Westfield's New Venue Exhibition London Hosts First Public Event
First gig marked by unveiling of Blue Plaque on Grade II listed building
Exhibition London, the new venue created within a Grade II listed building by Westfield Shopping Centre, holds its first public event this Saturday, 8 February.
This is the first time the Victorian building has been open to the public in 120 years.
The first sold out gig, by British indie-pop band Catfish and the Bottlemen, is part of the BRITs Week with O2 for War Child 2020.
Though a full programme has not yet been announced the venue is also set to host MTV's Reality Con from 8 - 10 May.
Reality Con is described as "an immersive event bringing to life some of MTV's most iconic reality TV shows, including Geordie Shore, Ex on the Beach and Just Tattoo of Us. Taking place in May 2020, fans of reality TV will have the unique opportunity to see the stars behind their favourite shows and visit the unforgettable locations behind the chaos."
You can find out more and book tickets here.
Built in 1898/9, the Grade II listed building, is one of two ‘Dimco Buildings’, designed by Harry Bell Measures as the engine and boiler houses of the Wood Lane generating station, supplying energy for the Central London Railways. Both were Grade II listed a century later in recognition of their heritage, and the iconic Transport for London aesthetics remain, with tiled interior walls and red brick lending unique character.
They were named for the Dimco Company, which opened a machine shop there after it was no longer needed by the railway, with the powerhouse shut down in 1928.
More recently, the building found fame as the Acme Factory in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and as the interior of the British Museum in The Mummy Returns.
It was the used as a bus garage as part of White City bus station, before being sold by Transport for London to Westfield.
Now Exhibition London, given its new name due to its proximity to the site of the Franco British Exhibition of 1908, is formally open after ten months of renovation and redevelopment to create two floors of event space which can hold over 2,000 visitors and can host music and arts, plus conferences and other events.
To mark its opening, H&F Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Cowan joined representatives from Westfield owners Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Broadwick Live to unveil a Blue Plaque been awarded by the Hammersmith & Fulham Historic Buildings Group.
Cllr Stephen Cowan said: "This beautiful Victorian building has been brought up-to-date and transformed into a new 21st century entertainment hub which has few venues to rival it in London. It’s great to see this level of investment in H&F which all residents can benefit from and enjoy."
Annabel Clarke, Chairman of The Hammersmith & Fulham Historic Buildings Group, said: "The Hammersmith & Fulham Historic Buildings Group are delighted that another listed building in the borough has been so sensitively restored and transformed into an exciting new entertainment venue."
You can find out more about Exhibition London and what's coming up on its website.
February 7, 2020