Liverpool Exhibition Centre · Exhibitor Guide
What UK Exhibitors Need To Know
Liverpool Exhibition Centre is a medium-sized trade show and events venue in England’s North West. It’s a new, modern facility located under the umbrella of the Liverpool Event Campus, which also houses the interconnected ACC Liverpool and Liverpool Area.
On This Page
Table of Contents
The Venue Layout
Key venue facts, operational context, and the details exhibitors should confirm before the brief is locked.
Liverpool’s waterfront is home to more than just an impressive music scene and centuries of maritime history. Here you’ll also find the Liverpool Exhibition Centre, a purpose-built, column-free 8,100 m² exhibition hall that’s as stylish as it is modern.
Venue profile
Liverpool Exhibition Centre sits on Liverpool’s famous waterfront in Northern England.
Event fit
Liverpool Exhibition Centre is a great fit for any small-medium size trade shows and business events in Northern England, catering especially well to buyers in this region as well as nearby Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Address
King’s Dock, Port of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 4FP, United Kingdom.
Main contact
+44 (0)151 475 8888 and guestrelations@lexliverpool.com
Public planning data
Liverpool Exhibition Centre offers up to 8,100 square meters of covered exhibit space across its main hall, which can be subdivided. On-site parking is provided for through the 1,450-space Kings Dock multi-storey car park.
Worth knowing: The main hall has level drive-in access, even when subdivided.
What Liverpool Exhibition Centre Is Best For
A quick view of where the venue is a strong fit and where you may need deeper planning checks.
Liverpool Exhibition Centre is a modern, stylish event space ideal for local and regional trade events requiring professional backdrop. The waterfront setting sets it apart from other UK venues, although the amount of available space to exhibit in is smaller than average.
The Build Process
Move-in planning, approvals, technical coordination, and the operational points most likely to affect delivery.
Move-in
Drive-in access is the primary method of unloading at Liverpool Exhibition Centre. Exhibitors/contractors report to the relevant gatehouse, sign in, and receive a Vehicle ID form to display. Vehicles are held in a holding/marshalling area and released into the bay when space is free.
Because of its location near the city centre, traffic can be common during busy events at Liverpool Exhibition Centre.
Key Practicalities
Exhibitors with small, hand-carried items may park in the multi-storey car park and carry items across, but note the main Galleria doors are typically open only Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00.
Stand Height
Space-only stands higher than 4 metres in height require specific approval, with the absolute maximum set at 6 metres high.
Rigging and technical delivery
Rigging is exclusive to the venue: it is delivered through ECL/ACC Liverpool’s in-house production team, backed by a single nominated “Rigging Services Partner”. You may not do your own rigging, nor may you subcontract rigging out to another service provider. Order rigging online via the LEX Online Order Portal.
Banners are hung by the venue using a keder-rail system and should be ordered at least 14 days before tenancy. All rigging is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Worth knowing: Roof grid capacity is 5 tonnes per 5m×5m grid in Hall C and 3 tonnes per grid in Halls A/B when the main hall is divided.
Build days and deadlines
Two loading routes/bays are used for loading at Liverpool Exhibition Centre, depending on the event: Loading Bay 3 is uncovered with no height limit and a 5mph speed limit. Loading Bay 2 is covered with a 4.3m height limit.
The main build-up hours are 08:00-18:00, so any building and loading outside this window will require special exemption.
Getting To Liverpool Exhibition Centre
Travel context, access planning, and the details most relevant to exhibitors and visitors.
Location
King’s Dock, Port of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 4FP, United Kingdom.
Visitor and team access
Liverpool Exhibition Centre lies at the heart of Liverpool’s historic waterfront and dockyards, so it should not be difficult to locate. Signposts are provisioned around the city to help guide you.
Delivery access to Loading Bay 3 is accessed via Half Tide Wharf, while loading bay 2 is accessed by via Keel Wharf. Note that the venue does NOT provide trolleys, pump trucks or forklifts; these must be arranged in advance.
