Brighton Centre 5.9

Brighton Centre is a conference and exhibition centre located in Brighton, England. It is the largest of its kind in southern England, and is regularly used for conferences of the British political parties and other bodies of national importance. The venue has the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 delegates, although rooms in the building can be used for weddings and banquets. It has also been used as a live music venue since it was opened by James Callaghan on 19 September 1977. It was designed in a Brutalist style by architects Russell Diplock & Associates, who made extensive use of textured concrete.The venue is situated in the centre of Brighton on the sea front and is within 200 metres of major hotels. In 2004, it was estimated that the centre generates £50 million in revenue for Brighton.The second phase of redevelopment was completed in January 2012; a refurbishment of its main entrance resulted in a transformation of its outside façade. In addition to this, the venue’s restaurant, which is regularly used as a relaxation space for larger conferences, now features floor-to-ceiling windows with uninterrupted views of the seafront and new interiors.As part of Brighton's "City Plan", it has been proposed that the building be knocked down to make way of an extension to the Churchill Square shopping centre.Notable eventsBing Crosby's final performance was at the Brighton Centre on 10 October 1977. He died of a heart attack four days later, while at a golf tournament in Spain.