Exhibition Centre Liverpool sits proudly on the city’s waterfront as a modern, purpose-built venue for exhibitions, conferences, and large-scale events. Designed to work as part of Liverpool’s event campus alongside ACC Liverpool, the Convention Centre and the M&S Bank Arena, it offers flexible exhibition halls, direct connectivity to hotels and transport links, and a track record of hosting major national and international events.
Overview: what Exhibition Centre Liverpool is
Exhibition Centre Liverpool (ECL) is a modern exhibition venue located at King’s Dock on Liverpool’s waterfront. Purpose-built for trade shows, consumer exhibitions, conferences and campus-wide events, it forms part of the Liverpool event campus that links the Exhibition Centre to the Convention Centre and M&S Bank Arena — enabling combined-use events and large-scale campus activations. The venue provides large, flexible halls and easy connectivity to hotels and transport nodes.
Key facts & venue specifications
These are the most important specifications organisers and exhibitors look for:
Exhibition floor area (ECL): The exhibition centre provides multi-purpose exhibition halls. Combined with the convention centre and arena across the campus, total exhibition space can be substantially expanded when using connecting gallerias and arena floors.
Campus total exhibition footprint: Using interconnected spaces (arena floor, convention halls and exhibition centre) the Liverpool event campus can deliver a very large combined exhibition footprint — sources list combined figures (e.g., 7,125 m² for the core campus and additional linked exhibition space).
Auditorium & breakout rooms: The convention campus includes a large auditorium (over 1,300 seats) and multiple breakout rooms — ideal for conferences and multi-stream events.
Arena capacity: The connected arena (M&S Bank Arena / ACC Liverpool arena) has a capacity in the region of 10–11,000 for shows depending on configuration — useful when events want a headline theatre or evening entertainment option.
Location & address: King’s Dock, Liverpool L3 — on the city waterfront with short taxi/bus links to central train stations and local transport.
Recent trends
Understanding current trends helps you plan an event that fits market expectations.
Campus-wide events & mega-experiences
Big pop-culture events (e.g., Comic Con Liverpool) have expanded to take over the full campus, using the exhibition halls, convention spaces and arena for different sections of programming — a trend that’s grown in 2023–2024 and carried into 2025 as events seek immersive, multi-venue experiences. This campus approach increases footfall and allows event organisers to mix ticket tiers, headline acts, and trade/expo floors.
Hybrid events & tech integration
Post-pandemic, organisers continue to demand strong hybrid-capabilities: robust AV, live-streaming infrastructure, integrated virtual platforms, and on-site production hubs. Venues across the UK, including ECL and ACC Liverpool, now highlight AV support and production partners as core selling points.
Sustainability expectations
Green credentials and sustainable event operations have moved from ‘nice-to-have’ to client requirements. Event planners increasingly look for venues with sustainability policies including waste reduction, recycling, low-carbon transport access and energy-efficient facilities. Architectural partners and venue operators advertise sustainable design features in project materials.
Experience-first trade shows
Attendees expect experience-led activations (interactive stands, stages, demos) rather than passive rows of booths. This has led to demand for higher floor loading, modular build options, and flexible power/rigging across halls — features the ECL was designed to support.
Economic impact & civic investment
Liverpool continues to invest in its waterfront and cultural infrastructure (including museum redevelopments and dockside projects) which indirectly fuels event tourism and creates new storylines organisers can leverage when marketing events in the city. Projects announced in 2025 around the waterfront demonstrate Liverpool’s focus on connecting heritage and modern cultural offers.
Step-by-step: planning an exhibition at Exhibition Centre Liverpool
Below is a practical, numbered plan you can follow from first idea to completed show.
Define objectives and KPIs (3–4 weeks)
Determine event purpose (B2B lead generation, consumer ticket revenue, product launches, industry education).
Set measurable KPIs: number of exhibitors, visitor targets, revenue targets, delegate satisfaction metrics, press coverage goals.
Establish budget and dates (4–6 weeks)
Set provisional budget lines: venue hire, build & rigging, AV/production, staffing, marketing, security, waste management, transport, insurance.
Choose 2–3 potential dates — check the venue availability calendar early (popular months fill fast).
Contact the venue & request a tech pack (immediately after step 2)
Ask for: floor plans, technical specification (rigging points, floor loading), booth guidelines, loading bay details, power distribution map, and traffic flow maps. These documents are essential to price contractors and confirm space use.
Book your production & build partners (8–12 weeks)
Select an official contractor or trusted partner for shell scheme, bespoke stands, AV, lighting, and rigging. Ensure they have ECL experience or confirm competency with the venue’s tech pack.
Secure exhibitors and sponsors (12–20 weeks)
Launch exhibitor packs with clear floor plans, stand sizes, pricing, health and safety rules, delivery windows, and exhibitor benefits (lead capture, prime location incentives).
