Brighton Centre

Coordinates: 50°49′16″N 0°08′46″W / 50.82111°N 0.14611°W / 50.82111; -0.14611

Brighton Centre
Location Brighton, England
Owner Brighton & Hove City Council[1]
Operator Brighton & Hove City Council[1]
Capacity Concerts: 4,500
Conferences: 5,000
Construction
Opened 1977
Architect Russell Diplock & Associates

Brighton Centre is a conference and exhibition centre located in Brighton, England. It is the largest of its kind in southern England,[2] and is regularly used for conferences of the British political parties and other bodies of national importance. The venue has the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 delegates,[2] although rooms in the building can be used for weddings and banquets.[3] It has also been used as a live music venue since it was opened by the then prime minister James Callaghan on 19 September 1977.[4] It was designed in a Brutalist style by architects Russell Diplock & Associates, who made extensive use of textured concrete.[5]

The venue is situated in the centre of Brighton on the sea front and is within 200 metres of major hotels. In 2004, it was estimated that the centre generates £50 million in revenue for Brighton.[6]

The second phase of redevelopment was completed in January 2012; a refurbishment of its main entrance resulted in a transformation of its outside façade. In addition to this, the venue’s restaurant, which is regularly used as a relaxation space for larger conferences, now features floor-to-ceiling windows with uninterrupted views of the seafront and new interiors.

As part of Brighton's "CIty Plan", it has been proposed that the building be knocked down to make way of an extension to the Churchill Square shopping centre.[7]

Notable events

Bing Crosby's final performance was at the Brighton Centre on 10 October 1977. He died of a heart attack four days later, while at a golf tournament in Spain.

In 2003 and 2004, it hosted the 2003 and 2004 British Open snooker, from November 8 to 16.

Since 2007, it has been host to the Premier League Darts.

References

  1. 1 2 "Our Commitment", Brighton Centre
  2. 1 2 "Facelift for Brighton Centre". The Argus. 6 January 2012. Retrieved February 2013.
  3. "The Brighton Centre", theatresonline.com
  4. "Seafront venue marks anniversary", BBC News, 30 July 2007
  5. Antram, Nicholas; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2013). Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove. The Buildings of England. London: Yale University Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-300-18473-0.
  6. "A new future for the Brighton Centre", Brighton & Hove City Council
  7. "REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION INTO THE BRIGHTON and HOVE CITY PLAN PART ONE" (PDF). Brighton & Hove City Council. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.

External links

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