National Exhibition Centre
Encyclopedia
The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is an exhibition centre in Birmingham
, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway
, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station
. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres (2.54 km2) making it the largest exhibition centre in the UK. It is the busiest and seventh-largest exhibition centre in Europe.
Opened by Elizabeth II in February 1976, the first event to be staged at the venue was International Spring Fair, which has returned every year since. Growing annually, the event now occupies all of the NEC's 20 halls and the LG Arena.
In November 1971, the Secretary of State for the Environment
granted outline planning approval for the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. The NEC, originally comprising 89,000 m2 of exhibition space, was opened by the Queen
on 2 February 1976. The building was designed by Edward Mills.
In 1989, the Queen opened three further halls, increasing the space to 125,000 m2. Four more halls were added in 1993, the total exhibition space increasing to 158,000 m2. Another four new halls, opened in September 1998 by Neil Kinnock
, European Commissioner
for Transport, took the total space to 190,000 m2 (2,045,142 square feet). These buildings were designed by Seymour Harris.
As of 2009, The NEC is nearing completion of a five-year, £40 million venue improvement programme which has seen improvements made to everything from the car parking to signage, seating and catering. The most obvious result of this development has been the redesign of the Piazza – the central space around Halls 1 to 5, which has received a contemporary update.
Since 1991, the NEC has been the venue for the international dog show Crufts
. Held over four days and using five halls as well as the LG Arena, Crufts attracts an estimated 160,000 visitors annually. The 1991 show was also Crufts centenary year and as part of the celebrations to mark the occasion, the Guinness Book of Records gave official recognition of the event's status as the world's largest dog show, with 22,973 dogs being exhibited that year.
National Exhibition Centre (NEC) car parks.
From 1 September 2008, the NEC Arena was officially renamed as the LG Arena, following a naming-rights sponsorship deal with global electronics company LG. The arena then underwent a £29 million overhaul of its facilities, paid for by loans from Birmingham City Council and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.
Work on the LG Arena was finished mid October 2009 and the arena hosted its first concert with Tom Jones
. Included in the installation were around 1,000 new seats, bringing the capacity to 16,000 to compete with venues such as London's O2 Arena
and Manchester
's MEN Arena which are amongst the busiest music venues in the world. Also constructed were new hospitality areas and a forum containing new bars, restaurants and other customer facilities. Prior to its first concert, the arena hosted the 2009 Horse of the Year show.
Being able to host large and intimate shows the LG Arena Birmingham does offer a wide range of comedians that are nationally and internationally known with acts such as Russell Brand
, Jimmy Carr
, Billy Connolly
, Russell Howard
and Peter Kay
bringing their shows to the Arena.
The NEC has 29,000 car parking spaces spread around the site, with a shuttle bus service operating to and from the car parks.
In 2008 the all-day parking fee for public exhibitions was £8.00, which supposedly contributes directly to the upkeep of the car parks, running of the shuttle bus service, maintenance of road surfaces and lighting, and manning of the areas with traffic stewards.
(NIA) and International Convention Centre
(ICC), both in central Birmingham, and the LG Arena, based on The NEC site.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres (2.54 km2) making it the largest exhibition centre in the UK. It is the busiest and seventh-largest exhibition centre in Europe.
Opened by Elizabeth II in February 1976, the first event to be staged at the venue was International Spring Fair, which has returned every year since. Growing annually, the event now occupies all of the NEC's 20 halls and the LG Arena.
History
The NEC was originally going to be built adjacent to the M1 junction 21 near Leicester but it was turned down by Leicestershire County Council with claims that "The big shows won't move away from London".In November 1971, the Secretary of State for the Environment
Secretary of State for the Environment
The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment . This was created by Edward Heath as a combination of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Building and Works on 15...
granted outline planning approval for the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. The NEC, originally comprising 89,000 m2 of exhibition space, was opened by the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 2 February 1976. The building was designed by Edward Mills.
In 1989, the Queen opened three further halls, increasing the space to 125,000 m2. Four more halls were added in 1993, the total exhibition space increasing to 158,000 m2. Another four new halls, opened in September 1998 by Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
, European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
for Transport, took the total space to 190,000 m2 (2,045,142 square feet). These buildings were designed by Seymour Harris.
As of 2009, The NEC is nearing completion of a five-year, £40 million venue improvement programme which has seen improvements made to everything from the car parking to signage, seating and catering. The most obvious result of this development has been the redesign of the Piazza – the central space around Halls 1 to 5, which has received a contemporary update.
Shows
The NEC was home to the British International Motorshow from 1978 to 2004. In addition, it also hosted the Classic Motor Show.Since 1991, the NEC has been the venue for the international dog show Crufts
Crufts
Crufts is an annual international Championship conformation show for dogs organised and hosted by the Kennel Club, currently held every March at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. It is the largest annual dog show in the world, as declared by Guinness World Records, and lasts...
. Held over four days and using five halls as well as the LG Arena, Crufts attracts an estimated 160,000 visitors annually. The 1991 show was also Crufts centenary year and as part of the celebrations to mark the occasion, the Guinness Book of Records gave official recognition of the event's status as the world's largest dog show, with 22,973 dogs being exhibited that year.
