Excel London buys Business Design Centre – EN

Excel London has acquired BDCG Holdings Company, the owner of the Business Design Centre (BDC) in Islington, London for an undisclosed amount.

Excel says its acquisition ensures a long-term commitment to one of London’s most historic and popular MICE venues.

Originally the Royal Agricultural Hall dating back to 1862, the BDC is a Grade II listed venue spannng a 4.5-acre freehold estate and hosts a wide array of events, awards and product launches, as well as long-standing shows such as the London Art Fair, HIX and the Surface Design Show. With over 130 events and more than 900,000 visitors a year, the North London venue is a multiple award winner and the current Exhibition News Venue of the Year.

In addition to its 6,000sqm of dedicated event and conference space, BDC also provides over 12,500sqm of high-quality, letable space for showrooms, offices and serviced offices. The estate also includes the freehold title to the surrounding Hilton Hotel land.

The BDC will become the fourth venue under the ADNEC Group’s umbrella, which includes ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, ADNEC Centre Al Ain and Excel London.

Jeremy Rees, CEO of Excel London, said: “Since acquiring Excel more than 15 years ago, ADNEC has demonstrated unwavering support for London’s event and business tourism industry. The acquisition of the prestigious BDC further underscores this commitment. We look forward to integrating BDC into the ADNEC ecosystem and will continue to invest significantly to ensure both Excel and BDC offer the highest-quality platforms for the events industry, reinforcing London’s status as a leading global events destination.”

Jack Morris CBE, who is retiring as chairman of the Business Design Centre said:“Selling the Business Design Centre, the Morris Family’s flagship business which was founded by my visionary father Sam Morris 40 years ago, was never going to be an easy, emotional decision. But it’s the right time. My brothers and I are not getting any younger and now is the moment to hand over the baton to new proprietors who understand and respect what we have built.

“ADNEC has a long standing and recognised history of building, owning and managing venues and I wish it every success in taking the BDC forward. I would also like to thank the wider BDC family – our management team, staff, customers, service partners and business associates – for their loyalty, support, contribution and friendship over the years and wish them well for the future.”