NEC Group
| Company type | Exhibition venue |
|---|---|
| Industry | Exhibition and events |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Marston Green , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Owner | NEC Group |
| Website | www |
The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) stands as a prominent exhibition venue situated in Marston Green, in close proximity to Birmingham and Solihull. It is strategically located near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, adjacent to both Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International railway station. The NEC was officially opened in 1976 by Queen Elizabeth II.
History
Originally, plans placed the NEC near junction 21 of the M1 motorway close to Leicester, but this proposal was declined by Leicestershire County Council due to apprehensions that major events would remain concentrated in London.
In November 1971, outline planning permission for the NEC in Birmingham received approval from the Secretary of State for the Environment. Construction commenced on 16 February 1973, with then Prime Minister Edward Heath presiding over the groundbreaking. The project was carried out by RM Douglas (currently known as Tilbury Douglas) and designed by architect Edward Mills. The NEC officially opened its doors on 2 February 1976, quickly becoming a central hub for exhibitions and conferences across the United Kingdom.
Development of the facility
December 1980 saw the opening of the NEC’s seventh hall, a versatile indoor arena initially named the Birmingham International Arena and now known as BP Pulse Live.
On 23 March 1989, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled three additional halls. Subsequently, four more halls were introduced in 1993, followed by another set of four halls designed by Seymour Harris and constructed by John Laing in January 1998.
From 2006 until 2011, a comprehensive £40 million enhancement programme was undertaken to upgrade parking facilities, signage, seating arrangements, and catering services.
Exhibitions
The NEC comprises 18 interconnected halls offering extensive floor space, complemented by 32 conference suites and a versatile area spanning 440 acres. It has hosted significant events including the British International Motor Show and Crufts.
The venue provides parking for up to 16,500 vehicles, supported by a complimentary shuttle bus service linking various car parks.
NEC Group
The NEC Group, which owns the venue, also manages Arena Birmingham and ICC Birmingham located in central Birmingham, alongside bp pulse LIVE at the NEC site.
In 2014, ownership of NEC Group was put up for sale by Birmingham City Council. Following a shortlisting process involving three bidders, Lloyds Development Capital acquired the group in January 2015 for £307 million. Later, in October 2018, Blackstone purchased NEC Group from Lloyds Development Capital for an estimated £800 million.
Emergency hospital
Beginning April 2020, the NEC served as the location for NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham, an emergency medical facility intended to open on 10 April and admit patients starting from 12 April as part of the NHS Nightingale initiative responding to the COVID-19 crisis. This hospital ceased operations on 1 April 2021 without having admitted any patients.