Bridgestone, in partnership with Kwik Fit, has announced its return to The British Motor Show and has become the official sponsor of the Live Arena and Supercar Paddock for the 2026 edition. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the two automotive leaders have supported the show’s most popular and high-energy attractions.
Renowned for delivering adrenaline-fuelled demonstrations, thrilling live performances, and an up-close showcase of the world’s most desirable supercars, the Live Arena and Supercar Paddock have become centrepieces of The British Motor Show experience. Bridgestone and Kwik Fit’s continued partnership underlines their long-standing joint commitment to performance, safety, innovation, and engaging automotive fans of all ages.
Drew Chapman, Consumer Sales Director for Bridgestone UK, commented: “We’re thrilled to return to the British Motor Show with Kwik Fit for our fifth consecutive year. Spanning three exciting days, the event offers a fantastic day out for families and passionate car fans alike. Performance is at the core of everything we do at Bridgestone, so we’re proud to be at the centre of the action as sponsors of the Bridgestone in partnership with Kwik Fit Live Arena and the Supercar Paddock.”
Andy Lane, Marketing Director at Kwik Fit, added: “We’re proud to be partnering with Bridgestone once again at the British Motor Show. The thrilling stunts and extreme performance in the Live Arena and Supercar Paddock may seem a world away from everyday motoring, but there is a common thread. All drivers need to have confidence in their car – whether up on two wheels in the arena or popping to the shops. This event is the perfect place to connect with motorists of all ages and share how our expertise, combined with the quality and performance of Bridgestone tyres, helps keep the nation’s drivers safe on the road.”
Visitors to the 2026 show can once again expect an action-packed programme in the Live Arena, alongside a spectacular display of cutting-edge supercars in the Supercar Paddock. Bridgestone and Kwik Fit experts will also be on hand throughout the event, sharing insight on tyre safety, vehicle maintenance, and the importance of keeping drivers road ready.
The British Motor Show 2026 takes place 21-23 August 2026 and is expected to welcome tens of thousands of visitors, offering manufacturers, partners, and sponsors an unrivalled opportunity to connect directly with UK consumers and the wider automotive community.
HALO, the automotive industry’s dedicated appointment and test drive booking platform, has been confirmed as the exclusive test drive booking partner for The British Motor Show 2026.
The partnership will see HALO power all test drive bookings at the 2026 show, delivering a fully integrated booking and scheduling solution designed to support manufacturers operating at scale while improving visitor experience and data quality.
Using HALO’s platform, attendees will be able to pre-book test drives ahead of the event, selecting preferred vehicles, manufacturers, and time slots in advance. This approach ensures visitors arrive on-site with confirmed appointments, significantly reducing queues, and on-the-day inefficiencies. At the British Motor Show 2025, 72% of attendees were considering the purchase of their next car, and 30% have already registered their interest in test drives at the 2026 event.
For manufacturers and exhibitors, HALO provides a centralised system to manage test drive activity across multiple brands and vehicle fleets. The platform enables real-time management of availability, capacity, and scheduling, while capturing accurate customer data both before and during the event. Live visibility of bookings and attendance allows teams to optimise resource allocation and maximise engagement throughout the show.
Andy Entwistle, CEO of The British Motor Show, commented: “Test drives are a critical part of the visitor experience at the show and a key commercial opportunity for manufacturers. Partnering with HALO allows us to deliver a more structured, data-driven, and scalable test drive experience for 2026. This collaboration ensures exhibitors can operate efficiently while visitors enjoy a smoother, more professional experience from booking through to driving.”
Harry Pennington, Strategy & Development Director at RGML, said: “We’re proud to be supporting one of the UK’s most important automotive showcases and helping to raise the standard for how test drive experiences are delivered at scale, giving manufacturers better control and visitors a smoother, more engaging experience.”
As part of the partnership, The British Motor Show is the exclusive event user of HALO for 2026, reinforcing The British Motor Show’s commitment to operational excellence and innovation, while positioning HALO at the centre of one of the UK’s most significant automotive retail and manufacturer showcases.
The British Motor Show 2026 takes place 21-23 August and is expected to welcome tens of thousands of visitors, offering manufacturers, partners, and sponsors an unrivalled opportunity to connect directly with UK consumers and the wider automotive community.
The British Motor Show has launched a new event layout, 9 new features, and free tickets for kids under 17 for its 2026 edition.
Taking place at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre from 21-23 August 2026, The British Motor Show is more than just a car show, it’s a four-day spectacle delivering live entertainment, interactive displays and driving experiences for the whole family.
New features for 2026 include:
The Showroom: The latest cars, leading brands & live reviews.