Yearly events
- Autosport InternationalAutosport InternationalAutosport International is an annual 4 day event motor show catering for both automotive industry professionals and motorsport fans who enjoy following and being close the sport....
- BBC Gardeners' World Live.
- BBC Good Food Show.
- Clothes Show LiveClothes Show LiveThe Clothes Show Live is a consumer exhibition brand consisting of two shows held annually each May in ExCeL, London and December in Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre. The events showcase latest fashion, beauty and music trends on large and often interactive features and stands...
- DFS, Crufts Dog ShowCruftsCrufts is an annual international Championship conformation show for dogs organised and hosted by the Kennel Club, currently held every March at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. It is the largest annual dog show in the world, as declared by Guinness World Records, and lasts...
- Euro Bus Expo
- Gadget Show Live
- Grand Designs Live
- Horse of the Year ShowHorse of the Year ShowThe Horse of the Year Show - also known as HOYS - was founded to be a culmination of the British equestrian events year. Because of this, the show needed to be held indoors, making it a unique event....
- British Open Show Jumping ChampionshipsBritish Open Show Jumping ChampionshipsThe British Open Show Jumping Championships were launched in 2003 and have been held indoors during April of every year since.For the first four years they were held at Sheffield Arena before moving to the NEC Arena, Birmingham in 2007....
Young Driver
Driving for 11–16 year olds with Young Driver happens regularly at weekends in the BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
National Exhibition Centre (NEC) car parks.
LG Arena
The LG Arena, host to large music concerts, is part of the complex. The 16,000 capacity LG Arena was the largest multi-purpose arena in the UK when opening in the mid-1980s as "The NEC Arena" and is still a major popular venue for many large, international touring acts. Together, the NEC and the LG Arena host over 3 million visitors each year.From 1 September 2008, the NEC Arena was officially renamed as the LG Arena, following a naming-rights sponsorship deal with global electronics company LG. The arena then underwent a £29 million overhaul of its facilities, paid for by loans from Birmingham City Council and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.
Work on the LG Arena was finished mid October 2009 and the arena hosted its first concert with Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
. Included in the installation were around 1,000 new seats, bringing the capacity to 16,000 to compete with venues such as London's O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's MEN Arena which are amongst the busiest music venues in the world. Also constructed were new hospitality areas and a forum containing new bars, restaurants and other customer facilities. Prior to its first concert, the arena hosted the 2009 Horse of the Year show.
Being able to host large and intimate shows the LG Arena Birmingham does offer a wide range of comedians that are nationally and internationally known with acts such as Russell Brand
Russell Brand
Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
, Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr
James Anthony Patrick "Jimmy" Carr is an English-Irish comedian and humourist. He is known for his deadpan delivery and dark humour. He is also a writer, actor and presenter of radio and television....
, Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
, Russell Howard
Russell Howard
Russell Joseph Howard is an English comedian best known for his TV show Russell Howard's Good News and his appearances on the topical panel TV show Mock The Week...
and Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
bringing their shows to the Arena.
Major music events
Since the 1980s, The NEC has hosted performances by many international musicians and music groups, several of which have played at The NEC Arena on more than one occasion.- The Spice GirlsSpice GirlsThe Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
performed 5 shows at the venue during the Spiceworld TourSpiceworld TourThe Spiceworld Tour was a concert tour performed by the British Europop group the Spice Girls in support of their second album Spiceworld which was the soundtrack to their feature film Spiceworld: The Movie. The sell-out European/North American tour ran from February to August 1998, after which it...
in 1998, on 29 April and 2, 3, 5 & 6 May. BBC Radio One recorded and broadcasted the whole show. - Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
performed their 1991 tour over three nights at the NEC, their live DVD entitled "Performance" was filmed over all three nights at the NEC. - Sir Cliff Richard has performed numerous concerts at the venue and is the artist to have played the most shows at the arena.
- Canadian rock band RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
filmed their VHS and DVD release entitled A Show of HandsA Show of HandsA Show of Hands is a live album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1989. The band released a video of the same name, originally on VHS and laserdisc in 1989...
at The NEC Arena in 1988. Some of this recording featured in the audio album of the same nameA Show of HandsA Show of Hands is a live album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1989. The band released a video of the same name, originally on VHS and laserdisc in 1989...
. - QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
have performed at the Centre several times over the years while on tour, from their Crazy TourCrazy TourCrazy Tour was a short tour by the English rock band Queen during November and December 1979.After the release of the single "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", the band decided to change the concert dynamic they used to do the last years. In this tour Queen would revisit smaller venues, many which...
in 1979, to The Game TourThe Game TourThe Game Tour was a concert tour by the English rock band Queen to support their successful 1980 album The Game. This tour saw the band being the first to play in South American stadiums in early 1981. In Buenos Aires, Queen drew a crowd of 300,000—the largest single concert crowd in Argentine...
in 1980 & to The Works TourThe Works TourThe Works Tour was one of the largest tours by the English rock band Queen. During this tour, Queen participated in the Rock in Rio festival in 1985; the concert was released on VHS but there has not been a worldwide DVD release as of 2011...
in 1984. - David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
performed, on two consecutive nights, at the centre during his Serious Moonlight TourSerious Moonlight TourThe David Bowie Serious Moonlight Tour was thus far Bowie's longest, largest and most successful concert tour. The tour opened at the Vorst Forest Nationaal - Brussels on 18 May 1983 and ended in the Hong Kong Coliseum on 8 December 1983; 16 countries visited, 96 performances, 2,601,196 tickets...
on 5–6 June 1983, began the first European leg of his Sound+Vision Tour, on two consecutive nights, on 19–20 March 1990, performed on two consecutive nights, during his Outside TourOutside TourThe Outside Tour, with David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails co-headlining, opened on 14 September 1995 at Meadows Music Theatre - Hartford, CT with Prick as support band. On selected dates Reeves Gabrels performed songs from his album, The Sacred Squall of Now in addition to performing with Nine Inch...
on 20–21 November 1995 & performed on two consecutive nights during his A Reality TourA Reality TourA Reality Tour was a worldwide concert tour by David Bowie in support of the Reality album. The tour commenced on 7 October 2003 at the Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark continuing through Europe, North America, Asia, including a return to New Zealand and Australia for the first time since the 1987 Glass...
on 19–20 November 2003. - Status Quo recorded the Live at the N.E.C. album (CD) there.
- The GenesisGenesis (band)Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
The Mama TourThe Mama TourGenesis Live – The Mama Tour is a 1985 home video featuring footage from a Genesis concert in February 1984. It was filmed at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, and directed by Jim Yukich....
video was filmed there. - Tina TurnerTina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
recorded the VHS for her 1985 Private Dancer TourPrivate Dancer TourThe Private Dancer Tour is a 1985 concert tour by the American singer Tina Turner. In conjunction with her multi-platinum selling album Private Dancer, the tour helped to establish Turner as a major solo artist and live performer and is often considered one of the best comebacks in music...
there. She is also the female artist with the most shows at the N.E.C., with 18 shows. - Iron MaidenIron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
recorded Maiden EnglandMaiden EnglandMaiden England is a live video by the band Iron Maiden during their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son world tour, which was dubbed 7th Tour of a 7th Tour....
at the NEC, during their Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour in 1988. - The video for AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
song, That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' RollThat's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll"That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll" is a song and a single by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. The song appeared on their 1988 album Blow Up Your Video as the second track. A live version of this song can be found on the band's live album, Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition...
was also recorded there, during their Blow up your video tour in 1988. - The original Black SabbathBlack SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
officially reunited at the NEC to record their live Reunion album on 4–5 December 1997. - The X Factor (UK)The X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
holds the Audition stages and tour at the LG Arena. - Depeche ModeDepeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
performed at the venue on 13 December 2009 in front of 13,000 people. The show was recorded for their live albums project, Recording the UniverseRecording the UniverseRecording the Universe is the name of a project by the band Depeche Mode to record some of the concerts on their 2009-10 concert tour, Tour of the Universe...
. The performance of "Insight" from that night was filmed too and included as a bonus track on their video release Tour of the Universe : Barcelona 20/21.11.09. - Spandau BalletSpandau BalletSpandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
recorded a concert film over two nights at the NEC in 1986, during their tour in support of the Through the Barricades album, for broadcast on a special episode of The TubeThe TubeThe Tube may refer to:*The London Underground* "The Tube", slang for Television, from the term cathode ray tube*The Tube , an ITV/Sky programme featuring the work of staff on the London Underground...
which featured the group. It was released on DVD as Live from the N.E.C.Live from the N.E.C.Live from the N.E.C. is a live album by Spandau Ballet.It was recorded on the 16th and 17th of December in 1986, at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England - and was released in 2005 by Sony BMG.-Track listing:#"Cross the Line" - 4:30...
in 2005. - Deep PurpleDeep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
MkII performed their last concert in England with guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreRitchie BlackmoreRichard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
at NEC. The concert was recorded and released on DVD titled Come Hell or High WaterCome Hell or High WaterCome Hell or High Water is a CD and DVD by the hard rock group Deep Purple. It was recorded on October 16, 1993 in "Hans-Martin-Schleyer-Halle" in Stuttgart, Germany and in Birmingham on November 9....
.
Car parks
In 2008 the all-day parking fee for public exhibitions was £8.00, which supposedly contributes directly to the upkeep of the car parks, running of the shuttle bus service, maintenance of road surfaces and lighting, and manning of the areas with traffic stewards.
NEC Group
Parent company The NEC Group also owns and operates The National Indoor ArenaNational Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
(NIA) and International Convention Centre
International Convention Centre, Birmingham
The International Convention Centre is a major conference venue in central Birmingham, England. The centre includes Symphony Hall and it faces Centenary Square. The building has another entrance leading to the canals of Birmingham. The Convention Quarter area, which includes Brindleyplace, is...
(ICC), both in central Birmingham, and the LG Arena, based on The NEC site.