A Handy Venue Guide to Olympia London

Published on 25/04/2017

We hope you enjoyed our Handy Guide to ExCeL last week, or at least learned something new from our endlessly entertaining insights!

This week, we’ve chosen to focus on the unique piece of history that is Olympia, London.  Purpose-built in the 19th century from a starting vision to create the largest covered show centre in the UK, there are more than a few stories to be told about the life and times of this fascinating venue. 

Not only that, but from our years of direct experience helping clients exhibit there, we know exactly why Olympia, London makes such a wonderful and welcoming setting for just about any event.

A brief history

Found in the heart of the cultural hub that is West Kensington, the grand opening for what was then known as the National Agricultural Hall was on Boxing Day, 1886.  The impressive venue covered an area of four acres, and the Grand Hall was thought to be the largest building in the UK to be covered by one span of iron and glass.

The venue’s name was soon changed to Olympia, and as the years passed it took on many guises, from a temporary prisoner of war camp during the two World Wars, an army clothing store and a renowned dance hall. 

Many more changes ensued through the years, including several acquisitions.  In 2013 Olympia, London underwent an extensive redevelopment and these days the site features four event venues and a conference centre.  

The event venues consist of Olympia Grand, measuring around 210,000 sq ft, Olympia National, Olympia Central and Olympia West, each boasting just under 100,000 sq ft of prime, custom-designed event space.

Notable events

The very first Ideal Home Show was held at Olympia in 1908 (we’d love to have gone along to that one!) and this hugely popular event is still held there today.  Other firsts include the 1950 Food Fair, the incredibly quaint-sounding British Electronic Computer Exhibition in 1958 and 1948’s Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Exhibition.

Not that Olympia, London hasn’t played host to the cream of the entertainment world, too.  The Smash Hits Awards, Miss World, Crufts and London Fashion Week have all been staged there, with the coolest ever Olympia concert performer (in our opinion at least!) being one Jimi Hendrix.

Getting there

As impressively well-connected as a senior member of the Royal Family, Olympia, London is incredibly easy to get to.

Kensington (Olympia) trebles as an overground, underground and mainline rail station, while a hive of nearby underground stations include Barons Court, Hammersmith, Shepherd’s Bush and West Kensington.
 
Road-wise, plenty of on-site parking and an efficient vehicle booking system means you can unload your event equipment – and yourselves! – with ease.
 

Facilities

Olympia, London is perfectly positioned to enjoy the very best that the thriving capital has to offer.  You’ll find yourself surrounded by a whole wealth of bars, restaurants and even a few places to rest your exhibition-weary head, with over 30 hotels to discover within walking distance.

On-site you’ll find an array of eateries to suit every taste, with a sit-down restaurant, bespoke bakery and espresso bar thrown in.  Specific on-site catering for your event can even be organised in advance.

The venue is equipped with full accessibility for wheelchair users and gives assistance animals as warm a welcome as their owners.

What else is available for exhibitors?

Olympia, London makes exhibiting supremely easy with its does-exactly-what-it-says-on-the-tin ‘Easy Guide to Exhibiting’, available as a download from its website. 

You’ll find this amazingly all-purpose venue comes fully equipped with everything you’ll need to make your brand shine, with IT services, AV equipment, advertising and even traffic marshalling all readily offered.

