Events and Programming
ICC Auditorium is not a conventional theatre with a fixed weekly programme. It is a large, flexible event space within Excel London, hired independently for conferences, ceremonies, religious gatherings, technology events, fan conventions and occasional ticketed entertainment. The live event listing accompanying this guide is therefore the best indication of what is currently on sale.
Programming since 2021 illustrates the range. MCM Comic Con used the auditorium for a packed Loki panel featuring Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino and Jonathan Majors in 2021. In 2022 it hosted University College London graduation ceremonies and the Glory Conference. The 2023 calendar included the Financial Freedom Summit and Women of Silicon Roundabout, while 2024 bookings included the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare and sessions associated with iGB Affiliate London. A Light Upon Light Winter Conference followed in early 2025.
In 2026 the auditorium hosted a major financial-technology roadshow with free registration. Its most prominent publicly announced entertainment booking is Scrooge: A Cirque Extravaganza , a Christmas 2026 family production using circus, theatrical and large-scale visual effects. Later auditorium-specific public productions have not been confirmed in the sources reviewed, although the wider Excel complex has a substantial international congress pipeline extending into 2027.
Ticket prices cannot be reduced to one reliable venue-wide range because many auditorium events are free, invitation-only, included with an exhibition pass or sold as multi-day conferences. For paid public entertainment, prices depend on the production and seating plan. One recent Christmas production published standard premium bands around £95 to £125 before discounts, while corporate events may offer free registration. Always judge value against the specific event rather than expecting West End-style pricing.
Tickets and Booking
ICC Auditorium does not operate as a single producing theatre with one permanent box office or standard onsale schedule. The organiser of each event controls ticket sales, registration, presales, age limits, refunds and accessible booking. Use the official event entry shown in the live listing and ensure the ticket names ICC Auditorium rather than another hall, suite or immersive attraction within the enormous Excel campus.
For popular fan panels, faith conferences and family productions, book early and compare the seating bands before paying. The auditorium can be rebuilt between events, so a seat number from one production tells you nothing about another. Check whether your ticket is reserved seating, unreserved seating, general admission or part of a wider exhibition pass. VIP products may offer front seating, hospitality or a meet-and-greet rather than a substantially different view.
Door sales are entirely event-dependent and should never be assumed. Digital tickets should be downloaded before travelling because mobile reception can slow when several major events share the venue. Refunds, exchanges and late-admission rules also belong to the organiser, not the auditorium itself.
About ICC Auditorium, Excel London
ICC Auditorium remains open and trading under that name within Excel London, the venue’s current branding. Located at the eastern end of the complex beside the International Convention Centre facilities, it is described by the venue as the UK’s largest flexible auditorium. Its normal published capacity is up to 4,200, with bespoke configurations possible for as many as 7,000 delegates. Older publicity quoted figures of 4,500 or 4,600, but 4,200 is the current standard figure visitors should use.
The room covers 4,603 square metres and measures approximately 63.34 metres by 72.67 metres, with a 15-metre ceiling. It has acoustic wall treatment, heating and cooling, backstage organiser offices and a furnished green room with a pantry, toilets and shower. Drive-in doors 7.2 metres wide and an 18 kN per square metre floor loading allow substantial scenery, vehicles and production equipment to enter.
Its defining quality is adaptability. Unlike a traditional theatre, the stage, flat-floor seating, tiered seating, drapes, screens and technical control positions can change. The room can become a corporate plenary one week, a graduation hall the next and a theatrical arena afterwards.
Seating and Layout
Published example plans show layouts for approximately 1,500, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,200 people. The standard inventory includes up to 2,000 movable tiered seats and roughly 2,500 flat-floor chairs, although the number installed depends on stage depth, aisles, wheelchair positions, production equipment and fire-safety calculations.
For a conference or visually detailed stage show, the central portion of the tiered block is usually the safest choice. Its elevation reduces the chance of another guest blocking the view and provides a balanced position between the main and side loudspeaker arrays. Central flat-floor seats create a closer, more immediate experience, but sightlines depend on stage height and the rake, or lack of it, in that particular layout.
Seats at the extreme side can provide proximity but may produce a more angled view of screens or scenery. Very distant flat-floor rows may feel less intimate in the 72-metre-long room. There is no permanent balcony, dress circle or fixed “best row”, and areas to avoid cannot be identified without seeing the event-specific plan.
