Bournemouth International Centre

What Bournemouth International Centre does

Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) is a multi-purpose entertainment and conference venue in central Bournemouth on the South Coast of England, operating since September 1984. It is owned by BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council) and managed by BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise, under a public-private partnership in place since 2010. The venue features four main auditorium spaces — including the 6,200-capacity Windsor Hall standing arena — plus multiple smaller event spaces (Purbeck Hall, Tregonwell Hall, Solent Hall, and the 256m² Bourne Lounge), and operates a 644-space cashless multi-storey car park.

The venue serves two distinct customer bases: enterprise clients booking conferences, exhibitions and corporate events (charities, trade unions, professional associations, government bodies, and corporate organisers) and individual ticket-buying consumers attending live entertainment. Recent capital investments totalling £4.4M+ from BCP Council and BH Live have delivered state-of-the-art digital screens, AV technology, enterprise-grade WiFi, LED lighting, and refurbished meeting spaces, alongside accessibility infrastructure including the Sennheiser MobileConnect hearing assistance system and the BH Live Access Scheme. Additional on-site revenue lines include the Elevate Brasserie & Bar (opened July 2023), the seasonal Cool Coast Ice Rink, and digital signage/advertising.

BIC's revenue model is anchored on five streams: ticket sales for live entertainment, venue hire for conferences and exhibitions, food and beverage, parking, and sponsorship/advertising. Distribution combines a dedicated B2B Conference & Exhibitions sales team (with trade show presence at The Meetings Show and partnerships with Business Events Bournemouth and Coastal BID) and a multi-channel B2C box office (online, phone, in-person). The venue attracts 300,000+ visitors annually and welcomes 63,000 conference delegates, contributing an estimated £21 million in annual economic benefit to the local area — a 16% increase year-on-year.

Name

Bournemouth International Centre

Legal name

BH Live

Website

https://bic.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bournemouth International Centre is a multi-purpose 6,200-capacity venue in Bournemouth, UK, operated by charity BH Live on behalf of BCP Council, hosting conferences, exhibitions, concerts, and seasonal attractions for enterprise clients and live entertainment consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conference and Entertainment Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Conference venue hire
• Live entertainment venue
• Exhibition hosting services
• Event ticketing services
• Hospitality dining services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bournemouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for concerts, live entertainment, comedy, family shows, and sporting/darts events sold primarily through the venue's own box office (online, phone, in-person) and third-party ticketing platforms. Ticket prices range from £23.50 to £69.00 depending on the event.
2. Conference and Exhibition Venue Hire: Revenue from renting the venue's conference rooms, exhibition halls, and event spaces to corporate clients, trade unions, professional associations, government organisations, and event promoters. The venue hosts political conferences, trade union congresses, medical conferences, and trade exhibitions.
3. Food and Beverage: Revenue from Elevate Brasserie & Bar (open seven days a week, 11am-10pm), pop-up food stalls at events (hot dogs, nachos, pies), and bar concessions throughout the venue. The brasserie has welcomed over 20,000 visitors since opening in July 2023.
4. Parking: Revenue from the venue's own cashless multi-storey car park with 644 spaces. The car park operates with ticket-on-arrival and pay-before-exiting system.
5. Sponsorship and Advertising: Revenue from digital screens and signage throughout the venue that provide clients with branded event experiences and sponsorship/advertising opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bournemouth International Centre is a multi-purpose event venue in central Bournemouth offering four main auditorium spaces (including a 6,200-capacity standing arena) plus multiple smaller meeting and event spaces. It provides venue hire for conferences, exhibitions, concerts, comedy and live entertainment, alongside ancillary services such as ticket sales, on-site food and beverage (Elevate Brasserie & Bar), seasonal attractions (Cool Coast Ice Rink), and a 644-space car park.

Product overview

Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) is a multi-purpose venue operated by BH Live in partnership with BCP Council, featuring four main auditorium spaces (including the 6,200-capacity Windsor Hall) and multiple smaller event spaces. The venue offers a diverse portfolio including live entertainment (concerts, comedy, theatre), conferences and exhibitions, seasonal attractions (Cool Coast Ice Rink, Bournevaria Oktoberfest), and dining (Elevate Brasserie & Bar). Accessibility services include the BH Live Access Scheme and Sennheiser MobileConnect hearing assistance technology. The venue generates significant economic impact, attracting over 300,000 visitors annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 63,000 conference delegates welcomed annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting.

