Member Article

Liverpool conference and events venue achieves record turnover

ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre, Echo Arena, and from next year, Exhibition Centre Liverpool, has delivered a turnover of £15.4 million, compared to just over £14.7 million for the previous 12 month period.

Figures are based on audited accounts for the year ended March 31 2014, and represent the venue’s highest annual turnover since opening in 2008. Profit before tax saw a 25 per cent increase on last year to £380,000.

Highlights during the same period included the Audi UK National Forum, BBC Worldwide Showcase, Diabetes UK and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists World Congress.

A total of 87,000 delegates were welcomed to 105 conferences, generating £137m in economic benefit to the city. Echo Arena attracted 443,000 visitors to 72 events including Arctic Monkeys, Strictly Come Dancing, Russell Brand and the World Karate Championships.

Bob Prattey, chief executive of ACC Liverpool, said: “We are pleased to confirm another successful financial year for ACC Liverpool, taking our total economic impact since opening to £860 million.

“2015 will be a significant year for us with the opening of our new exhibition centre and integrated Pullman hotel.

“The development will enable us to host consumer and trade exhibitions as well as increasing the number of national and international conferences and major entertainment events.

“We will be the only purpose-built integrated arena, convention and exhibition centre in Europe and the newest facility of its kind in the UK.

“Meanwhile we are continuing to invest in our existing venue and have made sizeable enhancements including the refurbishment of VIP boxes in the arena, Wi-Fi upgrades, a wider range of technical equipment and changes to our galleria. These improvements are set to continue.”

Revenues for the current financial year (2014 – 15) continue to look strong and ACC Liverpool is expecting to exceed the turnover figures achieved in 2013 – 14.

Forthcoming conference highlights for next year include the Liberal Democrats spring conference, the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology and the return of BBC Worldwide Showcase for the fourth time. Arena highlights include Strictly Come Dancing, Lionel Richie and Disney on Ice.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .