Press Release
7 January 2019
M&S Bank Arena Launches in Liverpool
- M&S Bank has become the official naming partner of the Liverpool Arena
M&S Bank has today become the official naming partner of the Liverpool Arena. The city’s number one venue for entertainment is now named the M&S Bank Arena and a full rebrand of the venue is underway.
Sue Fox, CEO of M&S Bank, said: "We're very proud to have been based in the North West since M&S Bank was formed in 1985 and it's absolutely fantastic to start 2019 with the launch of the M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool’s top venue for music, sport, comedy and family entertainment."
The rebrand comes after a successful Christmas holiday period for the venue, which saw the Theraplate UK Liverpool International Horse Show return for the fourth consecutive year. The M&S Bank Arena is set for a busy year in 2019, which will see it host high profile artists such as George Ezra, Little Mix and Rod Stewart, as well as Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor Tour. The Netball World Cup is set to attract tens of thousands of global visitors when it comes to the city in July.
Bob Prattey, CEO of The ACC Liverpool Group, which includes the M&S Bank Arena, said: “Last year we marked 10 years since the venue first opened its doors and I’m incredibly excited to start the next chapter as the M&S Bank Arena.
“Based in the region, M&S Bank shares our passion for the city of Liverpool, making it the perfect naming partner for our venue. We look forward to continuing to host a multitude of major events for visitors to the M&S Bank Arena.”
The venue has hosted over 1,300 performances since it first opened its doors in 2008. Entertainment highlights have included the European MTV Awards, the Davis Cup, Sir Paul McCartney, the MOBO Awards and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
It has welcomed more than 5.7 million visitors since opening and the campus, also home to ACC Liverpool and Exhibition Centre Liverpool, has generated £1.6billion in economic benefit for the Liverpool city region.
-ENDS-
About M&S Bank
M&S Bank (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services plc) launched in 2012 on the foundations of M&S Money, which was established in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer plc. In November 2004, HSBC bought 100 per cent of the share capital of Marks and Spencer Retail Financial Services Holdings Limited.
Today, M&S Bank operates as a joint venture arrangement between HSBC and Marks & Spencer, however, M&S Bank has its own banking licence and its own Board.
M&S Bank offers a broad range of financial products, including mortgages, current accounts, the M&S Credit Card, and a range of loans, savings and general insurance products, while its travel money offering boasts the widest range of currencies available on the high street. M&S Bank has 29 branches and over 120 bureaux de change located in M&S stores across the UK. M&S Bank services almost 4 million customers.
HSBC UK
HSBC serves c17 million customers in the UK and employs approximately 43,000 people. In the UK, HSBC offers a complete range of personal, premier and private banking services including bank accounts and mortgages. It also provides commercial banking for small to medium businesses and corporate and institutional banking services. HSBC Bank plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc.