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The BIC was conceived, designed and built in the late 1970s/early 1980s as a multipurpose Conference, Entertainment, Leisure and Exhibition Venue. Opened on 6th September 1984, at a cost of approx. £19.5 million, the Centre boasted two halls, a leisure pool, gymnasium area and a multi-storey car park for over 700 cars, offering a larger,modern addition to Bournemouth's established Winter Gardens Concert Hall (now demolished), Pavilion and Pier Theatres.
Immediately attracting a range of major international artistes and large Conferences, Bournemouth Borough Council recognised the urgent need to expand the facilities and added the circular Purbeck Hall in 1990 at a further investment of over £6million. By now establishing itself as one of the most popular venues of its type, additional funding was made available to add smaller meeting and breakout rooms, until 2004 when a massive £22million expansion and redevelopment programme was commenced, providing a 4th auditoria, the Solent Hall (at the expense of the under-used leisure facilities) and an increased capacity Windsor Hall, making the BIC the largest venue on the South Coast.
The PAVILION THEATRE and BALLROOM is Bournemouth's traditional venue for year round entertainment . Built in the 1920s, it retains its splendour and elegant styling and is Bournemouth's regular home for West End stage shows, Opera, Ballet, Pantomime and Comedy as well as for corporate presentations and dinner dances, product launches and small conferences.
In particular the Ballroom enables you to hold gala dinners, fashion shows or other activities to complement a conference or exhibition in the BIC.
Refurbished in 2007,the Pavilion Theatre holds a seated audience of 1012 in fixed seats on a raked floor, with a further 446 in the circle. The Ballroom provides an exquisite backdrop for banquets, receptions, social functions and even small fayres and exhibitions.
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