Wheelchair positions are integrated into the chosen layout rather than confined to one permanent platform. Published plans demonstrate that wheelchair numbers and positions change with capacity, making advance accessible booking important. Companion-seat arrangements should be confirmed with the event organiser.
Sound, Lighting and Production
The auditorium’s conference production package is unusually extensive. Its documented audio system includes flown EM Acoustics Halo-A main arrays, Halo-B side arrays, subwoofers, front fills and delay loudspeakers, controlled through a Yamaha digital console and stage rack. Wireless handheld and bodypack microphones, headset or lavalier options and lectern microphones support presentations, panels and live hosting.
Video equipment includes a main and backup 31,000-lumen laser projector and a front-projection screen approximately 10.5 metres wide by 5.9 metres high. The standard stage is about 12.1 metres by 6.06 metres and 1.2 metres high. Lighting equipment includes a grandMA control console, RGBW LED flood units, profile fixtures, PARNels, dimming and distribution equipment. Larger concerts and theatrical productions can supplement or replace elements of this package.
Underfloor service ducts distribute data, electricity, water, waste, compressed air and gas across the room. Three-phase power, floor boxes, projection positions and extensive rigging possibilities support complex sets and hybrid events. Acoustic panelling improves speech intelligibility, although the final sound depends heavily on the event’s configuration, audience size and visiting production team.
Getting There and Parking
ICC Auditorium is at Excel London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL. Because it occupies the east end of a venue with a 600-metre central boulevard, Prince Regent DLR is normally the best station. The station is about 200 metres from the East Entrance, followed by a short indoor route to the auditorium.
From central London, take the Jubilee line to Canning Town and change to a Beckton-bound DLR train for Prince Regent. The Elizabeth line serves Custom House at the West Entrance, but reaching the auditorium then requires a walk of approximately one kilometre through the complex; allow 15 minutes in addition to your rail journey. Both Prince Regent and Custom House offer step-free access.
The London Cable Car terminates about five minutes from the West Entrance, so it is a scenic rather than direct approach to the auditorium. River services, local buses, walking and cycling are alternatives. Free cycle racks are located near the West Entrance, and London City Airport is around a 15-minute walk from the wider venue or a short DLR journey away.
For driving, use E16 1FR for the car park and approach via Royal Albert Way and Sandstone Lane. There is no car-park entrance from Western Gateway or Seagull Lane. Parking currently works by calendar day: approximately £27.50 when pre-booked or £30 when paid on the day. Pre-booking is the only way to guarantee a space, and some major events operate pre-booked-only parking.
The standard car park accommodates vehicles below roughly two metres, with limited bookable overheight spaces for vehicles up to 2.8 metres. Motorcycle parking in East 1 is free. The general vehicle drop-off and pick-up point is on Western Gateway at the West Entrance, which is convenient for passengers but not the closest point to the auditorium, so allow time to cross the venue.
Inside the Venue
Expect event-specific ticket checks and, where required, bag searches or security screening. Excel maintains a 24-hour security operation with CCTV, visible officers, behavioural-detection teams and canine units, but each organiser decides its own permitted-bag sizes and prohibited items. Travel light and read the instructions supplied with your ticket.
Excel has more than 20 food and drink retailers, including cafés, bars, quick-service counters and the waterfront restaurant and bar. Opening hours follow the events in the building, so not every outlet remains open for an evening performance. Food and beverage sales are cashless. Bringing outside food, alcohol or glass containers may be restricted by the organiser.
Complimentary cloakrooms normally operate during event hours, subject to organiser discretion. The east-end Level 0 cloakroom is the most useful for ICC visitors. Items cannot be left overnight, and cameras, laptops and other electronics are not accepted. Merchandise stands, if provided, are arranged by the event rather than permanently installed.
Free Wi-Fi supports messaging, email, schedules and ordinary browsing, but it is not intended for HD streaming, major downloads or heavy cloud backups. The venue also has toilets, baby-changing facilities, a family room, a multi-faith prayer room, first-aid support and rentable power banks along the boulevard.
Nearby Food, Drink and Hotels
The Royal Docks setting provides more pre-event options than the auditorium’s conference-centre appearance might suggest. Excel’s boulevard contains cafés, bars, noodle counters, burgers, pizza, deli food and lighter choices. The Waterfront Street Kitchen and Bar, near the West Entrance, offers a longer sit-down experience with dock views, although it is a considerable walk from the auditorium.
