Birmingham’s International Convention Centre was opened by the Queen in 1991, and was Britain’s first purpose-built convention centre.

However, the history of the centre dates back much further. For way before today’s International Convention Centre was built in Centenary Square, Bingley Hall stood on the site.

Bingley Hall was built in 1851 and for over a hundred years was the venue of numerous meetings, shows and exhibitions. But sadly the hall burnt down in the 1980s, and so the International Convention Centre was built to replace it, at a cost of over � million.

The massive Centre has eleven separate halls, including the world famous Symphony Hall, and can be used for all manner of events.

The Centre has been a central features of Birmingham’s rejuvenation for Birmingham is now Britain’s foremost convention city with around 80% of the UK’s trade conventions taking place here, many of them at this centre.

The building in itself is very modern and not to everyone’s taste, but nevertheless the conventions held here account for tens of thousands of visitors who travel to Birmingham every year.