Bournemouth International Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bournemouth International Centre |
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Exterior of venue (c. 2018)
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| Address | Exeter Rd Bournemouth BH2 5BH England |
| Coordinates | 50°43′00″N 1°52′41″W / 50.71667°N 1.87806°W |
| Owner | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council |
| Operator | BH Live |
| Built | 1982–84 |
| Inaugurated | 16 August 1984 |
| Opened | 6 September 1984 |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Expanded | 1990 |
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Construction cost
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£19.5 million (£49.6 million in 2021 pounds ) |
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Classroom-style seating
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10–50 |
| Banquet/ballroom | 2,500 (Purbeck Hall) 1,300 (Solent Hall) |
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Theatre seating
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6,500 standing or 4,045 seated (Windsor Hall) 1,100 (Tregonwell Hall) |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | 6,982 m2 (75,150 sq ft) |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 1,973 m2 (21,240 sq ft) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 1,000 m2 (11,000 sq ft) |
| • Ballroom | 2,748 m2 (29,580 sq ft) |
| Parking | 650 spaces |
The Bournemouth International Centre, often called the BIC, is a big building in Bournemouth, Dorset. It opened in September 1984. It's one of the biggest places in southern England for meetings, shows, and fun events. Many important national meetings for political parties and trade unions have been held here. In June 2022, plans were made to update the building with a £1.8 million renovation.
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Political Meetings at the BIC
The BIC has hosted many important national meetings for political parties and trade unions. In 1985, Neil Kinnock gave a famous speech at the Labour Party Conference held here. Margaret Thatcher also gave her last speech at a Conservative Party Conference at the BIC in 1990.
In recent years, both the Labour and Conservative parties have held their big meetings in larger cities like Birmingham or Manchester. However, the BIC continues to host the Liberal Democrat Conference. The Green Party of England and Wales also held their autumn conference at the BIC in 2025.
Halls and Spaces at the BIC
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When the BIC first opened, it had two main halls: the Windsor Hall and the Tregonwell Hall. It also had a fun swimming pool. That pool has since been closed to make more room for meetings and exhibitions.
Windsor Hall: A Big Concert Venue
The Windsor Hall is a huge space. It can hold 6,500 people for standing concerts or 4,000 people in seats. This makes it one of the largest indoor music venues in England. Many famous artists include it on their concert tours. This hall has a special "tensile grid" above the stage. It's like a giant net made of 30 miles of steel wire. This grid can hold up to 90 tonnes of weight for lights and sound equipment!
Purbeck Hall: A Later Addition
In 1990, a new circular hall called the Purbeck Hall was added. This expansion cost £6 million.
Solent Hall: From Pool to Exhibition Space
The Solent Hall is another large area. It can be used for exhibitions or for music concerts with up to 2,000 standing people. This hall replaced the popular swimming pool and wave machine in 2004. This change was part of a £22 million renovation. Many people wanted to save the swimming pool, but it was eventually replaced.
The BIC is managed by a group called BH Live. They work with the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. The BIC also works closely with its sister venue, The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom.
See Also
External Links
- Bournemouth International Conference Bureau