For the shortest walk after an event, choose accommodation around the East Entrance and Royal Albert Dock. Aloft London Excel and DoubleTree by Hilton London Excel are among the closest recognised options. Hotels around the West Entrance, Custom House and the wider Royal Victoria Dock area are convenient for the Elizabeth line but farther from ICC Auditorium itself.
Evening catering and railway frequencies can thin out after major events. If you want dinner after the performance, check restaurant closing times in advance rather than assuming boulevard outlets will remain open. For a late finish, head promptly to Prince Regent or arrange a pre-booked vehicle, particularly on Sundays and public holidays.
What Makes ICC Auditorium Special
The auditorium forms part of the second phase of Excel, designed by Grimshaw and completed in 2010 as London’s first International Convention Centre. The architecture created a distinct East Entrance marked by a 15-metre yellow spiral wrapping around the foyer. Large ETFE roof panels bring daylight into the adjoining boulevard, reducing the enclosed, windowless feeling common to major exhibition buildings.
Excel itself opened in November 2000 on Royal Victoria Dock, where commercial dock activity had ended in 1981. The ICC was announced in 2009 and opened in 2010. The complex subsequently hosted Olympic and Paralympic events in 2012, while the auditorium welcomed Miss World in 2014. In 2020 Excel became NHS Nightingale London, making the site part of the national response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Elizabeth line transformed access in 2022. More recently, the waterfront gained an immersive-entertainment district and a £220 million, 25,000-square-metre expansion began hosting events in 2025. That development enlarged the overall complex without replacing or renaming ICC Auditorium.
Excel reports more than four million visitors and over 400 events annually, with an estimated £4.5 billion to £4.6 billion contribution to London’s economy. Its latest expansion hosted 30 additional international events during its first year, with ten congresses alone estimated to have generated £250 million. The venue also supports Newham charities, educational programmes, community events and schemes encouraging organisers to donate equipment or tickets locally.
Visitor Experiences and Practical Tips
Recent reviews are mixed but reveal consistent themes. Visitors often praise the building’s scale, public-transport connections, cleanliness, plentiful toilets and ability to absorb several events at once. Criticism commonly concerns expensive parking and food, long internal walks, confusing event-specific entrances and queues when multiple large shows coincide. These experiences usually relate to the whole Excel campus rather than the auditorium alone.
The single most useful tip is to use Prince Regent, not simply “the nearest Excel station” suggested by a generic journey planner. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the advertised start, or earlier if tickets are unreserved. Wear comfortable shoes, save your ticket offline and note the exact entrance. Avoid arranging to meet friends merely “inside Excel”; choose a named entrance, auditorium door or recognisable landmark.
UK accessibility law applies rather than the American ADA. Excel provides step-free entrances, level circulation, accessible toilets, Changing Places facilities, hearing loops at service points, free wheelchair and mobility-scooter hire subject to availability, and admission for assistance dogs under the Equality Act 2010. The detailed parking information currently identifies 134 Blue Badge bays.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capacity of ICC Auditorium?
The current standard published capacity is up to 4,200 people. Bespoke arrangements can accommodate as many as 7,000 delegates by combining different seating and floor configurations. Older material sometimes lists 4,500 or 4,600, but those figures should not be used to predict the layout or ticket availability for a current event.
Is ICC Auditorium the same as Excel London?
No. ICC Auditorium is one individual event space inside the much larger Excel London convention and exhibition complex. Excel also contains exhibition halls, meeting suites, the Capital Hall, the Maritime spaces and waterfront attractions. Confirm that your ticket specifically names ICC Auditorium and use the East Entrance unless your organiser gives different instructions.
What is the nearest station to ICC Auditorium?
Prince Regent on the DLR is the closest station. It provides step-free access and is approximately 200 metres from Excel’s East Entrance, beside the International Convention Centre. Custom House serves the West Entrance via the Elizabeth line and DLR, but reaching the auditorium from there involves an internal walk of roughly one kilometre.
How early should I arrive?
Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before a reserved-seat event and up to an hour early for unreserved seating, registration-heavy conferences or popular fan gatherings. Excel can host several events simultaneously, producing queues at stations, entrances and security points. Add another 15 minutes if arriving at Custom House rather than Prince Regent.
