skip to Content (Alt-C)  |   Search site (Alt-S)  |   shopping Basket (Alt-B)  |   Home page (Alt-H)  |   Graphic on (Alt-G)

Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Pavilion

   EVENTS & TICKETING (Alt-3) | ORGANISING AN EVENT (Alt-4) | ABOUT US & NEWS (Alt-5) | CONTACT US (Alt-6)

• About the BIC
  | About the BIC | BIC Opening Hours | Catering & Hospitality | Contact Details | Facilities for Customers with a Disability | Location & Directions BIC | Parking at the BIC and Pavilion | Partnerships | Smoking at the BIC
• About The Pavilion
  | About the Pavilion Theatre & Ballroom | Catering & Hospitality | Contact Details | Facilities for Customers with a Disability | Location & Directions Pavilion | Parking at the BIC and Pavilion | Pavilion Opening Hours
• About Bournemouth
  | About Bournemouth
• Downloads 

Come and Tour Behind the Scenes the BIC and Pavilion

The Bournemouth International Centre and Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom are going to be open to the public, for behind the scenes tours, every Friday from July to September this year.

Technical Services will be running the Pavilion tour on Fridays at 2.00pm from July 24th until September 11th this year. The tours last for about 45 minutes to an hour and allow the public to explore the backstage world of the 1929 Grade 2 listed theatre; giving a little insight into the world of showbiz! The tour, led by an experienced guide, also includes all front of house areas and the Ballroom.

If you believe in ghosts you may be lucky enough to see Emily, the resident ghost at the Pavilion, on your tour. Emily has apparently been spotted walking around the circle promenade wearing a period costume dress and a bonnet. Former Stage Manager Barry Beresford claims to have seen her walking up the theatre aisle, passing through curtains and out through the door at the back of the circle, even though it was chained shut!

A similar tour is also available at the BIC which will take place on Thursdays at 2.00pm from July 24th to September 5th. They will also last up to an hour and offer access all four auditoria and the backstage areas, following its £22 million upgrade in 2005. 

Christian Knighton, Technical Coordinator at the BIC and Pavilion, said: “The Pavilion celebrates its 80th birthday next year and it is also the BIC’s 25th. They are long standing establishments in the town and the tours are a great opportunity for people to be able to get a sneak peak of how things work behind the scenes.”

Tickets are available in advance through the ticket office phone number 0844 576 3000 and on the day from the BIC and Pavilion Ticketing Offices. Adult tickets cost £5 and Children/Senior tickets are £4.

Please note: All tours vary according to what is available on the day and a visit to the theatre auditorium or the BIC halls is not guaranteed; it is never possible to attend stage rehearsals. Visiting backstage areas can involve flights of steep stairs. Remember that you are visiting a working theatre and/or congress centre and plans may change at short notice. Photography is not always permitted on backstage tours – your guide will confirm this on the day.

LATEST NEWS

• Wed 03 Sep 2008 –  First Time for the UK Independence Party at BIC –  For the first time, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) is holding its annual national conference in Bournemouth at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC).
• Wed 03 Sep 2008 –  Take Off at the BIC! –  The More Bus Bournemouth Air Festival was an overwhelming success, attracting an estimated 750,000 to the free four day aviation display, featuring the world-famous Red Arrows, the Black Cats Helicopter Display Team and the awesome Eurofighter Typhoon.
• Wed 27 Aug 2008 –  Business Tourism in Bournemouth up by Over 3% to £127m –  The latest statistics, based on the UK Tourist Board’s Estimate of Delegate Expenditure, show that the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom inject £73m annually into the local economy through business tourism.
• Tue 19 Aug 2008 –  BIC and Pavilion Awarded Top Corporate Fundraiser by Charity –  Top fundraisers, who took part in the Midnight Wish Walk in April for the Round Table Children’s Wish charity (RTCW), were recognised at a glittering awards ceremony on Tuesday 5th August at Aruba.
• Thu 07 Aug 2008 –  Bournemouth Gets on Board with Event UK –  Surf’s up for the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Bournemouth International Conference Bureau (BICB) at Event UK.
• Fri 25 Jul 2008 –  Leading UK Energy Company Returns to the BIC for Fifth Visit –  Scottish Southern and Energy (SSE) are returning to the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) this week for their Annual General Meeting.
• Fri 18 Jul 2008 –  BIC is the Only English Resort Venue to Make Finals of the World’s Best Congress Centre Award –  Up against international city venues, the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) was the only English resort venue to make the finals of the 2008 International Association of Congress Centre’s (AIPC) Apex Award for World’s Best Congress Centre.
• Tue 08 Jul 2008 –  Bournemouth Hotels Voted Best Value in the World –  Bournemouth hotels have been voted the best value hotels in the world, by a survey of guests who use website hotel.info.
• Thu 03 Jul 2008 –  Come and Tour Behind the Scenes the BIC and Pavilion –  The Bournemouth International Centre and Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom are going to be open to the public, for behind the scenes tours, every Friday from July to September this year.
• Wed 25 Jun 2008 –  Busy Times Ahead for the BIC –  The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) has a busy couple of weeks ahead what with hosting the Consumer Affairs and Trading Standards (TSI) Conference and Exhibition and welcoming back the Local Government Association (LGA) for the ninth time!
• Tue 17 Jun 2008 –  BIC has Just the Ticket! –  The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) has launched an innovative parking scheme that offers visitors a guaranteed parking space in the BIC multi-storey car park, as its website sees major growth in ticket sales!
• Fri 18 Apr 2008 –  Ideal Home Exhibition Touches Down in Bournemouth –  Bournemouth will be all action from Thursday 28th until Sunday 31st August as the popular Ideal Home Exhibition lands at the Bournemouth International Centre, on the same weekend as the new Bournemouth Airshow.
• Thu 21 Feb 2008 –  BIC Bride of the Year –  Hundreds of brides-to-be recently attended the successful Wedding Show at the BIC which saw Rachel Bunce from Salisbury scoop the Bride of the Year title

Click here for the News Archive

HOME | Events & Ticketing | Organising an Event | About Us | Contact Us | Shopping Basket | Accessability | Sitemap | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

Page Updated: 03 Jul 2008   © Copyright 2006 BBC