London Court Hotel · Earl’s Court, London SW5
Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre: What Is There Now, and Where the Events Went
People still search for the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre every month, and guests still arrive with tickets that say Earl’s Court on them. Here is the short, honest version from a hotel that has watched the site from 100 metres away for the whole of it.
What happened to the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre
The Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre closed at the end of 2014 and was demolished over the following three years. For roughly a decade the land behind the hoardings on Warwick Road has been cleared and empty, one of the largest undeveloped sites in central London.
What is there now, and what is coming
In January 2026 the two councils whose boundary runs through the site granted planning permission for the redevelopment: around 4,000 homes, office space, three new cultural venues, and about a hundred shops and places to eat, with construction expected to begin later in 2026 and full completion targeted for 2043. So for the next few years the answer to “what is there now” is a building site, and the area around it carries on as it always has.
Where the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre events went
Most of the shows that used to come to the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre moved to Olympia London, about a mile north, or to ExCeL in east London. If your event lists Olympia, it is a twenty-minute walk or two short train hops from here.
If your ticket says Earl’s Court
Earl’s Court station is unchanged and still does the work it always did. It is the interchange for Olympia, for Stamford Bridge, and for Heathrow on the Piccadilly line, and our hotel is about 100 metres from its Earl’s Court Road entrance. Our directions page covers the airports and mainline stations, and the area guide covers the neighbourhood itself.
What happened to the Exhibition Centre, year by year
The venue is still searched for thousands of times a month, so here is the whole story with dates, drawn from the developer’s own plans and the public record.
- 1887Exhibition grounds open at Earl’s Court. The halls host trade shows, spectacles and, for half a century, the Royal Tournament.Source: Wikipedia, Earls Court Exhibition Centre
- 1950 to 1999The Royal Tournament is held here every year.Source: Wikipedia
- 1960 to 2003The London Boat Show runs at Earl’s Court, then transfers to ExCeL in the Docklands.Source: Wikipedia
- 1996 and 1997The Brit Awards are staged here; from 2011 they move to The O2.Source: Wikipedia
- 2012The venue hosts the Olympic volleyball competition.Source: Wikipedia
- December 2014The last events: the BBC Music Awards, then a Bombay Bicycle Club concert two days later. Demolition begins the same month.Source: Wikipedia
- 2017Demolition is complete. The 44-acre site is cleared, the largest cleared site in London.Source: Wikipedia; Construction Enquirer, 17 Dec 2025
- July 2024The Earls Court Development Company submits a hybrid planning application to both councils.Source: earlscourt.com, The Masterplan
- November and December 2025Hammersmith & Fulham, then Kensington & Chelsea, approve the plans.Source: Construction Enquirer, 17 Dec 2025; ianvisits, 6 Jan 2026
- 2026Enabling works are due to begin on site.Source: earlscourt.com; Construction Enquirer
- 2030First residents are expected to move in.Source: Construction Enquirer, 17 Dec 2025
- 2041Full build-out is scheduled to finish.Source: Construction Enquirer, 17 Dec 2025
What is being built on the site
The Earls Court Development Company, working for Delancey, APG and Places for London, has permission for around 4,000 homes, 20 acres of public space including a 4.5-acre park and more than 1,000 new trees, three cultural venues, and 2.5 million square feet of workspace. The developer puts the value at £10 billion and expects the scheme to support 12,000 jobs on site. Enabling works are due to start in 2026, the first residents are expected in 2030, and the last phases are scheduled for 2041.
Sources: earlscourt.com/the-masterplan; Construction Enquirer, “Earls Court £10bn rebuild gets full green light”, 17 December 2025; ianvisits, 6 January 2026. All checked 19 September 2026.
Where the big events went
| Event | Where it is now | From Earl’s Court |
|---|---|---|
| London Boat Show | ExCeL London, Docklands | District line to Tower Hill (22 min), then DLR or Elizabeth line |
| Brit Awards and most arena concerts | The O2, Greenwich Peninsula | Piccadilly line to Green Park, then Jubilee line to North Greenwich |
| Ideal Home brand | Olympia London — The Ideal Christmas Show, 26 to 29 November 2026 | One or two District line stops, or a 20-minute walk |
| London Toy Fair | Olympia London, 19 to 21 January 2027, Grand, National and Upper West Halls | One or two District line stops, or a 20-minute walk |
| Olympic volleyball | A one-off in 2012; nothing replaced it | — |
Sources: Wikipedia (Boat Show, Brit Awards, concerts); olympia.co.uk/whats-on and toyfair.co.uk (2026–27 dates); Transport for London journey planner for the Tower Hill time, as on our Earl’s Court station guide. Our Olympia guide has the full route.
Questions people ask at our desk
Is Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre still open?
No. The last events were the BBC Music Awards and a Bombay Bicycle Club concert in December 2014, and demolition began the same month and finished in 2017. Nothing of the venue remains.
What is on the Earl’s Court site now?
A cleared 44-acre site awaiting redevelopment. Enabling works are due to begin in 2026. Until then there is nothing to visit on the site itself; the neighbourhood around it, and the station, are unchanged.
What is being built at Earl’s Court?
Around 4,000 homes, a 4.5-acre park within 20 acres of public space, three cultural venues and 2.5 million square feet of workspace, approved by both boroughs in late 2025.
When will the new Earl’s Court open?
The developer expects the first residents in 2030 and full completion in 2041. The developer has not published opening dates for the individual phases.
Which venue replaced Earl’s Court?
No single one. The Boat Show went to ExCeL, the Brit Awards and most arena concerts to The O2, and many exhibitions to Olympia London, which is the nearest large venue to the old site.
My ticket says Earl’s Court. Where should I go?
Check the event’s own website first: the venue no longer exists, so the listing is either historic or a mistake. If the event is at Olympia, it is a short walk or one to two District line stops from Earl’s Court station.
Staying nearby
If you need a room while you are visiting the site of the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, we are an independent hotel with single, twin, double and family rooms, all a few minutes from the station, with reception open twenty-four hours.
Check prices for your dates See the rooms
Guides to the venues around the hotel
- The two-minute walk from Earl’s Court station
- Staying near the Natural History Museum
- A hotel near Olympia London
- Match days at Stamford Bridge
- Winter Wonderland from Earl’s Court
Redevelopment timelines move. Figures above are from the planning decision reported in January 2026.
See also our privacy policy, the frequently asked questions and the hotel information page. Questions about either document: info@londoncourthotel.com.