A £750,000 upgrade for the flagship events venue at the Norfolk Showground will go ahead after a major grant completed the fundraising efforts.

The Norfolk Events Centre - previously known as the Norfolk Arena - is the county's largest indoor events venue, and owned by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA). 

Now a £100,000 grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation, along with £25,000 from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, has opened the doors for a new extension and refurbishment project.

The main exhibition hall will be extended to provide space for break-out rooms, kitchens, bars, toilets and equipment storage.

Heating and lighting will be improved, and a more flexible layout will allow more conferences to utilise the area - including the ability to subdivide the hall, enabling two events to occupy the building at the same time.

A tendering process is under way, and it is hoped the building work will be completed by October 2023. 

Fearn Ainsworth, commercial development manager for the RNAA, said: "The completion of this project will transform the Norfolk Events Centre (NEC) making it a much more usable and versatile venue.

"Not only will the NEC be able to host large events at scale, but it will also provide a much more attractive venue for smaller events that it currently cannot host.

We are enormously grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation and New Anglia LEP for their support."

New equipment for event use is also being purchased as part of this work and will be available for hire, said the RNAA.

An initial phase of the project has already been completed to install solar panels, creating one of the largest roof-mounted photovoltaic projects in Norfolk.

The venue is home to many events throughout the year, including the Adnams Food and Drink Experience at the Royal Norfolk Show.