• PLUS1minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 September 2025PLUS1 is an organisation committed to supporting charitable causes worldwide. The Rest Is Politics live show partnered with PLUS1, donating £1 from every ticket sold to The Twinning Project, which pairs professional football clubs with prisons to reduce re-offending.
• The Australian Pink Floyd ShowminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 November 2023The Australian Pink Floyd Show performed at the BIC in December 2023, with the venue hosting a special exhibit of Pink Floyd memorabilia including the 1973 original Dark Side of the Moon sound system used by Pink Floyd.
• BH LivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBH Live is a registered charity and social enterprise that operates the Bournemouth International Centre in partnership with BCP Council. Since 2010, BH Live has managed the venue and invested in upgrades. Any surplus revenue generated through commercial activity is reinvested back into the local community to improve public facilities and services. BH Live also operates Fairfield Halls in Croydon in partnership with Croydon Council.
• BCP CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council) is the owner of the Bournemouth International Centre and operates it in partnership with BH Live. The council has made several investments in the venue including LED lighting installations, solar PV panels, and most recently £1.8 million for conferencing upgrades.
• Business Events BournemouthsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Events Bournemouth is the region's business tourism bureau, venue and hotel finder. BH Live's team at the BIC works closely with this organisation to attract major events to the area.
• Coastal BIDsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCoastal BID (Business Improvement District) works in partnership with the BIC to support local business events and attract visitors to the coastal area. A new mural celebrating Bournemouth's iconic music moments was produced in partnership with Coastal BID.
• TEG Live Europe / TEG Life Like TouringsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerTEG Live Europe and TEG Life Like Touring partnered with DreamWorks Animation and Universal Destinations & Experiences to bring Gabby's Dollhouse Live! to the UK, with the BIC hosting the UK premiere season in April 2026.
• DreamWorks Animation / Universal Destinations & ExperiencessupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDreamWorks Animation and Universal Destinations & Experiences licensed the Gabby's Dollhouse IP to TEG for a UK live stage tour, with Bournemouth International Centre hosting the UK premiere season.
• LIVE TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLIVE Trust (Charity Number 1211251) receives £1 from every ticket sold on selected tours, including Marilyn Manson and Suede/Manic Street Preachers. The fund protects, expands and supports grassroots music in the UK.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NEC (National Exhibition Centre): The NEC in Birmingham is the UK's largest exhibition venue, hosting major trade shows, conferences, and live entertainment. It competes with BIC for large-scale conferences and corporate events, with greater scale and Birmingham's central UK location.
• ExCeL London: ExCeL London is one of the UK's largest exhibition and convention venues, hosting conferences, trade shows, and corporate events. It directly competes with BIC for national and international conference business, with a significantly larger footprint and London transport connectivity.
• Barbican Centre: The Barbican Centre in London is a major arts and conference centre hosting conferences, exhibitions, and live performances. It overlaps with BIC's conference and live entertainment segments but with a stronger arts and cultural programming focus.

Direct peers

• Fairfield Halls (Croydon): Fairfield Halls is operated by the same parent entity (BH Live) in partnership with Croydon Council, hosting concerts, comedy, and conferences. It is a directly comparable venue in BH Live's portfolio, providing a useful internal benchmark for venue operations.
• The Brighton Centre: The Brighton Centre is a South Coast conference and entertainment venue directly comparable to BIC. Both compete for conferences, exhibitions, and live entertainment on England's South Coast with similar capacity profiles.
• ACC Liverpool: ACC Liverpool is a waterfront conference and event venue in Liverpool. It directly competes with BIC for UK regional conferences, corporate events, and association bookings, with similar scale and waterfront positioning.
• SEC (Scottish Event Campus): The SEC in Glasgow hosts conferences, exhibitions, and live entertainment across multiple halls including the OVO Hydro arena. It competes with BIC for major touring concerts and large UK association conferences.
• ICC Birmingham (International Convention Centre): The ICC Birmingham is a purpose-built convention centre hosting association conferences, corporate events, and exhibitions. It competes with BIC for the same UK association and professional society conference client base.
• Manchester Central: Manchester Central is a major UK conference and exhibition venue housed in a former railway station. It directly competes with BIC for association conferences, corporate events, and large-scale exhibitions in the UK regional conference market.

Regional players

• First Direct Arena (Leeds): First Direct Arena is a 13,500-capacity entertainment arena in Leeds competing with BIC for touring concerts and live entertainment in the UK regional market. While primarily entertainment-focused rather than conferences, it competes for the same touring artist routing decisions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/BHLiveExperience-BHLiveTickets
• Facebookfacebook.com/BournemouthInternationalCentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/bic-bournemouth
• Instagraminstagram.com/bournemouthinternationalcentre
• Xx.com/bicbournemouth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bournemouth International Centre