What Cambridge Corn Exchange does

Cambridge Corn Exchange is a historic live entertainment venue in central Cambridge, United Kingdom, operating since 1875 as part of the city's civic and cultural infrastructure. Built originally as a corn trading hall and redesigned for entertainment use after 1965, it is owned and operated by Cambridge City Council as a not-for-profit cultural asset, with a 1,500-seat main auditorium and a secondary Guildhall venue in Market Square. The venue programmes a multi-format calendar of concerts, comedy, theatre, dance, family events, and community workshops, including high-profile touring acts (e.g., Don Broco, Ricky Gervais, Burn the Floor) alongside grassroots and youth productions such as Summer on Stage.

The business operates an event-driven GTM motion with diversified revenue streams: primary ticket sales (ranging from £11 workshop tickets to £132.50 VIP packages) processed through the Cambridge Live Tickets platform on Spektrix infrastructure, supplemented by venue hire for conferences and private events, a recurring membership programme, gift voucher sales, and corporate sponsorship from partners such as Cambridge BID, Garden House, and Market House. The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean: a Spektrix-powered ticketing back-end, an integrated website and social media presence (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram), a newsletter, and box office and telephone booking channels, with no proprietary technology product.

The venue's strategic agenda centres on heritage and capital renewal rather than scale expansion. The 150th anniversary programme (2025–2026), funded by a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, delivered the 'A Stage in Time' exhibition, a community open day, and 60 school workshops, while a Civic Quarter redevelopment planning approval (March 2026) sets up major auditorium, backstage, sustainability, and accessibility upgrades potentially beginning in 2027. Customer concentration is low given the long-tail consumer base, with diversified segments across general public attendees, corporate/private event organisers, families and youth, and community/school partners.

Name

Cambridge Corn Exchange

Legal name

Cambridge City Council

Website

https://cornex.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cambridge Corn Exchange is a 1,500-seat historic live entertainment venue in central Cambridge, UK, operated by Cambridge City Council. It programmes concerts, comedy, theatre, dance, and community events, monetised via ticketing, venue hire, membership, and sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Live entertainment venue
• Concert hall
• Comedy shows
• Theatre performances
• Venue hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for live entertainment events including concerts, comedy shows, theatre productions, dance performances, and workshops. Tickets range from approximately £11 to £132.50 depending on event type and seating.
2. Venue Hire: The venue is available for private hire, conferences, and corporate events, generating revenue from rental of the facility and associated services.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership program offering perks and benefits to supporters in exchange for membership fees.
4. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for entertainment experiences at the venue.
5. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship arrangements including support from organizations like Cambridge BID, Garden House, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cambridge Corn Exchange operates a historic approximately 1,500-seat live entertainment venue in central Cambridge, presenting a year-round programme of music concerts, comedy, theatre, dance, workshops, and community events. The venue sells tickets via its Cambridge Live Tickets platform and also offers venue hire for conferences and private events, alongside a Summer on Stage youth theatre programme, gift vouchers, membership, and donations. The Guildhall is operated as a secondary event space.

Product overview

Cambridge Corn Exchange operates a portfolio of live entertainment venues and services in Cambridge. The core offering centers on the historic Cambridge Corn Exchange (approximately 1,500-seat venue) and The Guildhall as secondary event spaces, providing ticketing through Cambridge Live Tickets for concerts, comedy, theatre, dance, and community events. Additional services include venue hire for conferences and private events, the Summer on Stage youth theatre program, gift vouchers, membership subscriptions, and donation support. The venue also maintains a 150th anniversary heritage exhibition and community engagement initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cambridge Corn Exchange Venue The principal historic live entertainment venue, an approximately 1,500-seat auditorium in central Cambridge, hosting concerts, comedy, theatre, dance, and community events, operated by Cambridge City Council.
• The Guildhall

Named customers6 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

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DanceEastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Partnership for 150th Anniversary Performance on 6 November 2025, where 342 local young people performed on stage. DanceEast shared passion and expertise with pupils across the city.
• Cambridge Literary FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Collaborated on creative writing project with local schools inspired by the building's history, resulting in the book 'Exchanging Stories' celebrating the past, present and future of the historic building.
• Cambridge BIDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Supporting the venue's 150th anniversary year and various events. Cambridge BID is a collaboration of 1,000 Cambridge businesses working together to promote and improve the city.
• Market HouseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2024Partnership with local independent Cambridge restaurant offering pre-show dining options for Corn Exchange audiences. Market House provides vibrant British and Asian menus located minutes from the venue.
• Garden House at Graduate CambridgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive 20% off dining offer for Cambridge Corn Exchange ticket holders at Garden House restaurant, a 7-minute walk from the venue featuring grill-focused local cuisine.
• SpektrixcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party ticketing system provider used by Cambridge Live Tickets. Card details and personal information may be passed to Spektrix for processing transactions.
• Cambridge City CouncilcoreOthersCambridge Corn Exchange is operated by not-for-profit Cambridge City Council Cultural Services. The council provides operational support and governance for the venue.
• Local Cambridge SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with schools including North Cambridge Academy, Milton Road Primary School, Arbury Primary School, Castle School, and Trumpington Community College for 150th anniversary workshops and performances.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Barbican Centre: Major London performing arts centre operated by the City of London. Comparable as a publicly-operated multi-arts venue hosting theatre, music, comedy and cinema, but at much larger scale and broader programming.
• Royal Albert Hall: Iconic 5,000+ seat London concert hall and registered charity. Comparable as a heritage civic concert venue with broad live entertainment programming, but at much larger scale and brand reach.

Direct peers

• The Junction (Cambridge): Cambridge-based multi-venue live entertainment complex (J1 ~1,800 capacity; J2/J3 smaller). Closest direct local competitor for music and comedy programming in the same Cambridge market.
• Symphony Hall (Birmingham): 2,262-seat concert venue in Birmingham run by Town Hall Symphony Hall charity. Closely comparable in scale, civic-operating model and broad live entertainment programming.
• The Anvil (Basingstoke): 1,400-seat civic concert and conference venue in Basingstoke operated by a charitable trust. Highly comparable mid-sized regional venue hosting music, comedy and conferences.
• The Apex (Bury St Edmunds): ~700-seat regional concert venue in East Anglia run by a charitable trust. Comparable as a mid-size publicly-supported UK concert venue offering similar music, comedy and community programming.
• The Bridgewater Hall: Manchester's 2,300-seat international concert venue operated as a registered charity. Comparable as a publicly-supported civic concert hall hosting orchestral, pop, comedy and community programming.
• Cambridge Arts Theatre: Historic 666-seat theatre in central Cambridge hosting touring drama, comedy, and music. Direct peer given shared Cambridge catchment and overlapping live entertainment programming model.
• Winding Wheel (Chesterfield): Mid-sized council-run entertainment venue in Chesterfield hosting concerts, comedy and community events. Comparable in civic-operating model and mid-scale regional programming.
• Ipswich Regent Theatre: 1,500-seat East Anglian theatre hosting touring music, comedy and pantomime. Direct comparable in scale and East Anglian regional positioning to Cambridge Corn Exchange.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CambridgeCornEx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Cambridgecornex
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cambridgecornexchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/cambridgecornex
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridge-corn-exchange

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cambridge Corn Exchange