U.K.'s first socially distanced venue sits 2,500 on 500 spaced-out platforms

the U.K. has opened its first dedicated socially distanced music venue. located in newcastle on gosforth park and dubbed virgin money unity area, the open-air space can sit 2,500 spectators on 500 spaced-out viewing platforms. this type of social distancing solutions come as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing us to rethink the way we live.

images by david wala photography, via virgin money unity arena’s facebook page

slowly, people around the world are gradually leaving lockdown and getting ready for a new reality at a social distance. the virgin money unity area is exactly this, a thought-out venue that redefines the idea of an outside summer concert. for its first opening, the arena presented two sold-out sam fender shows, where the singer performed to 2,500 people. the people were located on the platforms that were spaced two meters apart, each platform can hold a maximum of five people.

‘I will miss the mosh pits,’ sam fender said in an interview with the BBC before the show, ‘but they will come. they’ll eventually come back when we’re allowed to do it again. … I think it’s fantastic that our region is going to lead the way on this, and we’ll be the trailblazers for something that will hopefully continue on through the rest of the pandemic. … it’s not going to be the same as a gig you would normally have, but we’ve got to do what we can do.’

as for some technicalities, you can arrive by car, taxi, bicycle or motorbike. people arriving by foot, bus or coach are not allowed as well as parking overnight. the arena is fully accessible and has security staff with disability training. once you’re inside, you can’t go out, not even to your car. both food and drink are available and there’s no need to bring chairs as the platforms have them.