Discounted accommodation for Utility Week Live visitors!

We have partnered with specialist accommodation agency Event Express to provide discounted hotel accommodation exclusively for Utility Week Live.

Event Express have flexible cancellation terms, so you can make any amendments and cancellations until closer to the event date. Please note that the discounted hotel prices are subject to availability, so we strongly recommend booking sooner rather than later to guarantee your preferred hotel.  

Contact telephone number: 01905 732737 
Visit their website here
Contact email address: reservations@eventexpressuk.com
 

BOOK HERE (opens in a new tab)

Accessibility

The NEC aims to be fully user-friendly for visitors with access needs.

Information about arriving and access, blue badge parking, drop off/pick up arrangements, mobility equipment hire, assistance dogs, hearing impariments, accessible toilets and more can be found here: https://www.thenec.co.uk/visitors/accessibility/ 

If you would like to know more, please call 0800 640 5001.

Bank and cash points

You'll find cash points around the NEC and they're free of charge.

Canvassing

Canvassing for orders by unauthorised persons and the distribution or display of printed material, placards, handbills or circulars, except by exhibitors within the confines of their own stand is prohibited. 

Car Parking

The NEC charges £18.95 per day for parking. Pre-paid parking can be booked in advance at £13.95 per day but must be booked the day before attending the show (you can book until midnight). Shuttle buses operate throughout the day taking visitors from the car parks directly to the exhibition entrance. Please visit:  http://www.thenec.co.uk/visitors/parking/ 
Discounted parking available to book from 1 March.

Blue badge parking:
To help you plan your Blue Badge Visitor Parking, we have created a short film explaining what to expect when you arrive onsite at the NEC and the facilities we have available. See it here.

Catering

New for 2026, we have some delicious street food options available at the very heart of the show - The Square.

The restaurant and coffee shop will be open at the back of Hall 17, offering hot meals, sandwiches, salads, snacks & drinks.

There's also Subway, Wetherspoons and Bakehouse Café located outside of the hall.

Cloakroom and lost property

There are cloakrooms situated directly outside the exhibition entrance for bags, coats and luggage to be left whilst you are at the show. The cloakroom is £2 a coat and £3 for luggage/bags and open 30 mins before show open and will close 30 minutes after the end of the show. Any items not collected by this time will be taken to Lost Property.  

Lost property should be reported to and collected from the Security Office on the Atrium near Hall 6. 

Disabilities services

All levels of the NEC are accessible to wheelchair users, via lifts, and have wheelchair friendly toilet facilities. The Piazza and Atrium main entrances have automatic doors. There have a range of mobility equipment available to hire, which can be pre-booked in advance. Pre-book your equipment here.

Wheelchairs are available for £5 per day. As numbers are limited, we recommend bringing your own if possible.

Mobility scooters are available for £20 per hire.

Pre-booked equipment will be held until 11:00am on the day of your booking, unless agreed otherwise in advance.

If you haven’t pre-booked, any remaining equipment will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis on the day. Collection points may vary depending on the show, so please check the location details when making your booking.

Please note that mobility equipment hire is available during show opening hours only, and payment can be made by card.

Entry

Entry to the show is FREE. Under 16s (including infants in pushchairs or buggies) are NOT permitted to enter the show under any circumstances, due to potential health and safety hazards.

First Aid

For any first aid or medical emergencies please contact the Organisers Office or NEC Security staff in the halls.

Meeting Areas

Take a break with a coffee and a bite to eat in The Square - the new central meeting point to connect, collaborate and catch up with peers.
The Sales Lounge is where you can meet with the exhibition team and discuss opportunities for next year's show.

Quiet Space

There is a quiet space opposite Atrium 1, however, if this space is booked during your show, then visitors would need to use the room on the Piazza side of site.

Sales Lounge

Please visit the Sales Lounge (stand B12) for further information on next year’s show or to speak to a member of the exhibition team.

Security

For security reasons, we request that visitors and exhibitors have access to their printed or digital badge at all times.

Sustainability

We are committed to reducing our environmental impact at Utility Week Live 2026.

