Rainton Arena cancels all events as it offers space to NHS bosses for storage or to hold special clinics

Owner of the Houghton venue, Jay Johal, has already offered the arena to NHS bosses, either as a space where they can store equipment or beds they don’t currently need or even to hold special clinics if hospitals and doctors’ surgeries are struggling.

All events at the arena, which includes an 80s sing-a-long with Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp, have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have one of the largest venues in the whole region and like everywhere else, our programme of events is currently on hold,” said Jay.

“But the space is still here and if there is any way at all it can be used, then we are more than happy to offer it for free.”

The arena also has extensive car parking space and again, Mr Johal has offered it to the NHS for a park and ride system to help with parking at hospitals – and volunteered to try and negotiate with a coach or bus company to ferry NHS frontline workers to their destination.

“We all have to do whatever we can to help and if there anyone does think this can benefit, then I hope they’ll get in touch,” he said.

“I have already been talking to some NHS directors but I would like to spread this message wider and see if we can support their vital work in some way.”

Mr Johal has also made a pledge to the NHS staff for when life returns to normal.

“We know how vital everyone is who works in the NHS to seeing us through this terrible time,” he said.

“So I am promising that when it is over, we will give an allocation of free tickets to NHS workers for every event we have going forward.”

On Friday, March 20, Boris Johnson told all pubs, restaurants, bars, cinemas, leisure centres and gyms to close and not reopen.

The announcement came as the number of confirmed cases rose to 3,983 in the UK and sadly 177 have now died after testing positive for the virus.