The Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield has closed for the first time since it opened in 1991 to undergo a multi-million pound refurbishment.

For nearly two decades Motorpoint Arena (formerly the Sheffield Arena and the Hallam FM Arena) has been the only major concert and sporting venue in the Yorkshire region. Things have changed however as the city of Leeds are now constructing an arena of comparable size at a cost of £60m, which will be in direct competition with the Sheffield venue.

The £3.5m project will see the construction of a new roof and the replacement of all 12,500 seats in addition to having new toilets, lighting and refurbished catering outlets installed.

In the past year, more than 700,000 people attended events at the Motorpoint Arena and with improvements currently underway, officials are hoping that the figures will rise without losing customers to the new First Direct Leeds Arena.

Work is scheduled to be completed in September, the same month in which the First Direct Arena will officially open.