ExCeL London

ExCeL London stands on the northern edge of Royal Victoria Dock in the London Borough of Newham. The 40-hectare site was once part of the closed dock, now used by visiting ships and leisure craft. Two vast column-free halls sit either side of a central boulevard lined with cafés and information desks. Three separate clusters of meeting rooms overlook the water or the dockside. Six hotels, bars and restaurants sit within a few minutes’ walk, and 1,800 parking spaces lie beneath the building. The centre has staged world-class events since it opened in 2000. It hosted the 2012 Olympic boxing, fencing, judo and wrestling competitions. Major trade shows such as the London Boat Show and MCM London Comic Con draw tens of thousands of visitors. In 2020 it was rapidly converted into the NHS Nightingale Hospital with 5,000 beds. The legacy wall records gold-medal-winning athletes and former Mayor Boris Johnson. Visitors arrive by Docklands Light Railway at either Custom House for Excel or Prince Regent stations. The Elizabeth line reaches the western entrance in twelve minutes from central London. A cable car links the site to The O2 on the Greenwich Peninsula. Inside, the International Convention Centre provides modern auditoria and breakout spaces. Outside, the dock water reflects the glass pyramid above the main entrance.