Wider travel planning
Liverpool Central Station is the nearest train station, located just 20 minutes’ walk away up Hanover Street. However, it is usually more convenient to pass through Liverpool (Lime Street), which is the nearest main hub with a direct link to London. From there, you can transfer to the Merseyrail underground Wirral Line to James Street station, which is only a 10-minute walk away.
For international and regional attendees, both Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport are viable options. A train runs direct from the latter to Liverpool (Lime Street), but your whole journey will take an hour and a half. The former is closer, and is best combined with a taxi or bus.
Car travel to Manchester Central is possible. The on-site Kings Dock car park houses 1,450 bays and is open 24 hours, but free parking is not available.
On-site Services
Utilities, IT, rigging, logistics, AV, and the service categories exhibitors need to factor into the brief.
Exhibition Centre Liverpool features a comprehensive show services suite that includes rigging, catering, and more. You may not provide these yourself or outsource them, since only the venue’s partners have the appropriate licences.
Worth knowing: On-site stand catering is provided by local caterer Horseradish, in partnership with Levy Group. Levy also handle catering at the Birmingham NEC.
Costs To Plan For
Budget planning guidance based on public venue context and the exhibitor workflow.
This section will help you draft a rough budgeting framework for exhibiting at Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Always get in touch with the venue and show organisers for an accurate price list specific to your event.
Stand pricing
Stand pricing at Liverpool Exhibition Centre can vary widely according to the space booked. An exhibition stand builder like Booth Exhibits™ can provide you with a final stand costing upfront.
Budget drivers
Stand size, brief complexity, travel costs, logistics, AV, IT, and show services all contribute.
Utilities and power
Like most other UK venues, these are ordered separately through Liverpool Exhibition Centre’s preferred suppliers. Supply is 230V single-phase / 400V three-phase.
Rigging
Exhibition Centre Liverpool handles rigging internally; get in touch with the venue to help build out your budget.
Wi-Fi / IT
Free WiFi is available throughout the venue, but more reliable connections with higher bandwidth are available at cost.
Furniture
Furniture costs depend on your booth specifications. Contact your exhibition stand designer/builder for more information.
Hotels and travel
The Leonardo Hotel Liverpool, Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre, and The Baltic Hotel are all located nearby on the waterfront. Other options are available further into the city.
Cleaning / support
Basic vacuuming and waste collection comes free of charge when exhibiting at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre. Deeper cleaning is available for an added fee.
Insurance / compliance
Third-party insurance providers can supply an accurate insurance estimate for your specific Liverpool show.
Contingency
A contingency reserve is useful to help offset the impact of late technical orders, delays, and supply errors.
Working rule
Reference your exhibitor manual and contact the Exhibition Centre Liverpool show services team to help you build an accurate budget, line-by-line.
Liverpool Exhibition Centre vs Other Major UK Venues
A high-level comparison of the venue’s strongest planning advantages.
Exhibition Centre Liverpool’s direct competitor is the nearby Manchester Central, with which it competes for a share of the North West’s buyer population at business events. However, both of these venues are quite different.
Age
The Liverpool Exhibition Centre is a new event space built just over a decade ago. It features a stylish exterior in-line with other modern UK event spaces like the ExCeL London and the NEC, unlike the historic Manchester Central with its barrel-vaulted roof.
Size
Liverpool Exhibition Centre alone offers a small canvas for trade shows and conferences. With only 8,100 square metres to work with spread across three subdivisions, Manchester Central offers more exhibit space for bigger event setups and crowds. Bigger still is the NEC, which dwarfs this Liverpool venue by a few magnitudes.
Liverpool Exhibition Centre and Booth Exhibits™
Booth Exhibits™ supports exhibitors at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre with custom exhibition stands, modular system builds, shell-scheme upgrades, and branded conference environments, handling both the visual impact and the practical delivery the venue demands.