Blogs

26th Jun 2023
One Savings Bank at NACFB 2023
learn more
25th Jan 2023
Why an event partner might suit you better than an event supplier
learn more
18th Jan 2023
What do 79% of buyers say is absolutely critical to them?
learn more
18th Jan 2023
Eclipsing The Competition!
learn more
13th Jan 2023
Why a bin full of gifts is not as great as it seems
learn more
8th Dec 2022
Is it time to make a move up?
learn more
29th Nov 2022
When the inflation monster comes nibbling at your events budget
learn more
16th Nov 2022
The tale of the angry and embarrassed boss
learn more
6th Oct 2022
Would your hero do it?
learn more
5th Oct 2022
Why a slow boat from China doesn't make for sustainable exhibiting
learn more
20th Sep 2022
In all its graphic detail
learn more
6th Sep 2022
Is your stand display a teeny bit meh?
learn more
1st Sep 2022
Do you have a Passion for Pigs, or are you more Plastics and Rubber?
learn more
31st Aug 2022
A strategy for increasing sales of your product or service
learn more
17th Aug 2022
"Trade Shows Are A Risk People!"
learn more
11th Aug 2022
Trade Shows And How To Compete With The Immortals
learn more
9th Aug 2022
Saluting the other boys and gals in blue
learn more
27th Jul 2022
When delegation messes up your events
learn more
12th Jul 2022
Did you know you were this exciting?
learn more
6th Jul 2022
When things look bad, carry on exhibiting
learn more
5th Jul 2022
The Five Best Ways To Exhibit On 30sqm Or Less
learn more
4th Jul 2022
Why you shouldn't let your snake off the lead in the park
learn more
24th Jun 2022
Why flattery gets you nowhere
learn more
16th Jun 2022
5 tips for creating an effective stand brief
learn more
9th Jun 2022
Why you shouldn't listen to experts like these
learn more
7th Jun 2022
Teeny studio flat news story reminds me why I'm not an estate agent
learn more
25th May 2022
Is your boss an event-related marketing issue?
learn more
18th May 2022
Why brighter, smarter, lighter makes for a better place to work
learn more
5th May 2022
Why don't stand designers understand the brief first time?
learn more
31st Mar 2022
When you have what visitors are looking for
learn more
28th Mar 2022
It was lovely to finally start meeting people again
learn more
16th Feb 2022
Concept visuals illustrate how a stand could look based on the brief supplied
learn more
11th Feb 2022
Life can be unfair, as Peloton will testify
learn more
31st Jan 2022
Trade Shows 2022: Why Things Are Different
learn more
20th Jan 2022
130,000 trade show visitors provide encouragement for exhibitors
learn more
13th Jan 2022
First impressions count greatly when you exhibit
learn more
11th Nov 2021
Opening for business all over the UK
learn more
29th Sep 2021
How do can you stand out on a small stand at a busy trade show?
learn more
28th Sep 2021
Why digital screen displays and strong stand graphics make a winning combination
learn more
24th Sep 2021
Being seen and noticed when you exhibit in a busy exhibition hall is vital.
learn more
23rd Sep 2021
If your “portable” exhibition displays need the strength of Samson to carry them, read on!
learn more
14th Sep 2021
This blank canvas could tell a great story when you next exhibit
learn more
8th Sep 2021
Thousands Enjoy Godiva’s Return
learn more
3rd Sep 2021
Before investing in Guardian Display’s Versaform display system
learn more
3rd Sep 2021
Why do buyers attend trade shows? 
learn more
30th Jul 2021
How to get your trade show stand noticed for all of the right reasons
learn more
22nd Jul 2021
It’s been eighteen months since we last stood inside an exhibition hall
learn more
10th Jun 2021
Mothballed marketing landmarks making a comeback
learn more
18th May 2021
Lepide choose Guardian Display for stand design and build at Infosecurity Europe
learn more
4th May 2021
CHAS Chooses Guardian Display for return to trade shows
learn more
14th Apr 2021
Where did I put our exhibition stand?
learn more
11th Mar 2021
Why creating an in-house showroom and video space makes sense
learn more
4th Mar 2021
It’s been a while since you’ve worn your trade show hat
learn more
13th Jan 2021
Do you need to instigate a branding revamp?
learn more
8th Dec 2020
How to love working in your garden
learn more
10th Sep 2020
How to reduce your trade show risk
learn more
7th Sep 2020
Beginning the journey of a thousand miles…
learn more
19th Aug 2020
Hybrid events are on the rise
learn more
10th Aug 2020
How To Exhibit Safely And Effectively When Events Re-Open
learn more
22nd Jul 2020
At last, some good news for exhibitors
learn more
11th Jun 2020
Covid-19 Social Distancing Solutions
learn more
1st Jun 2020
Furlough: Fix: Focus
learn more
18th May 2020
A positive commercial step you can take during lockdown 
learn more
30th Jan 2020
