ASM Global Europe, a leader in venue management, has announced plans to open four state-of-the-art venues across the UK (in London, Newcastle Gateshead, Derby and Southport) by 2027, further solidifying its position as one of the top venue operators.
The new venues, which will be opened between Spring 2025 and Spring 2027, will provide spaces for a wide range of events, including exhibitions, congresses, conferences, hospitality and meetings. In addition, they will offer significant new entertainment and consumer event spaces for thousands of live event attendees.
The openings, which include Olympia, London and The Sage ICC on the Newcastle Gateshead quayside, will confirm ASM Global Europe as one of the world’s leading event space providers, with 15 venues ranging from Aberdeen, Scotland, to London, England. ASM Global Europe has extensive knowledge and expertise in delivering best-in-class events and experiences for consumers and commercial clients, including corporates, associations, not-for-profit and charity sectors.
The four venues are:
Anticipated opening 2025—Becketwell Performance Venue, Derby, is a £45 million venue set to significantly enhance the city’s cultural and events offering. The venue has 1,000 sqm of exhibition space, a 2,100 theatre-style auditorium, 600 banqueting capacity, and 2,500 bedrooms within walking distance, and it is just 15 minutes from an international airport.
Anticipated opening 2026 – The Sage ICC, Newcastle Gateshead, will bring a world-class facility to the North East of England as the first phase of the new The Sage development. The £300 million complex will include more than 5,700m2 of flexible exhibition and banqueting space, a 900-seat auditorium, plus 17 conference and meeting spaces, and benefits from 6,000 hotel rooms within walking distance, as well as easy travel connections across the UK and beyond via the nearby Central Station and Newcastle International Airport.
Opening spring 2026 – the new Olympia Conference Centre will sit alongside the venue’s world-famous exhibition spaces in the heart of London. By this time, Olympia will have already launched as a destination for art, culture, entertainment, education and events through a £1.3 billion regeneration project, which will boast 2 internationally renowned hotels, many bars and restaurants, and 2.5 acres of new public space. The new conference facilities will include a large auditorium, 14 meeting rooms, 2,000m² of flexible space and a private restaurant and bar. The venue can host conferences from a few hundred to a few thousand.
Anticipated opening 2026 – Southport Marina Lake Events Centre (MLEC) will transform the existing MLEC into a high-quality business and entertainment venue expected to bring more than half a million visitors a year to the destination. The venue’s purpose-built auditorium will offer up to 1,200 theatre-style spaces, complemented by 1,500m2 of exhibition space, breakouts for up to 1,000 attendees and views of the UK’s only permanent water and light show.
ASM Global Europe’s Sales Director – C&E, Zoe Ward, comments: “We are excited by the opportunities these four new venues will bring to ASM Global Europe’s portfolio. These venues are not just spaces but hubs of innovation and education, designed to host a world-class array of events—from dynamic B2B gatherings to vibrant cultural and entertainment experiences.”
Ward concludes: “This, four venue, expansion is a testament to our commitment to delivering industry leading venues and services that deliver perfectly for organisers and their delegates, whilst enriching the communities in which they are located. As we continue to grow, our focus remains on setting new benchmarks in venue management, ensuring that every event is an exceptional experience for all our clients and guests.”
ASM Global’s Europe portfolio includes:
OVO Arena, Wembley, London
University of Wolverhampton at The Halls, Wolverhampton
AO Arena, Manchester
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
York Barbican, York
First Direct Arena, Leeds
Connexin Live, Hull
Utilita Arena, Newcastle
P&J Live, Aberdeen
