With 100 days to go to the opening of Exhibition Centre Liverpool, all eyes were on the city’s waterfront and the Three Queens shipping spectacular.
The Three Cunard Queens – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – met on the River Mersey for the first time making maritime history.
They met at the mouth of the River Mersey before sailing in formation towards ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre, Echo Arena and the forthcoming Exhibition Centre Liverpool opening in September.
Bob Prattey, ACC Liverpool chief executive, said: “The eyes of the world were on Liverpool’s waterfront for this magnificent event, with more than 1m visitors expected in the city.
“We were honoured that the ships sailed towards our venue and with just 100 days to go until we open the new Exhibition Centre Liverpool, this was a perfect opportunity to unveil our new waterfront addition.”
The venue will feature an atrium glazed with waterfront views as well as food and beverage outlets, multiple meeting rooms, external balconies and exhibition area and a business centre. An 8,100 sqm exhibition hall can be used as a single building or divided into three. It will more than double the existing 7,125 sqm at ACC Liverpool to 15,225 sqm of integrated and flexible event facilities.
It will be capable of hosting trade and consumer exhibitions; large national and international conferences with attached exhibitions; large scale banquets; concerts and sporting events on a national and international scale.
A combination of consumer and trade events are confirmed including the North of England’s Largest Antiques and Collectors Fair; Bliss Wedding Shows’ The Liverpool Wedding Show and the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers FPS Expo.
The £40m Exhibition Centre Liverpool will include a £26m integrated 216-room Pullman hotel which is taking bookings from January next year. Both will be interconnected to ACC Liverpool via a pedestrian link bridge.
Conferences include RenewableUK in October this year and the European Association for International Education (EAIE) in September 2016.