Better Stands
A medium-sized disposable exhibition stand can generate up to four tonnes of waste - almost 10x the average person’s annual household waste. Designed for single use, these stands have a significant environmental impact. Reducing this waste is a key step towards reaching Net Zero. 

Faversham House is committed to reaching Net Zero and supporting exhibitors too. Since 2023, we have been a member of the event industry's Better Stands Pilot Scheme, and we trialled the assessment process for the first time at UWL24 and UWL25. We will continue to use Better Stands as a programme in 2026.   

Better Stands promotes reusable exhibition structures over disposable builds. It provides a framework to measure stand sustainability, awarding Bronze, Silver or Gold status based on how much of a stand is reused or recycled. 

What this means for Utility Week Live 2026
We will be running the scheme and the assessment process at Utility Week Live 2026. For space only exhibitors, an initial assessment of your stand will be done at the point you submit your stand plans and further checks carried out at build up and break down. For AMP Package exhibitors, your stand will also be assessed onsite. 

This initiative helps us deliver more sustainable stands and reduce the overall carbon impact of the event.

Sustainable Travel
We’re committed to making Utility Week Live more sustainable, and one way we’re doing this is by encouraging greener travel. Partnering with Avanti West Coast, we offer 20% off train travel for event attendees, helping reduce your carbon footprint while travelling to Birmingham.

Train travel is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to get to the show, and taking advantage of this offer makes it easier and more affordable. For accessibility support, please visit Avanti West Coast Assistance.

Bookings open 7 March 2026

Our Commitment
Faversham House is proud to be a Certified B Corporation, recognising our commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance.

B Corps are legally committed to bring benefit to all business stakeholders including staff, customers, communities and the environment. Faversham House is now part of this global movement leading the way for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.

See full details here.

The Square

The Square is the show’s new central hub and an ideal place to start your visit. It’s the go-to point for:

• Information, support, and guidance, including help to navigate the show and plan what to see
• Meeting up with colleagues and peers to network throughout the day
• Refreshments, drinks, and street food

Later on day one, The Square also offers a relaxed social setting, with drinks and live music.

Shuttle Bus Service

Our free shuttle buses run continuously around the NEC site and car parks during exhibitions, usually starting one hour before and finishing one hour after the exhibition. You’ll find operating times listed on all our bus stops. If you’d rather walk from the car park, simply follow our finger post signage.

If you’re looking for a black cab, you’ll find our trusted partners TOA Taxis outside the Piazza main entrance, Atrium 1 entrance and Atrium 3 entrance when shows are taking place at the NEC. To book simply call 0121 427 8888 or 0800 0142 729.

Taxis

There is a taxi rank outside the Piazza main entrance, Atrium 1 entrance and Atrium 3 entrance, where you will find TOA Taxis. To book simply call 0121 427 8888 or 0800 0142 729. 

The Organisers’ Office

The Organisers’ Office is situated near the entrance to the hall. If you have any queries, please come and speak to any member of the team.

Visa Information

If you are not a British citizen or a national of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA), you will require a visa to travel to the United Kingdom. 

Once registered for the show, the confirmation email can be used to apply for your visa, but Utility Week Live does not provide visa invitation letters for prospective visitors under any circumstances. If you require further information regarding visas please visit the UK Border Agency website or contact your local Embassy. 

Wi-Fi

All visitors to the NEC can connect to WiFi across the entire venue completely free of charge. However, we recommend the service is for checking emails and posting on social media etc, not for streaming. If you’re unsure how to connect, or experience any difficulties, just head to the Visitor and Business Centres and they’ll get you surfing the web in no time.

Toilets

There are toilets located on the rear of the hall side and also outside in the Atrium, next to the exhibitor badge kiosk. 

Accessible toilets are available across the venue. Changing Places facilities are also available by Hall 20, on the Atrium side of site and by Hall 2, on the Piazza side of site (both of these are accessible with a radar key). The Changing Places facilities provide more space for up to 2 carers - and extra features to meet additional needs, including height adjustable adult-sized changing benches and a hoist system. 

For more details visit  Changing Places 

Water bottle refill stations

Remember to bring your refillable water bottle!

To help avoid single-use plastic, there will be two water bottle refill stations in the exhibition hall. One at the entrance and one near the Meeting & Coffee Hub.