There was big news from Steel City Stadium this week with the announcement of a new business lounge and cafe designed to attract founders, coworkers and ecosystem partners who want to work, connect and socialise at the heart of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. The new space is coming this summer and we are excited to be supporting the initiative. Here's the press release with all the details.

Following its recent renaming, Steel City Stadium at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is set to enhance its flexible workspace offering with the introduction of a high-quality business lounge and café. 

Scarborough Group International (SGI), which owns the stadium and is Sheffield City Council’s development partner for the Park’s expansion, is investing in activating the ground floor to further establish the stadium as a gateway for innovative and high-tech businesses to co-locate alongside the Park’s established community of world-leading academics, researchers, clinicians, elite athletes, entrepreneurs and students. To date, SGI has invested over £10 million in delivering the Steel City Stadium, underlining its long-term commitment to the Park and the city. 

Building on its existing managed workspace, and meeting and event facilities located on the first and second floors, the new business lounge will introduce a wider-range of flexible coworking options, including hot desking, private booths and informal meeting areas. Designed to create an inspiring and collaborative environment, it will provide start-ups and established companies with a place to work, connect and grow. The new café will offer a relaxed setting for members, visitors and the wider community, serving high-quality refreshments and informal meeting opportunities. 

Since its opening in 2022, Steel City Stadium has become a thriving base for the 30+ businesses that utilise its facilities, including MediLink UK, the country’s largest health technology trade association, and UK NEQAS, a leader in laboratory medicine quality assessment. This latest development will further strengthen the stadium’s reputation as a high-quality destination for business, attracting organisations looking to connect and collaborate with leading institutions already located on the Park, including Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park and the soon-to-open National Centre for Child Health Technology. 

The stadium, formerly known as the Community Stadium, was recently renamed Steel City Stadium to celebrate Sheffield’s industrial past while embracing its future as a global centre of excellence for innovation in sport, health and wellbeing. 

Ian Sanderson, Estates and Development Consultant at SGI, said: 

"Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is evolving into one of the UK’s most exciting locations for businesses working in sport, health and wellbeing. Steel City Stadium is at the heart of that transformation, not just as a sporting venue, but as a business destination. By activating the ground floor with a high-quality business lounge and café, we’re creating a space that brings people together - whether for work or to simply connect. We look forward to welcoming businesses, visitors and the wider South Yorkshire community when we open our doors this spring." 

To further support businesses based at the stadium, Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) is on hand to provide curated business support and community engagement services, helping start-ups and scale-ups access mentorship, funding advice and networking opportunities. 

Tom Wolfenden, CEO at STP commented: 

“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation - it’s often sparked by a chance conversation, a shared challenge, or a fresh perspective from a peer. That’s why we’re so excited about the new business lounge and cafe at Steel City Stadium. It’s more than just desks, coffee and Wi-Fi - it’s a place where entrepreneurs, researchers and creatives can come together, connect and collaborate. At Sheffield Technology Parks, we’ve seen first-hand how these informal networks can lead to ground-breaking ideas and lasting partnerships, and we’re proud to support a space that will fuel that kind of energy across the city’s innovation ecosystem." 

Deb Hetherington, Director of Innovation Ecosystems at SGI, added: 

"High-growth, innovation-led businesses thrive in environments where they can access not just workspace, but the right support, connections and opportunities. By expanding the offer at Steel City Stadium, we’re strengthening Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park’s role as a launchpad for ambitious companies looking to scale faster by working alongside leading researchers, entrepreneurs and industry experts.” 

With its elite sports facilities, Steel City Stadium has already cemented itself as a key part of Sheffield’s sporting landscape. Now, with its growing workspace offering, dedicated business support and new café, the stadium is set to become a key focal point of the Park. 

The new business lounge and café are set to open in early summer 2025. For more information, visit www.sheffieldolympiclegacypark.co.uk.