Canadian rocker Bryan Adams was given the unusual honour of having a bar named after him at Coventry's new Ricoh Arena, but then confessed he doesn't drink.

The singer was the star of the inaugural concert in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the £113 million complex which is the new home of Coventry City Football Club.

Adams admitted it was one of the most unusual tributes he had been paid.

"I didn't really know what to say. I don't really drink but I will go into bars and have a drink - a soft one."

As a multi-millionaire, he would be able to make good on his offer, made as he pulled back the curtain to unveil his name, that "the drinks are on me".

The bar is located in the e.on lounge and the unveiling took place while guests were enjoying a pre-concert black tie dinner as part of £195 corporate VIP opening package, which was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Ram Lakha, and also included a Champagne and canape reception, post-show buffet and party and a parking space.

The men and women in formal evening attire were rather more formally dressed than typical Adams' fans.

But the arena is clearly pitching itself as much at the ICC customer market as the concert circuit, with a dining suite big enough to host balls and drinking areas rather more luxurious than the NEC's kiosk catering and concrete floors.

The plan is to name other bars in the complex after the first bands to perform there.

Adams is a regular at the NEC where his concerts pack out the vast arena, which was one of the reasons why he was asked to appear at Coventry.

"They wanted someone to open it who people would recognise," he said.

"They asked me and I happened to be free this weekend. It looks like a pretty good venue and I hope people who come to England will include it as part of their tour."

As a thank you to him for appearing, Bryan, a talented photographer, was presented with a camera by the sponsors of the arena. He was also given a cut glass football by chief executive Paul Fletcher who tried to persuade him to become a Sky Blues fan, an offer Chelsea resident Adams had to decline.

"I am a football fan but because I live right next to Stamford Bridge that's my team." Mr Fletcher said they picked Adams as their inaugural performer because he had "the right profile".

"He is well known, he has a clean image and he transcends the generations, from 16-year-olds to pensioners."

He also stressed that the Ricoh Arena will not be competing with the nearby NEC for bands and instead hopes they will have a mutually beneficial relationship.

"The NEC is a massively successful conference, exhibition and arena venue. We can only get 8,000 people in our conference hall.

"What we hope to do is work alongside them and be a sort of nursery for them, attracting acts who will grow into the NEC."

However, the Ricoh Arena will be competing with places like Villa Park when it comes to hosting open air concerts in the football stadium.

They have already booked Bon Jovi to perform next summer after hearing the rockers were considering the Aston Villa ground.