St Quentin Gate · Telford · Shropshire TF3 4JH · Exhibitions & conferences
Telford: purpose-built, and further than you think
Telford International Centre was built as an exhibition venue in a town that was itself built from scratch, which means it has the road access, the parking and the loading arrangements that older city venues have spent decades working around. It is also in Shropshire, which is further from Kent than most people expect.
Rather than adapted into it. Olympia is a Victorian hall in west London, ExCeL sits in a dock, the QEII is in Westminster. Telford was designed as an exhibition centre with the roads and parking planned around it, and it shows on arrival day.
What purpose-built actually gives you
Most of it is invisible until you are trying to unload a stand at eight in the morning.
Designed in
Which exhibitors at older venues fight for. Here it was planned from the start.
Substantial
No permit streets, no residential grid and no hunting.
A few minutes away
Motorway access rather than a city approach.
Purpose-built too
Telford's accommodation was largely developed alongside the venue.
Kent to Shropshire
Round the M25 and up the M40 and M6 before the M54. Longer than it looks.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Each way |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 172 miles | 3h 20m – 4h 5m |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 175 miles | 3h 25m – 4h 10m |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 178 miles | 3h 30m – 4h 15m |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 183 miles | 3h 35m – 4h 20m |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 188 miles | 3h 40m – 4h 25m |
| Rochester & Chatham | 193 miles | 3h 45m – 4h 30m |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 217 miles | 4h 10m – 5h |
Who we take to Telford
Almost entirely business travel, and mostly for multi-day events.
| Type | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Exhibitors | Build-up days, stand kit and several journeys. Plan well ahead |
| Delegates | Up the day before, back at the end. Usually a hotel nearby |
| Trade visitors | Often a single long day, though we would suggest staying |
| Company groups | Multiple Kent pick-ups, one vehicle, invoiced to an account |
| Any of these | Around three and a half hours each way from most of Kent |
Getting to Telford
It is further than the name suggests
Telford does not sound remote and it is a good three and a half hours from most of Kent, which puts it beyond Coventry and Birmingham and closer to the Manchester bracket. People planning a day return here regularly underestimate it. We quote on the real figure and would generally suggest a night nearby for anything more than a short visit.
Exhibitors get an easier time here than in London
Loading, parking and vehicle access were designed into the site rather than negotiated afterwards, which is a meaningful difference if you are bringing a stand. Our ExCeL exhibitor guide covers how we approach that kind of work, and most of the friction it describes simply does not arise at Telford.
Accommodation is close and purpose-built
Telford's hotels were largely developed alongside the venue, which means they are near it, they understand exhibition schedules and there are enough of them. That makes a two or three day event straightforward to arrange, and we price the runs to and from the venue alongside the journey from Kent as one arrangement.
Mostly a corporate booking
Very little of our Telford work is leisure. It is exhibitors, delegates and company groups, which means accounts, invoices with VAT shown separately, and one named contact rather than several people booking individually. The corporate account guide sets out how that works.
Telford questions
Purpose-built, and a fair way north west.
How far is Telford from Kent?
Around a hundred and seventy to two hundred and twenty miles, roughly three and a half to five hours each way. It is further than most people expect.
Can we do it as a day return?
For a short visit, at a push. For anything longer we would suggest staying nearby, and Telford has plenty of accommodation close to the venue.
Is it easier for exhibitors than London venues?
Considerably. Loading, parking and vehicle access were designed into the site rather than worked around afterwards, unlike the older city venues.
Where is it exactly?
St Quentin Gate in Telford, Shropshire, a few minutes from the M54 with substantial parking and no residential streets to negotiate.
Do you handle stand kit and build-up?
Yes. It needs planning ahead at this distance, and our ExCeL exhibitor guide sets out the general approach.
Are there hotels nearby?
Yes, largely developed alongside the venue, so they are close and used to exhibition schedules.
Can you collect a team from several Kent addresses?
Yes, as one journey north, invoiced to an account with VAT shown separately.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking for each leg and any runs while you are there.
Exhibition venues and the midlands
Purpose-built and adapted venues.