CN can exclusively reveal the look of how Blackpool’s new £25m conference centre will be linked to the historic 140-year-old Winter Gardens complex.
The new CGI (pictured) illustrates Blackpool’s continuing regeneration into a modern conference destination. The new centre is part of a broader new connectivity initiative across the resort, which visitors to International Confex will be the first to see on stand this week at Olympia London.
The new Conference and Exhibition Centre will stand at the heart of the new ‘connected Blackpool’ offer and is already taking bookings from summer 2019.
The new venue will able to accommodate 2,000 delegates across a 6,150sqm footprint and is bookable as either a standalone venue or can be integrated with the wider Winter Gardens exhibition and events venues – to which it will be directly linked – creating an overall capacity of 7,000.
First opened in 1878, the Winter Gardens features some of the country’s most distinctive conference and convention spaces including the Empress Ballroom, Spanish Hall, Opera House and the Olympia Exhibition Hall.
With the addition of the new Conference and Exhibition Centre, the Winter Gardens will become a hub of 12 distinct venues, all under one roof, offering a total of 4.9 acres of connected conference, meeting, event and exhibition space.
Improved transport connectivity will be another major element in Blackpool’s connected campaign. Following the electrification of lines between Preston to Blackpool new quicker trains, and more direct routes from across the UK, will make the resort easier to reach from May 2018.
Blackpool is also extending its tram service. This will see visitors by train being able to transfer to a tram direct from the station, allowing quick and easy access to the resort’s major hotels, landmarks and seafront.
The expanded tram service will also link up Blackpool’s six new hotels, including a five- star development, which will add 700 premium rooms to the town’s existing stock.
The head of Blackpool’s Business Tourism team, Mandy Tythe-McCallum tells CN: “Blackpool has enjoyed over £500m of new investment and improved infrastructure over recent years, much of which has been carefully planned to create an integrated and hassle-free experience for visitors.
“However, we have also been working hard behind the scenes to bring the resort’s key partners together, both from the private and public sector, to ensure conference and exhibition organisers can enjoy a bespoke, one-stop-shop approach when they come to us.”
Michael Williams, MD of the Winter Gardens and Blackpool’s new Conference and Exhibition Centre, says: “Blackpool’s ability to facilitate partnerships and create strong links between all the resort’s venues, hotels, attractions and visitor services is something very few locations can achieve.
“VisitBlackpool’s connected philosophy also completely mirrors the way the Winter Gardens operates where every meeting room, hall or exhibition space can be utilised for different needs without delegates having to leave the complex.”
“The new £25m Conference and Exhibition Centre will also be directly integrated into the wider Winter Gardens network, creating one of the UK’s most adaptable exhibition venues across nearly five acres of multi-purpose space.”
VisitBlackpool and the Winter Gardens Blackpool will be launching their connectivity campaign at Stand J37C at International Confex, 28 February-1 March, at London’s Olympia.
Mandy Tythe-McCallum will also be talking about the resort’s connected approach at a special Confex Q&A panel entitled ‘Venue as Destination’ being held at 11.00am at the show’s Exhibition News Pavilion on Day 1, 28 February.
