World Exhibitions Trade Fairs, Conferences, Seminars, Workshop Business Directory
Venue Name: Business Design Centre
Category: Venue
Location: Business Design Centre – 52 Upper St, London N1 0QH, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7288 6475
Email: digital[at]bdc.london
www: businessdesigncentre.co.uk
Timings: 08:00 AM – 22:00 PM
Business Design Centre London: About
The Business Design Centre is a Grade II listed building located between Upper Street and Liverpool Road in the district of Islington in London, England. It was opened in 1862, originally named the Agricultural Hall and from 1884 the Royal Agricultural Hall, for holding agricultural shows. It was the home of the Royal Smithfield Club’s Smithfield Show from 1862 to 1938. It hosted the Royal Tournament from its inauguration in 1880 until the event became too large for the venue and moved to Olympia in the early years of the 20th century. It hosted the first Crufts dog show in 1891.
During the Second World War, the hall was commandeered by the Government, and from 1943, following the destruction of Mount Pleasant sorting office in an air raid, the parcels depot was moved to the hall. The hall then remained unused and empty until it was converted to its present use as the Business Design Centre in 1986.
History:
It’s been a long journey to become the iconic venue we know today…
The Business Design Centre began back in 1862, as the Agricultural Hall. The building was originally designed to house the ever-growing Smithfield Cattle Club Show; it was the perfect site for it – three acres of unoccupied land on Upper Street. The large indoor space, with an enormous single-span roof was tailor-made for agricultural shows, with a record attendance over one event of 134,669 guests.
Over the coming years the venue welcomed many different events, and became such a success that its patronage soon earned it the ‘royal’ prefix. Circuses, balls, military tournaments, walking races and motor shows made the Royal Agricultural Hall an early destination for events in London.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, such activities were brought to an end and after being requisitioned by the Post Office in 1943, the building fell into neglect.
In the 1980s, Sam Morris from the Business Design Centre Group identified the potential of the Islington site and rescued it from demolition. He set about restoring the building to its former greatness. In October 1986, the new Business Design Centre opened for business.
Since opening, the Business Design Centre has welcomed an incredible variety of events. From conferences, awards and galas, to exhibitions, launches, and fundraisers. Some of the most long-standing shows include the London Art Fair, The Country Living Fairs and New Designers, all organised by the now Immediate Media. These multi-day exhibitions welcome tens of thousands of visitors from both across the country and globe. The initial concept of the Business Design Centre being a destination for the design industry to meet and grow has been renewed in recent years with a range of events including the Surface Design Show, HIX – the Hotel Design event of the year and the Workspace Design Show, among others. Tech has become a strong focus in the portfolio of conferences, including the large scale Devoxx UK and Droidcon events that have been hosted annually at the venue for many years.
