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Pictures by Finley Sampson , Mash Productions
Rees said the decision was a “ key moment ” not just for ExCeL but for its customers and the entire UK events industry .
“ The expansion of ExCeL will ensure that London and the UK remains internationally competitive and a destination of choice for world leading events , for years to come . Moreover , this investment will ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of our customers by providing opportunities for growth , complimented by a world class guest experience ,” he said .
Following an initial expansion of the venue in 2010 , including the opening of London ’ s International Convention Centre ( ICC ), it has been a long-term ambition to further extend ExCeL to meet increased demand .
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Substantial investment Development will see an additional 25,000 sqm of event space , with 12,000 sqm of exhibition space on the ground floor , and integrated into the existing venue .
Substantial investment will be made in greenery along the dock edge , improved landscaping , and a new pocket park . The extension will increase overall floorspace by 25 %, enabling ExCeL ’ s customers to grow their events in a world class environment .
In July ExCeL was certified a carbon neutral venue .
Sustainability organisation Carbon Saver awarded the venue the PAS 2060 certification after reaching a raft of sustainability goals . The venue uses 100 % renewable electricity , installed fountains to reduce plastic and operates a zero waste-to-landfill policy .
It is also home to the UK ’ s largest wormery .
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“ It is changing what we do as a campus and suddenly we have a whole leisure offering .”
Elizabeth line More than a month of revolutionised journey times to the venue has made it a far more appealing destination for visitors .
Norman says : “ The Elizabeth line changes us from being a necessity destination with the DLR where we host over 4m visitors at 400 events . We have been predominantly a trade show business with a few highprofile consumer events .
“ The Elizabeth line makes us a leisure destination , so with capacity we have and know how of running events , it ’ s a natural fit .”
Venue sources said the
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there had already been a noticeable difference to bookings , with one large international show remaining in the UK purely based on the ease of connectivity .
Calendar juggling The new ventures do present difficulties in finding space in the exhibition calendar to host three-month runs , but the venue is still committed to their core market .
“ One of the biggest challenges we have is finding the space to to have long term tenancies ,” Norman said . “ Which is why we have been looking at the campus and investing and developing our dock edge – creating a series of new spaces which will allow us to host a lot more immersive experiences .”
With new experiences , redevelopment and connection ExCeL is roaring into the future . EN
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October — 49 |