Sustainable exhibiting: Recyclable stand structure components
learn more
6th Dec 2019
Sustainable exhibiting displays: Lightboxes
learn more
22nd Nov 2019
A message from Design-on-Sea
learn more
21st Oct 2019
You’ll wonder why you stuck with that trade show stand for so long
learn more
16th Jul 2019
The best way to obtain and use client testimonials
learn more
10th Jul 2019
Trade shows: Still the proven route to building enquiries and sales quickly
learn more
3rd Jun 2019
Thinking about your exhibition stand as sales equipment
learn more
14th May 2019
The Pros and Cons of Shell Scheme
learn more
3rd May 2019
Now is the time to be planning for that show in the autumn
learn more
25th Apr 2019
PowerPoint is amazing: Here’s how you can make the most of this 
excellent presentation tool
learn more
5th Apr 2019
Is your trade show stand a good ambassador for your business?
learn more
29th Mar 2019
How to transform a shell scheme stand
learn more
26th Mar 2019
5 ways to transform your exhibiting results without spending lots of money
learn more
18th Mar 2019
Two new displays that are attracting a lot of client interest
learn more
24th Jan 2019
One Of The Fastest And Surest Ways To Improve Trade Show Performance
learn more
17th Dec 2018
5 Trade Show Myths That Can Seriously Hurt Your Sales
learn more
10th Dec 2018
Exhibiting Trends For The Year Ahead
learn more
10th Dec 2018
3 FAQ's about exhibiting on small stands
learn more
24th Aug 2018
The Versaform Sales Story
learn more
6th Aug 2018
Transforming event spaces to transform exhibiting and event results
learn more
8th May 2018
An exclusive invitation from the IET: Bits and Bytes at Savoy Place
learn more
11th Dec 2017
Give your event display a professional edge: hire a promotions team!
learn more
27th Nov 2017
Six handy tips to maximise the life of your exhibition graphics
learn more
13th Nov 2017
Sales mistakes made on stand: Are you guilty?
learn more
2nd Nov 2017
Drum roll please...for our brand-new website launch!
learn more
13th Oct 2017
When size really does matter: making the most of a large exhibition space
learn more
29th Sep 2017
Give that ugly shell scheme a makeover! Simple tips to stand out at your next event
learn more
15th Sep 2017
Working the glow factor - why you should use a lightbox at your next event!
learn more
8th Sep 2017
Are you ready for GDPR?
learn more
1st Sep 2017
Take your business on holiday this Autumn!
learn more
25th Aug 2017
Boost your eco-credentials (along with your business) - choose a Versaform stand!
learn more
18th Aug 2017
Get a Head Start On The Competition: Plan For Your Next Exhibition!
learn more
11th Aug 2017
Why You Should Hire a Custom Exhibition Stand This Autumn
learn more
4th Aug 2017
Dressing for Success Part Two - over to you!
learn more
27th Jul 2017
How to Buy an Exhibition Stand: Five Essential Tips
learn more
24th Jul 2017
Dressing for success - eye-catching event branding outside the exhibition hall
learn more
19th Jul 2017
Grow your business with a portable display stand!
learn more
14th Jul 2017
Location, location, location! How to select the perfect spot for your stand
learn more
7th Jul 2017
Get people talking: Simple Social Media Tips for Your Next #Event!
learn more
8th Jun 2017
Everything You Wanted to Know About Exhibition Stand Graphics (but were afraid to ask!)
learn more
2nd Jun 2017
Come and say hello at the BNC Summer Show!
learn more
31st May 2017
Don't miss our Great Stand Giveaways! How to stay in visitors' minds long after your event
learn more
19th May 2017
How to attract and engage your visitors
learn more
12th May 2017
A Handy Exhibition Venue Guide... Old Billingsgate
learn more
8th May 2017
Renting or Buying...Which Display Stand Option is Best for Your Business?
learn more
28th Apr 2017
A Handy Venue Guide to the Business Design Centre
learn more
18th Apr 2017
A Handy Venue Guide to ExCeL London
learn more
3rd Apr 2017
Why Guardian Exhibition and Display is Your Only Choice for Your Next Event!
learn more
27th Mar 2017
Why you should Embrace Gamification into your Exhibition Stand
learn more
17th Mar 2017
10 Essential Questions to Ask Before Hiring Your Exhibition Stand Space
learn more
10th Mar 2017
12 Reasons Why Companies Fail at Exhibitions
learn more
2nd Mar 2017
A Marketing Manager's essential exhibition checklist.
learn more
24th Feb 2017
Our Top 10 Do's and Don'ts for Designing your Exhibition Stand!
learn more
16th Feb 2017
Why Exhibitions Should be Part of Your Marketing Plans for 2017
learn more
14th Feb 2017
How to Deliver a Memorable Experience at your next Exhibition
learn more
1st Jan 1970
Big Ideas: How to Make the Most of a Small Exhibition Space
learn more

Get a FREE stand design and quote for your next exhibition stand