Scottish Event Campus · Exhibitor Guide
What UK Exhibitors Need To Know
Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus (SEC) is Scotland’s premier event space, hosting everything from trade shows and conferences to concerts and sports games. It draws upon a unique local audience not found elsewhere in the UK, resulting in unique experiences not found elsewhere.
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.
The SEC is a stylish, multi-purpose event space on Glasgow’s iconic River Clyde. It houses three main sub-venues: the SEC Centre, the SEC Armadillo, and the Ovo Hydro arena. The SEC Centre is mainly used for trade show and conference events, and is subdivided into five interconnected halls and 30 meeting rooms.
Venue profile
The SEC is located on the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland.
Event fit
The SEC is the largest event space in Scotland, and is the logical choice for any trade events targeting Scottish buyers.
Address
Exhibition Way, Finnieston, Glasgow, G3 8YW, United Kingdom.
Main contact
+44 (0)141 248 3000 and info@sec.co.uk
Public planning data
The SEC Centre alone offers a total of ~23,000 square meters of covered exhibit space across all five of its halls. The interconnected OVO Hydro arena and SEC Armadillo auditorium add to that figure, with a total combined floor footprint across all three spaces of ~50,000 square metres.
On-site parking is provided by the Glasgow City Council through a multi-storey car park.
Worth knowing: The SEC main hall has level drive-in access, even when subdivided.
What The SEC Is Best For
A quick view of where the venue is a strong fit and where you may need deeper planning checks.
Glasgow’s SEC is a comprehensive events venue ideal for local and regional trade events in Scotland. Exhibit space may be less than the major UK venues found in England, but is still competitive regionally when compared against Manchester Central and the Liverpool Exhibition Centre.
The Build Process
Move-in planning, approvals, technical coordination, and the operational points most likely to affect delivery.
Move-in
Goods access to the SEC’s exhibition halls is via a gated service yard with a 4.0m height restriction, feeding service lifts into the halls. Because access is via service yard and lifts rather than direct roll-in to every hall, exhibitors should plan carefully for oversized items.
Because of its location near the city centre, traffic can be common during busy events at the SEC. The venue falls within the Glasgow City Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) as of 2023, and non-compliant vehicles are charged accordingly.
Key Practicalities
A traffic marshal books vehicles in, calls them forward to the access point to load/unload, and then directs them to move to a designated car park.
Stand Height
Space-only stands are usually capped at 4 metres in height, but this can vary depending on your SEC event and what hall you’re in. Always request venue approval first before approving a strand design taller than 4 metres.
Rigging and technical delivery
Rigging at the SEC is controlled by the in-house Technical Services department. Orders must be placed within 14 days of build-up with a full description of items, dimensions, and so on.
Late orders attract a 25% surcharge and are subject to availability. Payment must be received in advance.
Worth knowing: Almost all rigging at the SEC is done through the venue partners. Outsourcing your own rigging is only permissible with SEC approval.
Build days and deadlines
The SEC service yard is the primary method for loading and unloading during build days. There is a 4.0m height limit and engines must be switched off when vehicles are idle.
The main build-up hours are usually set by the organiser, but 07:00-21:00 is a common SEC timeslot. Building outside this period or overnight is prohibited.
Getting To The SEC
Travel context, access planning, and the details most relevant to exhibitors and visitors.
Location
Exhibition Way, Finnieston, Glasgow, G3 8YW, United Kingdom.
Visitor and team access
Signposts are placed around Glasgow to help guide you to the SEC, which is situated on the River Clyde. The distinctive SEC Armadillo is hard to miss.
Delivery access is just off the Clydeside Expressway (A814) using Stobcross Road.
Wider travel planning
The campus has its own dedicated station, Exhibition Centre, on the Argyle Line. From there, it’s a 4-minute covered walk across the bridge from the concourse. Trains run every 10 minutes or so from Glasgow Central, the nearest hub with a link to London.
For international and regional attendees, Glasgow Airport (GLA) is 8 miles to the west. From here, it’s best to take a bus or taxi that will get you to the SEC in under 30 minutes.
Car travel to the SEC is possible thanks to the nearby multi-storey car park on Stobcross road with 1,600. Glasgow LEZ charges apply to any non-compliant motor vehicles.
On-site Services
Utilities, IT, rigging, logistics, AV, and the service categories exhibitors need to factor into the brief.
The SEC’s show-services suite is a mix of exclusive/in-house, preferred-supplier and third-party-permitted services. Contact the venue services team for a precise list of what is covered by who.
Worth knowing: On-site stand catering is provided by SEC Food 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 the Scottish Event Campus. Always get in touch with the venue and show organisers for an accurate price list specific to your event.