Exhibitor Templates
Working planning templates based on the venue and exhibitor information currently available.
Exhibitor timeline
Early planning
Secure a copy of your show’s exhibitor manual and confirm deadlines and what you’ll actually need.
Early design stage
Align with your preferred stand builder and on a booth concept, drafting your floor plan for the show.
Technical planning
Finalise and approve a list of required service features including rigging, power supply, catering, booth cleaning, and/or internet connection.
Design sign-off
Approve a final booth design from your designer and source staff for the show.
Final approvals
Submit the final designs for approval to the show organisers in Liverpool.
Early logistics
Book hotels and secure final transport into and out of Liverpool on your show’s build-up and breakdown days.
Pre-show ops
Hire or purchase loading equipment like trolleys or pump trucks.
Build-up
On-site teams handle the build-up in accordance with the relevant Liverpool Exhibition Centre regulations on health and safety.
Breakdown
Secure removal, logistics, and team movement according to the organiser’s breakdown schedule.
Stand checklist
- Stand /design format confirmed against the Liverpool Exhibition Centre show brief and reviewed by safety inspectors.
- Exhibition Centre Liverpool show manual reviewed for venue-service requirements.
- AV, utilities, IT, and rigging scoped through the Liverpool Exhibition Centre service providers.
- Travel, hotel, and staffing plan aligned to the correct Liverpool Exhibition Centre hall subdivision, safety requirements, and train stations.
Risk assessment template
Technical services not scoped early
Initial risk: High. Control measure: align desired AV, utilities, IT, and rigging through the Liverpool Exhibition Centre service providers before final design sign-off.
Connectivity assumptions
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: assess and confirm whether your display requires stable high-speed internet and place an order if you do.
Logistics rules assumed
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: confirm all loading, storage, and freight requirements with the info inside the show manual.
Missing organiser deadlines
Initial risk: High. Control measure: treat the live Liverpool Exhibition Centre show manual as the only reliable deadline source and set deadlines in your calendar.
Budget under-scoped
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: include venue services, logistics, travel, and contingency/insurance in your working estimations.
Wrong entrance planning
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: align staff and clients on the correct entrance in advance as they differ by hall.
Accommodation pressure
Initial risk: Low. Control measure: consider making early bookings at nearby hotels for event teams.
Late venue-service ordering
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: set an alarm in your calendar and check up on payments with your accounting department.
Unsupported public claims
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: contact Liverpool Exhibition Centre and show representatives directly for a final alignment on costings, before publishing your budget.
Quick Reference
Fast facts for stakeholders reviewing venue fit and delivery constraints.
Venue
Liverpool Exhibition Centre (part of the Liverpool Experience Campus).
Address
King’s Dock, Port of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 4FP, United Kingdom.
Main contact
+44 (0)151 475 8888 and guestrelations@lexliverpool.com
Nearest stations
Liverpool Central.
Internal distances
End-to-end, Liverpool Exhibition Centre measures under 170 metres at its widest points. It should only take a few minutes to get from one end to the other on foot.
Nearby hotels
The Leonardo Hotel Liverpool, Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre, and The Baltic Hotel.
Transport modes
Train, walking and cycling, road/car, bus, motorcycle.
Service categories
Rigging, AV, utilities/electrical, catering, cleaning.
Public stand pricing
£5,000-25,000.
Best fit
Small-medium exhibitions, conferences, and other high-footfall events.
Commercial angle
Strong fit for custom stands, modular systems, shell-scheme upgrades, and branded conference environments.
Planning approach
Use your show’s exhibitor manual to determine delivery.
Connectivity warning
Free venue Wi-Fi won’t support business-critical stand activity, so order a dedicated wired connection separately.
Venue scale
8,100 square metres across two main halls and multiple supporting suites.
Location
King’s Dock, Liverpool.
Review date
Updated from official venue and workflow sources on 25 July 2026.