Does ICC Auditorium have fixed seating?
No. The auditorium is a flat-floor, reconfigurable space with movable tiered units and removable floor chairs. The organiser can alter the stage, aisles, wheelchair positions, screen placement and seating capacity. Always consult the plan attached to your particular event; photographs or seat recommendations from a different production may be irrelevant.
Are central tiered seats better than flat-floor seats?
Central tiered seats generally provide clearer long-range sightlines and a balanced view of screens. Flat-floor seats can feel more immediate, particularly near a high stage, but views may be interrupted by taller guests. The best choice depends on whether the event prioritises speakers, projected content, live performance or audience interaction.
Is there a permanent box office?
There is no conventional theatre box office serving every ICC Auditorium booking. Each event organiser manages its own ticketing, registration, accessible seats, refunds and customer service. Do not travel expecting guaranteed door sales. Keep your confirmation available offline and check that the event name, date, entrance and admission type match your plans.
Can I buy tickets at the door?
Only when the individual organiser permits it and capacity remains. Many conferences require advance registration, while public shows may sell out or use digital-only tickets. Door prices can also differ from advance prices. Treat advance booking as essential for high-profile panels, family productions, faith conferences and any event advertising allocated seating.
How much is parking at Excel London?
Current general rates are approximately £27.50 per calendar day when pre-booked and £30 when paid on the day. Charges apply by calendar date rather than hours parked, so remaining beyond midnight may trigger another day’s fee. Some busy events accept pre-booked vehicles only, making advance reservation strongly advisable.
Where is the vehicle drop-off point?
The principal drop-off and pick-up area is on Western Gateway beside the West Entrance. It offers accessible entry but is at the opposite end of the building from ICC Auditorium. Passengers should allow time for the 600-metre internal journey, unless event instructions identify a temporary alternative closer to the East Entrance.
Is ICC Auditorium wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Prince Regent station, the East Entrance and the venue’s main public routes are step-free. Wheelchair positions are incorporated into event-specific seating plans. Accessible toilets and Changing Places rooms are available, while wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be reserved free of charge, subject to availability. Accessible tickets should be arranged before travelling.
Does the auditorium have a hearing loop?
Contacta hearing loops are installed at Excel information desks, cloakrooms and traffic and security offices. Portable loops are also available at service desks. The provision inside the performance space may depend on the organiser’s installed production system, so guests requiring amplified or interpreted audio should confirm event-specific arrangements before booking.
Can I bring a bag into ICC Auditorium?
There is no single bag-size rule covering every event. Organisers determine permitted dimensions, prohibited items and whether searches are required. Large luggage can delay entry and may not be accepted at the cloakroom. Bring the smallest practical bag and avoid glass, alcohol, professional camera equipment or anything specifically banned in your ticket instructions.
Is there a cloakroom?
A Level 0 cloakroom is available at the east end of Excel and normally opens during event hours, subject to organiser discretion. Use is generally complimentary, but overnight storage is unavailable. Cameras, laptops and other electronic devices cannot be deposited, so visitors carrying valuable equipment should make separate arrangements.
Can I take photographs or record the event?
Casual use of a phone in shared areas is generally acceptable when it does not invade privacy or obstruct operations. Photography and recording inside the auditorium are controlled by the organiser. Professional equipment, tripods, flash photography and video recording may require permission or be prohibited entirely, especially at performances and commercial conferences.
Is food available during evening events?
Food and drink are available across the wider Excel complex, but opening hours vary with the event schedule and some counters close before late performances end. Eat beforehand if timing is tight. All venue-operated food and beverage transactions are cashless, and the organiser may restrict outside food or drinks inside the auditorium.
Is there a dress code or minimum age?
ICC Auditorium has no universal dress code or age policy. Business conferences may recommend professional clothing, graduations have ceremonial requirements and family shows may set minimum ages or require children to sit with an adult. Faith gatherings can also publish clothing guidance. Follow the individual organiser’s conditions rather than relying on general venue practice.
Does ICC Auditorium have air conditioning and Wi-Fi?
The room has heating and cooling, while free visitor Wi-Fi operates throughout Excel. The network is suitable for messages, email, schedules and ordinary browsing, but not heavy streaming or large transfers. Crowded events can place extra demand on mobile and wireless services, so download tickets and essential travel information before arriving.