Stand pricing
Stand pricing at the SEC depends on the size of the space booked along with your desired booth features. An exhibition stand builder like Booth Exhibits™ can provide you with a final stand costing upfront.
Budget drivers
Stand size, brief complexity, travel costs/LEZ charges, logistics, AV, IT, and show services all contribute.
Utilities and power
SEC is the sole agent for the installation of Electrical Mains. These are ordered from technical services.
Rigging
Rigging is provided internally by the SEC team; banners can cost upward of £160.
Wi-Fi / IT
Free WiFi is available throughout the venue, but more reliable connections with higher bandwidth are available to purpose from SEConnect.
Furniture
Furniture costs depend on your booth specifications. Get in touch with your exhibition stand designer/builder for more information.
Hotels and travel
Crowne Plaza Glasgow is the closest, situated right next to the campus. Radisson RED Glasgow, Hilton Garden Inn Glasgow City Centre, and Moxy Glasgow are all good picks.
Cleaning / support
Basic cleaning is included at the SEC for walkways and general areas. Specific stand 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
Allow for late surcharges, forklift hire, storage, and potential LEZ charges.
Working rule
Reference your exhibitor manual and contact the SEC show services team to help you build an accurate budget, line-by-line.
The SEC vs Other Major UK Venues
A high-level comparison of the venue’s strongest planning advantages.
As far as Scottish venues go, the SEC has no direct competition. Within the UK in general, its closest equivalent would be Manchester Central with its similar size footprint. However, Manchester Central boasts some impressive historic architecture that the SEC does not.
Location
The SEC is the largest event space in Scotland and gives exhibitors access to Scottish buyers in a way that no other UK venue can. Other venues in England’s North and Midlands like the NEC and Manchester Central attract their share of Scottish attendees, but not in the same way as the SEC.
Layout
The Scottish Event Campus consists of three linked sub-venues: the SEC Centre, the SEC Armadillo, and the OVO Hydro. Few other UK event spaces offer the same setup and layout, which caters equally to trade shows, concerts, sporting events, and conferences.
Scottish Event Campus and Booth Exhibits™
Booth Exhibits™ supports B2B exhibitors at the Scottish Event Campus 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
Confirm stand height limits, place allocation, and other rules with the organiser.
Early design stage
Present your booth concept to a trade show booth builder, settling on a floor plan for the show.
Technical planning
Order necessary SEC features in advance, including rigging, power, catering, and so on.
Design sign-off
Decide on a final booth design from your designer and source equipment in advance.
Final approvals
Prepare a risk assessment (mandatory for all), plus method statement, CDM construction phase plan, scale drawings and public liability certificate for bespoke stands.
Early logistics
Nearby hotels fill up quickly for big shows, and LEZ charges add up fast. Solve these issues early to save later.
Pre-show ops
Plan everything around the service yard, hiring forklifts and trolleys if necessary.
Build-up
On-site teams handle the build-up, escalate any issues to technical services at the SEC as they arise.
Breakdown
Secure removal, logistics, and team movement according to the organiser’s breakdown schedule.
Stand checklist
- Stand /design format confirmed against the SEC show brief and reviewed by safety inspectors.
- SEC show manual reviewed for venue-service requirements.
- AV, utilities, IT, and rigging scoped through the SEC service providers.
- Travel, hotel, and staffing plan aligned to the correct SEC 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 SEC 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 SEC show manual as the only reliable deadline source and set deadlines in your calendar.
Budget under-scoped
Initial risk: Medium. Control measure: include LEZ charges, 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.
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 the SEC 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
Scottish Event Campus (SEC).
Address
Exhibition Way, Finnieston, Glasgow, G3 8YW, United Kingdom.
Main contact
+44 (0)141 248 3000 and info@sec.co.uk
Nearest stations
Exhibition Centre (Argyle Line).
Internal distances
End-to-end, the entire Scottish Event Campus covers 64-acres. Walking across it would take anywhere from 15-25 minutes.
Nearby hotels
Premier Inn NEC and Crowne Plaza Birmingham.
Transport modes
Train, walking and cycling, road/car (LEZ-compliant), bus, motorcycle.
Service categories
Rigging, AV, utilities/electrical, catering, waste management.
Public stand pricing
£5,000-25,000.
Best fit
Medium-sized 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 the SEC rules documents and show manual to shape delivery.
Connectivity warning
Free venue Wi-Fi doesn’t support business-critical stand activity, so order a dedicated wired connection separately.
Venue scale
64 Acres across the SEC Centre, OVO Hydro, and SEC Armadillo.
Location
Glasgow, Scotland.
Review date
Updated from official venue and workflow sources on 25 July 2026.