Co-op Live adopts Oracle systems for venue operations

Co-op Live has adopted Oracle Simphony Cloud POS and Oracle NetSuite for venue operations, linking food and beverage activity with financial management at the Manchester arena.

The venue is using the software across bars, concessions, premium spaces and self-service kiosks as it handles large event crowds and high transaction volumes. The move brings together sales, ordering and payment data with finance functions including reconciliation, budgeting and forecasting.

Operated by Oak View Group, Co-op Live has emerged as the UK's largest arena, with a capacity of 23,500. It hosts more than 120 nights of entertainment each year and has staged performances by artists including Harry Styles, Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish.

At an arena of that size, food and drink sales are a major operational challenge, with thousands of guests arriving and buying within short periods before and during shows. The technology is intended to give venue and finance teams a shared view of trading activity and stock levels.

Joined-up systems

Oracle Simphony is being used as the point-of-sale platform for hospitality transactions, while NetSuite handles finance. By connecting the two, Co-op Live aims to track demand more closely, manage inventory and reduce manual processes.

The arrangement reflects a wider trend among major venues to connect front-of-house and back-office systems so operators can monitor sales and costs in near real time. In live entertainment, sharp peaks in demand can test staffing, stock planning and payment systems.

Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Co-op Live, said the venue had placed technology at the centre of its operations from the outset.

"Co-op Live was designed to be one of the world's most advanced live entertainment venues, and that requires best-in-class technology behind every aspect of the fan experience," said Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live.

"Oracle plays a vital role in supporting our operations. By connecting our venue and finance data, our teams have better visibility across the business, helping us make more informed decisions while delivering fast, efficient and reliable service at every event," Dunstan said.

Integrated systems can be especially important at venues where hospitality revenue extends beyond standard concourse sales. Co-op Live's offer includes bars, concessions, lounges, club spaces and premium restaurants, adding complexity to inventory control and revenue reporting.

Scale and service

For finance teams, linking transaction data directly to accounting workflows can shorten reconciliation cycles after events and provide a clearer picture of margins. For operations staff, the same data can show which products are selling fastest and where replenishment is needed during busy trading periods.

Live entertainment venues need to balance speed of service with control over stock and profitability, according to Oracle, which presented the Co-op Live deployment as an example of that balance, with hospitality data feeding into broader business reporting.

Kevin Kimber, Senior Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland, Oracle, said venues face concentrated periods of intense customer demand.

"Live entertainment venues need to serve thousands of guests during short, intense periods while maintaining the speed, quality and convenience fans expect," said Kevin Kimber, Senior Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland, Oracle.

"By bringing food and beverage operations and financial management together with Oracle Simphony and NetSuite, Co-op Live can improve efficiency, inventory management and decision-making to further enhance the experience for fans," Kimber said.

The deployment also underlines how arena operators are treating digital infrastructure as part of venue design and daily management, rather than solely as a support function. At large venues, decisions on catering, staffing and stock purchasing can directly affect margins, queue times and customer satisfaction.

Co-op Live has described itself as one of Europe's leading live entertainment venues and one of the most advanced in operational design. Its backers include Oak View Group, City Football Group, Harry Styles and Co-op, and the arena is based on the Etihad Campus in Manchester.

Oracle's restaurant and finance products are used across hospitality and services businesses. NetSuite says it serves more than 44,000 customers in 220 countries and dependent territories.