Offer sponsor packages tied to stages, networking areas, or digital channels (mobile app, live-stream). Use early-bird rates to secure anchor exhibitors.
Marketing & ticketing (10–16 weeks)
Create a marketing calendar: PR, paid social, partnerships, email campaigns, trade media.
Implement ticketing with clear ticket types (one-day, weekend, VIP) and capacity limits. If you plan a hybrid stream, set up a separate virtual ticketing tier.
Logistics & operations (6–8 weeks)
Finalise traffic management, parking, freight arrival windows, stewarding, volunteer rosters, and waste-management plans. Confirm local accommodation blocks and negotiate rates with Pullman Liverpool and nearby hotels.
Health & safety and licensing (6–8 weeks)
Submit risk assessments, crowd management plans, and any temporary event notices to Liverpool City Council or the venue. Confirm steward training and medical coverage.
Step 9 — Event week (build-up)
Run technical rehearsals, exhibitor briefings, registration testing, and AV checks. Ensure catering & cleaning schedules are confirmed.
Post-event (1–4 weeks)
Debrief with the team and venue. Gather attendee/exhibitor feedback, collect data, close out accounts, and distribute sponsor/exhibitor reports.
How-to: logistics, build-up, and breakdown
A thorough checklist is crucial to ensure smooth operations in a large venue like Exhibition Centre Liverpool.
Pre-build checks
Confirm access times and loading bay allocations with ECL operations.
Verify vehicle size restrictions and marshalling points.
Ensure all contractors have insurance and DBS checks if required.
Booth build
Confirm booth footprint (metric dimensions) from the latest floorplan.
Cross-check live power orders and the power distribution layout.
Get rigging permissions for suspended items; file rigging plans early.
AV & tech rehearsal
Schedule tech-run times for stages and headline acts.
Confirm internet bandwidth & dedicated ethernet for production — hybrid streaming requires reliable upstream connections.
Visitor flow & signage
Design clear wayfinding, arrival signage, and emergency routes. The waterfront campus uses covered gallerias to link venues, so plan signage for cross-campus flow.
Security & stewarding
Contract security for high-traffic times and bag searches if needed. Ensure steward rosters cover peak ingress/egress.
Catering & hospitality
Confirm F&B supplier timeslots and hygiene certifications. Check for allergen labeling requirements.
Waste & sustainability
Work with venue teams to sort waste streams and recycling. Communicate exhibitor responsibilities (e.g., packaging removal).
Breakdown
Confirm break-down windows and return of routeways to the venue. Ensure contractors know fines or penalties for overrunning.
Practical tips for exhibitors and visitors
For exhibitors — stand success checklist
Book a corner or prime position as early as possible — these go fast.
Design for engagement: comfortable meeting space, demo area, clear messaging, and lead-capture tech.
Pack duplicates of essential tools (gaffer tape, cable ties, chargers, extension leads) and a small toolkit.
Train staff to distinguish between product demos, casual conversations and lead capture (use a digital lead-capture system).
Consider pre-event mailings to clients with appointment slots — this boosts meeting conversion.
For visitors — best experience tips
Pre-book tickets and time slots if available — peak days can be busy.
Arrive by public transport where possible — parking in city centres is limited.
Wear comfortable shoes: large campuses involve a lot of walking, including covered connectors between venues.
Transport, accommodation, and accessibility
From Liverpool Lime Street (main station)
Exhibition Centre Liverpool sits roughly 20–30 minutes by a combination of walking, Merseyrail or bus routes depending on which exit you take — a short taxi ride is often the simplest for visitors with luggage.
By bus & local transport
Several local bus routes serve the waterfront; use real-time apps for best route suggestions on the event day.
By car
If driving, plan parking in adjacent car parks or public parking — pre-book if possible. Note that large events will implement traffic management and may recommend park-and-ride or public transport.
From airports
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is approximately 20–30 minutes by taxi to the waterfront. If arriving by train from outside the region, Liverpool Lime Street is the main rail hub with direct services from London and major UK cities.
Accommodation — options on the campus
Pullman Liverpool is an onsite four-star hotel connected to the campus, convenient for organisers and visiting speakers. For larger groups, negotiate room blocks with Pullman or nearby hotels.
Accessibility
The venue offers accessible entrances, lift access between levels and accessible toilets. Organisers should confirm access maps and special-needs procedures with the venue operations team in advance.
Sustainability and design
Exhibition Centre Liverpool was designed as part of a modern waterfront regeneration and incorporates architectural and operational elements to meet contemporary sustainability expectations. While the exact technical certifications (e.g., BREEAM, ISO) should be confirmed with the venue, ECL and the wider ACC Liverpool campus promote sustainable operations, and event organisers are encouraged to align with venue recycling and energy-saving programmes. Design partners involved in the venue project also highlight efficient building envelopes and flexible spaces.
Practical sustainability actions you can take as an organiser:
Mandate recyclable booth materials and ban polystyrene or non-recyclable single-use plastics.
