the most current…

From Ticketmaster venue information. Rules can change between shows, so check the official site.