Do you want to move away from the basic expo halls and leave your guests amazed with a unique event setting? From capacities of 200 through to 10,000, here are 10 venues which stray away from the typical exhibition layout and help to provide your attendees with an unforgettable event.  

British Airways i360

Brighton, East Essex
Capacity: combined spaces up to 800

The British Airways i360 is a venue like no other. Designed by the architects behind London Eye, this viewing platform is 450ft above Brighton Beach, giving your event the futuristic edge. The i360 will give your visitors 360 views of Brighton and the surrounding South Downs area, with inside and outside meeting space. With over 10 different conference rooms, you can combine spaces to build the perfect expo venue. However, you don’t feel like hosting an event in the sky, they also have an events room to hold up to 200 people and Deck area of up to 450, that both look onto the golden sands of Brighton beach.

Longleat

Warminster, Wiltshire
Capacity: up to 500 (10,000 outdoors)

In the heart of the stunning Wiltshire countryside, Longleat can be the perfect location for small and large events. Making history in 1966, Longleat opened as the first location outside of Africa to have a drive-through Safari and its Grade l listed house was the first stately home to open to the public in 1947. The Longhouse event space is ‘one of the largest corporate event spaces in Wiltshire’ (longleat.co.uk), holding up to 500 people in its modern and versatile space. Longleat also has 900 acres of land surrounding the Longleat House and Safari meaning it can cater for an outdoor or marquee event for up to 10,000 people. Your attendees are sure to have a wild time!

Brighton Palace Pier

Brighton, East Sussex
Capacity: up to 350

The iconic Victorian pier is set to have your visitors giddy with excitement for a day near the sea. Brighton Palace Pier first opened in 1896 and has expanded over the years to have amusements, rides and previously a music theatre hall. The pier now has three modern refurbished venues for corporate events; Palm Court Restaurant capacity is up to 300, Horatio’s bar up to 350. Alternatively, you can hire out the whole pier including the Dome Arcade for a larger capacity of up to 3000 guests.

Winter Gardens Blackpool

Blackpool, Lancashire
Capacity: Up to 3250 (combined spaces up to 7,000 capacity)

Built in 1878, this historic grade II has an impressive Empress ballroom which supplies the wow factor for your event. There are connected event spaces which totals up to 4.9 acres and can hold a maximum capacity of 3250. Within the popular UK seaside resort, Winter Gardens Blackpool combines its 19th century charm with the latest future-ready facilities and flexible event spaces. If your event requires even more space, you can use the Empress Ballroom in conjunction with the Conference and Exhibition Centre to give a total capacity of 7,000, that’s a lot of room to impress your guests!

Southsea Castle

Southsea, Hampshire
Capacity: 200 upwards

Make your visitors feel like royalty at Southsea Castle, originally designed by King Henry VIII due to his fear of the French attacking Portsmouth. For over 400 years the castle was an active military base, up until 1960 where it was purchased by Portsmouth City Council and retired from active service. With space options from marquees, the Moat, courtyard and meeting rooms, there is sure to be a space fit for you.

Butlins

Bognor Regis, West Sussex
Capacity: Up to 1500

Bring the fun to your event and hold it within the UK’s ‘home of entertainment’ Butlins. Take your attendees back to their childhood with an event held in Butlin Bognor Regis. Voted’ Best UK Conference Venue’ there is a range of versatile spaces up to 1600 capacity, and if that isn’t enough room for your event you can have exclusive hire of the whole resort for up to 3600 guests. Their brand-new Studio 36 is a highly versatile event space with state-of-the-art AV technology.

Frome & District Agricultural Society

Frome, Somerset
Capacity: up to 3000

If you’re after a true blank canvas for your event, look no further. The Frome & District Agricultural Society have 60 acres of beautiful showgrounds which can use used for an array of events. Normally home the annual Agricultural & Cheese show, the Pavilion is a 75m by 25m building which can be fully customised and can hold up to 3000 visitors.

Carnglaze Caverns

Liskeard, Cornwall
Capacity: Up to 400

Perhaps one of the more adventurous event spaces, Carnglaze Caverns showcases man-made caverns inside a former slate mine. Set within 6.5 acres of Quarry Wood, there are underground lakes to be explored, home to five different specifies of bat. The Rum is an underground event venue, which was previously used as one of England’s sage storage areas in WW2, which can hold a 400 capacity for more intimate events.

The Fireworks Factory

Woolwich, London
Capacity: up to 1800

Start your expo off with a bang, hosting inside the Woolwich Works firework factory. Set on the edge of central London and across from the former Highbury stadium, the large exhibition space is completely flexible to your events design. Back in the 1700s this space was used for an innovative firework factory known as the Royal Laboratories, it now holds lots of character with its exposed brick walls and glazed concrete floor. The 1504 m2 room with its asymmetric glass roof, is the perfect unique venue which can hold up to 1800 visitors.

Runway Visitor Park

Altrincham, Greater Manchester
Capacity: up to 700

Situated just outside of Manchester, the Runway Visitor Park offers one of the most unique event settings. The Hangar, also known as the Concorde Conference Centre, is over 1600 meters of space and can hold up to 700 guests, with the guest of honour being the world- famous Concorde. That’s right, your event can be held directly under the supersonic aircraft in a large and customisable events area.