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The International Rights Centre at the London Book Fair will move to the ground floor of Olympia at next year's event due to redevelopment work at the venue.
A £1bn project at Olympia will see two new hotels built, as well as a 1,000-seat performing arts space and 1,500-seat theatre. There will also be a new jazz-club style restaurant, co-working spaces and 2.5 acres of pedestrianised public space including a sky garden.
The work is expected to finish in 2024 but the venue will remain open to host events as the development of the site continues around it. The 2022 London Book Fair (LBF) is due to be held in person at Olympia from 5th to 7th April and the rights centre will now be "at the very heart of the fair".
LBF director Andy Ventris told The Bookseller: “We’re delighted to be planning an in-person event in April next year at Olympia, the home of the London Book Fair. It’s brilliant that the venue has been open and running large events since August.
“The planned redevelopment works which have been taking place at Olympia, will have an impact on events for the next few years, meaning we will be adapting the layout of LBF in 2022. Notably, the International Rights Centre will move to the ground floor at the very heart of the fair. There will be some other changes to the floorplan and entrances, all of which will be communicated in the run up to LBF.
“When complete, these works will, in Olympia’s words, 'position the iconic 135-year-old venue as a global force in arts, entertainment, exhibitions and events', and we look forward to the opportunities that this will bring for LBF.”