Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Pavilion

About the BIC

The Bournemouth International Centre was opened on 6th September 1984 as a multipurpose Conference, Entertainment, Exhibition and Leisure Venue at an approximate cost of £19.5million.

The Centre originally boasted 2 Auditoria - the Windsor and Tregonwell Halls - and a multi-storey, 700+ space car park, offering a larger, more modern addition to Bournemouth's traditional Winter Gardens Concert Hall (now demolished), Pavilion Theatre/Ballroom and Pier Theatre.

The Centre's leisure pool and gymnasium, which were also part of the Venue's original design, were closed in June 2004, after a sustained period of reduced usage. (visit www.littledowncentre.co.uk for details of other Council leisure facilities in Bournemouth).

With the Centre attracting a wide range of International Artistes and large Conventions, Bournemouth Borough Council recognised the need to expand the facilities by adding the circular 1800 sq.m. Purbeck Hall in 1990 at a further investment of over £6 million.

By the millenium the BIC had firmly established itself as one of the UK's leading venues of its type and with demand far outstripping supply, a massive £22 million expansion and redevelopment programme (co-funded by the South West Regional Development Agency) was agreed in 2003, to provide a 4th auditoria - the 1250 sq.m. Solent Hall (replacing the leisure pool) - and an increased capacity Windsor Hall, making the BIC overall, the largest venue on the South Coast, when it reopened in October 2005.

For further information about the facilities available at the BIC please visit the Organising an Event section.

Finalist - AIPC Apex Award
World's Best Congress Centre – 2008