The heartbeat of ‘New Derby’ celebrates its first birthday

Vaillant Live, Derby’s 3,500-capacity performance and events venue in Becketwell is a year old. Since opening its doors, it has welcomed over 80,000 people, staging everything from stand-up comedy and music concerts to major sporting events and conferences. Here, in a Q&A, Faye Nixon, Vaillant Live’s head of sales, marketing and guest experience, reflects on the venue’s first 12 months of operation.

Tell us a bit about yourself, your career to date and your role.

I’ve spent my career immersed in the world of sport and entertainment, focusing on how to marry commercial success with an unforgettable guest journey.

My role at Vaillant Live is a ‘three-headed’ challenge: I oversee how we drive our commercial revenue across ticketing, premium and conference and events sales, how we tell our story while also growing our audience and, most importantly, how people feel from the moment they scan their ticket to the moment they leave.

Our customers are at the heart of every decision we make.

What were your first impressions when you saw the Vaillant Live building for the first time?

Scale and potential. You could immediately feel that this wasn’t just another multipurpose venue – it was a statement of intent for Derby.

The architecture has this intentional, modern feel to it. I remember thinking ‘This is the missing piece of the puzzle for the East Midlands entertainment and event space portfolio’.

How easy is it to get a brand-new venue like this off the ground? What kind of preparations were done ahead of launch?

I’ll be honest, ‘easy’ isn’t the word! It’s a monumental logistical puzzle.

Behind the scenes, there were months of ‘stress-testing’ – everything from the acoustics and the Wi-Fi bandwidth to the flow of the bars during a 15-minute interval.

We spent a huge amount of time building the Vaillant Live brand from scratch, ensuring that the local community felt a sense of ownership over the venue before the doors even opened.

The amount of work from the venue team and the Legends Global mobilisation team was astronomical and we’re in a great place but always looking to learn, refine and improve everything we do.

What are your memories of those first events?

It was a mixture of adrenaline and focused observation. I remember standing at the back of the auditorium during the first roar of the crowd and feeling a huge sense of relief that the vision was finally a reality.

We spent months looking at plans and spreadsheets. So, seeing real people with drinks in their hands, laughing and enjoying a show was the ultimate reward.

Vaillant Live has proven itself as a versatile venue. Explain the range of events/shows the venue has staged.

We’ve really pushed the boundaries of what the space can do. We’ve gone from high-octane touring bands and stand-up comedy specials to international sporting events and black-tie awards galas.

One day the auditorium floor will be a seated theatre, the next it’s a banquet for 400 corporate guests. That flexibility is our greatest strength.

The Live Lounge is an opulent hospitality space for premium customers but is also a dynamic conference space that can work for 400 guests in theatre style or be split into four rooms for breakout areas from the main conference space.

Is there one particular event that sticks in the memory?

It’s hard to pick just one, but one of our first major music events was a turning point – Blossoms took the roof off, and seeing Derby sing at the top of the voices “Don’t you” to Simple Minds for about seven minutes straight was epic!

There was a specific moment when the lighting rig hit full power and the bass kicked in – the energy in the room was electric.

It was the moment we proved that Vaillant Live could hold its own against top UK venues.

For a younger Faye, seeing Faithless, who I’ve paid to see more times than I care to remember, was pretty special –  and hosting John Bishop on his 25th  anniversary tour with a sold-out venue was magical – not to mention presenting him with his very own Bakewell Tart from local deli, Milk & Honey!

Witnessing our team transform the venue from an all-seated concert layout to a luxurious gala dinner – not to mention our first ever gala dinner – serving 350 guests with exquisite food for the Freemason’s was equally quite spectacular.

You have an exciting list of events lined up stretching into 2027. Is there anything you’re particularly looking forward to?

We have some incredible touring theatre and larger-scale productions coming that will really test our technical capabilities.

A one-day double header of Jimmy Carr (one of my favourite comedians) will be a test for the team but something I know we’re all ready to fulfil.

Personally, I’m also excited about our growing ‘Live Lounge’ comedy series -it’s a more intimate way to experience talent, and we’re excited to launch this into the Derby market.

How does Vaillant Live see itself in the context of the city and the wider Becketwell regeneration?

We see ourselves as the heartbeat of the ‘New Derby’. Becketwell is transforming the city’s footprint, and we are the anchor for that.

We aren’t just a building; we are a catalyst for footfall that benefits local restaurants, hotels and transport.

We want to be the reason people travel to Derby, not just through it.

We also really want to support grass-roots music in the city. We’ve already had some artists perform in the Live Lounge ahead of shows in the auditorium but there’s more to come on that front – so watch this space.

How many people have been through the doors since you opened?

It’s been a whirlwind, but we are incredibly proud to have welcomed over 80,000 guests through our doors in our first year.

Seeing that volume of people engaging with the city centre again is exactly what we set out to achieve.

Tell us about the types of corporate events the venue has hosted.

Our corporate portfolio is incredibly diverse. We’ve hosted everything from multi-day industry conferences and product launches for global brands to regional ‘Business Hero’ awards and charity gala dinner fundraisers.

Our Legends Corporate and Events brand is all about showing that a venue built for rockstars can also provide the precision and professionalism required for a CEO’s keynote.

Going forward, what are Vaillant Live’s aims for this year and coming years?

Consistency and innovation. We want to cement our reputation as the premier venue in the East Midlands.

This year is about refining the guest experience even further – using technology to make the bars faster, the entry smoother and delivering ‘wow’ moments.

Long-term, we want Vaillant Live to be a household name nationally, known for its world-class acoustics, exceptional conference and events delivery and positive community impact.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Just a huge thank you to the people of Derby. A venue is just a shell without an audience, and the support we’ve had from the local community, Derby City Council, Vaillant Group and our partners has been overwhelming. We’re just getting started!