pened in February 2022 following an investment of £ 30m , the Winter Gardens Blackpool Conference and Exhibition Centre is a purpose-built events venue aimed at providing a world-class experience for customers from across the UK and the world .

The largest venue of its kind in the North of England , the new Conference and Exhibition Centre is split over two floors , with an exhibition space on the first floor and a conference space with a capacity of 1,200 on the second floor . The flexible event space is ideal for conferences , exhibitions , trade shows , AGMs and any other large-scale events .

With a total of 2,400sqm of dedicated space , the Conference and Exhibition Centre can easily host large events , with the added possibility of working in conjunction with the range of long-standing venues throughout the Winter Gardens complex , giving a total event capacity of over 7,000 .

But with a history dating back over 140 years , it was important to us to ensure the hi-tech facilities were balanced with the heritage values embodied by the complete venue .

Formally opened by the Lord Mayor of London on 11 July 1878 ,

“ The new Conference and Exhibition Centre and Winter Gardens combined provide 12 distinct venues ... offering a total of 4.9 acres of connected space .”

the original Winter Gardens boasted an exotic , glass roofed Floral Hall , indoor and outdoor skating rinks and the Pavilion Hall for special events .

Since then , our entertainment venues , including the iconic Empress Ballroom and Opera House , have hosted everyone from Frank Sinatra and the Rolling Stones to the Stone Roses , Britain ’ s Got Talent and Mamma Mia .

Party ’ s parties

The new multi-million-pound Conference and Exhibition Centre is the first major building development for the Winter Gardens complex since the construction of the Opera House in 1939 .

The £ 30m investment has been applied to ensure a seamless , modern experience , which was brought immediately into focus by the first major event held at the new venue ; the Conservative Party Spring Conference 2022 .

Utilising the Winter Gardens to its full capability , the Conservative Party Conference ’ s main plenary event was supplemented by nine fringe events and an exhibition from a number of other government and related organisations , utilising the connected spaces throughout the complex .

Celebrating the party ’ s return to Blackpool , the main reception held in the Empress Ballroom featured original sea-front illuminations , integrated with the bespoke room décor , to provide an impactful