The 2012 Grand Designs Live shows are set to be bigger and better than ever before. This year it has over 500 exhibitors across 6 different sections. The shows caters for both home owners looking for new ideas to renovate their homes and also aspiring self-builders looking for advice, inspiration and value to build their very own Grand Design. There is also the new Grand Gardens which is a great dimension to the 2012 show too.
As in previous years there will be a wealth of experts and FREE advice for visitors to take advantage of in the ‘Ask an Expert’ centre. If you prefer to sit back and listen then there will be a variety of Grand Debates that will provide all of the information you need to start planning and managing your own home improvement, as well as design ideas and case studies from real life TV Grand Designers on the Grand Seminar Theatre.
This year’s show will be spread over six different sections: Grand Build sponsored by VELUX, Grand Interiors sponsored by Dulux, Grand Kitchens sponsored by Miele, Grand Bathrooms and Grand Gardens. The highly anticipated House of the Future, sponsored by Virgin Media, also makes its return to the Grand Technology section.
There will be a number of guest speakers who will appear at Grand Seminar Theatre to discuss the hottest industry topics and debates with visitors in the Grand Village which will also be packed full of live demos of sustainable build and green technology.
Exhibition Dates for Grand Designs Live
- May 5-13, 2012 – ExCel London, UK
- Birmingham NEC dates to be confirmed
Useful Websites
Birmingham Hotels and Travel
The city of Birmingham has a great transport network with both nearby motorways, train services and an international airport. Birmingham hotels are numerous with all budgets and standards catered for. The NEC complex is located just out of the city centre but is easily reached by the train. The airport is located onsite at the NEC, alongside the train station, which is in turn connected to the NEC complex. There are a handful of NEC hotels, some closer to the airport but still easily walkable to the NEC.
ExCel London Hotels and Travel
ExCel London was purpose built and therefore has some of the very best transport links and hotel facilities for an venue of its size in the UK. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stops alongside ExCel London, linking it with both the City of London and Greenwich too. If that is not enough, then there are also excellent road networks that link through to the large ExCel car parks. No need to go into the congestion charge areas of London, just slip in from the East, direct to ExCel.
There are a number of hotels located onsite at ExCel including the Crowne Plaza, Novotel and Custom House hotels. As with many onsite hotels at venues, these will have the lowest availability and possibly the higher rates. We would recommend trying hotels either further along the Jubilee underground line or further down the DLR network. There are some hotels across the river in Canary Wharf which may be worth checking out.
Tags: Birmingham NEC