Use local caterers and seasonal food to reduce transport emissions.
Offer digital show guides and use QR codes instead of printed brochures.
Partner with local transport bodies to promote public transport discounts for delegates.
Real-life case studies
Comic Con Liverpool (campus-wide expansion)
In recent years Comic Con Liverpool expanded across the Liverpool event campus, using exhibition halls for trade and exhibitor floors, convention spaces for panels and celebrity guests, and the arena for headline attractions. The 2024/2025 expansions created one of the campus’ largest-attendance events, demonstrating how a single brand experience can leverage multiple campus venues to create tiered experiences for fans and trade attendees.
Labour Party Conference (national-scale conference)
ACC Liverpool and the connected campus have hosted national political conferences, including the Labour Party’s annual conference on multiple occasions. Large conferences benefit from the campus’ auditorium, breakout rooms and exhibition halls, and bring significant economic impact to the city. For example, Labour Party conferences have drawn tens of thousands of attendees and generated substantial local economic benefit.
Trade shows & consumer exhibitions
The campus regularly hosts trade shows across sectors: tech, manufacturing, healthcare, music and instruments exhibitions, and seasonal consumer shows. These events often require bespoke build-outs and complex logistics; they showcase the ECL’s capacity for large floor-load requirements and rapid turnover of exhibitor fits.
Pricing, booking and contracting: what organisers need to know
Venue hire costs
Venue pricing varies widely with date, space required, level of in-house services and length of hire. Typical cost factors:
Base hire for hall(s)
AV & production packages
Cleaning & stewarding
Security & stewarding
Waste management
Event-day staffing (venue staff)
Additional use of arena/stages or auditorium
You should request a detailed quote and confirm what is included (e.g., is basic cleaning included? are traffic marshals included?). Always confirm cancellation policies and any force majeure clauses (particularly if your event spans many months ahead).
Deposits & payment terms
Venues usually ask for a deposit to secure dates and staged payments closer to the event. Confirm the deposit percentage, invoicing cadence, and any penalties for late payment or changes.
Insurance & indemnities
Organisers typically must hold public liability insurance and exhibitors may need their own cover. Venue contracts will specify minimum insurance levels.
FAQs
How large is Exhibition Centre Liverpool and can it host major international shows?
Exhibition Centre Liverpool is a purpose-built exhibition venue on Liverpool’s waterfront. When used in combination with the Convention Centre and the connected arena, the campus offers large combined exhibition floor space (the campus figures commonly cited include several thousand square metres for flexible exhibition and trade show use). For the precise hall-by-hall square metres, request the venue technical pack, but the campus has a history of hosting major national and international events.
What transport options are best for reaching Exhibition Centre Liverpool?
The venue is a short taxi or bus ride from Liverpool Lime Street station and accessible from Liverpool John Lennon Airport by taxi. Several local buses serve the waterfront and apps like Moovit provide step-by-step public transport directions. Walking between campus venues is possible via covered galleria links.
Can I run a hybrid event with live-streaming at Exhibition Centre Liverpool?
Yes. The event campus emphasises AV capabilities and production support. For guaranteed bandwidth and dedicated streams, you should order dedicated network services and coordinate with the venue’s production team early.
Where should I stay if I am attending an event at Exhibition Centre Liverpool?
The Pullman Liverpool hotel is onsite and connects directly to the campus, making it a convenient choice. There are many other hotels within a short taxi ride of the waterfront — organisers often negotiate room blocks with Pullman and nearby hotels to provide discounted rates for delegates.
What recent large-scale events have been hosted at the venue?
The Liverpool event campus has hosted large events such as Comic Con Liverpool (which expanded campus-wide) and national conferences including the Labour Party conference. These events used the exhibition halls, convention spaces and arena to host high-attendance.
For more UK stories, trends, and surprising insights, explore these related reads:
https://liverpooldaily.news/pullman-hotel-liverpool/
https://liverpooldaily.news/royal-court-liverpool/
https://liverpooldaily.news/holiday-inn-liverpool/
Wrapping Up
Exhibition Centre Liverpool stands as a symbol of modernity, versatility, and cultural vitality on the city’s historic waterfront. Whether you’re planning a global trade fair, a corporate conference, or a fan convention, the venue offers a seamless blend of functionality and atmosphere. Its integration with the ACC Liverpool campus and M&S Bank Arena gives organisers unmatched flexibility — allowing them to scale events, combine venues, and deliver immersive experiences that captivate attendees.
Beyond its technical capabilities, Exhibition Centre Liverpool reflects the spirit of the city itself: innovative, welcoming, and full of energy. It’s a place where creativity meets commerce, where ideas are showcased, and where visitors from around the world connect with Liverpool’s dynamic culture.
With strong transport links, excellent nearby hotels, sustainable infrastructure, and an experienced events team, it continues to rank among the UK’s top destinations for exhibitions and conventions.
To read more, Liverpool Daily News
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