Harrogate International Centre
Encyclopedia
The Harrogate International Centre is a convention
and exhibition
centre in Harrogate
, North Yorkshire
, England
.
It was first opened in 1982 and was notable as the host of the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest
and had expanded overtime to include a 2,000 seat conference auditorium and eight exhibition halls offering 16500 square metres (177,604.5 sq ft) of space as well as ancillary facilities including a Holiday Inn
(formerly Moat House) hotel. Further refurbishment and expansion is planned between 2009 and 2014 to increase the exhibition space up to 18500 square metres (199,132.3 sq ft) at an estimated cost of £45 million.
The Royal Hall holds over 1,000 people, whereas the Queens Suite holds up to 600. The HIC is the third largest integrated venue in the UK, beaten in size only by Alexandra Palace
in London
and by the SECC
in Glasgow
.
The current director of the conference centre is Mr Angus Houston.
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
and exhibition
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
centre in Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It was first opened in 1982 and was notable as the host of the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
and had expanded overtime to include a 2,000 seat conference auditorium and eight exhibition halls offering 16500 square metres (177,604.5 sq ft) of space as well as ancillary facilities including a Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
(formerly Moat House) hotel. Further refurbishment and expansion is planned between 2009 and 2014 to increase the exhibition space up to 18500 square metres (199,132.3 sq ft) at an estimated cost of £45 million.
The Royal Hall holds over 1,000 people, whereas the Queens Suite holds up to 600. The HIC is the third largest integrated venue in the UK, beaten in size only by Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and by the SECC
Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre , located on the north bank of the River Clyde, in Glasgow, is Scotland's largest exhibition centre....
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
The current director of the conference centre is Mr Angus Houston.