The Grid: Hand-on sim-racing, e-sports & iconic driving games.
Lowered and Loud: All things car culture, style & custom-builds.
The Yard: Get up close to high-octane motorsport & modified machines.
Pit Lane: Go behind-the-scenes of the world of competitive racing.
Festival Fields: Good vibes, great food, family fair rides & live music.
Discovery Garage: An interactive inspiration for the next generation of car lovers.
The Club Hub: Classic cars, modified rides, unique builds & passionate owners.
Marketplace: Shop ‘till you drop where there’s something for the whole family.
Fan favourites returning in 2026:
The Live Arena: Celebrity guests, adrenaline-fuelled action & jaw-dropping stunts.
Test Drives: Get behind the wheel of all the latest makes and models.
The Lego Group Live Stage in partnership with Smyths Toys: Special guests, family entertainment, The Lego Motor Show Shop plus make and take race cars.
Supercar Paddock: A showcase of the finest exotic & high-performance vehicles.
Ride & Drive: Feel the thrill with drift taxis, dream rides, under 17 driving & more.
Farnborough International is proud to be a leading venue in the UK’s biggest collective Christmas initiative, One Day at Christmas, uniting the events and exhibitions industry to support vulnerable and isolated people. On Friday 5 December 2025, we will once again open our doors to deliver a festive community celebration, joining venues nationwide in tackling loneliness at one of the hardest times of the year.
This initiative brings together thousands of volunteers, donated food, and venue space to provide warmth, connection, and festive cheer to those who need it most.
The 2025 edition marks a milestone, expanding to 10 venues with the addition of P&J Live in Aberdeen and Tobacco Dock in London. Much-loved broadcaster and Good Morning Britain host Richard Madeley will also support the campaign, hosting the central event at ExCeL London.
Entirely powered by the UK events and exhibitions community, One Day at Christmas brings together donated venue space, catering, and hundreds of volunteers to create a festive and supportive environment for those in need. The full list of 2025 host venues includes: P&J Live, Tobacco Dock, Business Design Centre, Coventry Building Society Arena, ExCeL London, Farnborough International, Manchester Central, NEC Birmingham, SEC Glasgow, and the Royal Armouries, Leeds.
Julian Agostini, founder of One Day at Christmas, said: “This event is the ultimate showcase of the heart and capability of the UK events industry… Expanding to 10 major venues, from Aberdeen to London, demonstrates the sheer cooperation and determination of the exhibitions sector to give back. This is more than just a festive meal; it’s about providing connection, community, and dignity for those who need it most. We are ready to help the media show the nation what true Christmas spirit looks like.”
Following the 2024 event, Sarah Marshall, Venue Director at Farnborough International, said: “We are thrilled that we have been able to host this valuable community event at the venue, with the support of our volunteers, partners and supporters. Our local community is incredibly important to us at Farnborough International, and to bring some festive spirit to those who need it most is a real privilege.”
Farnborough International’s participation underscores the UK events community’s commitment to supporting those in need. By creating a welcoming and joyful celebration, we help ensure everyone can experience the true spirit of Christmas.
Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre has joined Lime Venue Portfolio, the UK’s most iconic collection of venues, adding another world-class destination for event organisers.
Located just outside London and close to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the venue is home to the world-famous Farnborough International Airshow and has welcomed more than 190,000 attendees this year. It offers state-of-the-art facilities, international accessibility, and a strong track record of hosting high-profile business events.
Jo Austin, Sales Director, Lime Venue Portfolio, commented, “We have so many incredible venues, from the charismatic to the world-renowned; Farnborough International is both, and absolutely belongs in Lime Venue Portfolio. For us, this is another major step forward, providing the very best options to our clients; a venue that combines scale, connectivity, and quality.”
Sarah Marshall, Venue Director, Farnborough International, added, “At Farnborough International, we are relentless in our pursuit of customer excellence and ensuring every service is provided to the highest quality. We are pleased to be collaborating with the like-minded team at Lime Venue Portfolio to support our objectives and reach their audience of event organisers to make their vision become reality within our award-winning venue.”
Following its busiest start to a calendar year since its establishment, Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre has secured a slate of high-profile 2026 events and long-term partnerships.
Established as one of the UK’s premier event venues, Farnborough International has welcomed over 100,000 visitors already this year and a 100% rebook rate for 2025 Q1 and Q2 events reinforce its position as a nucleus for corporate and consumer exhibitions and is a result of its first-class customer service operation and facilities.
Farnborough International has confirmed the return of major events in 2026, including:
Security & Policing, the official Home Office event
Additionally, Farnborough International has secured a multi-year contract with the Big One Fishing Show, one of the UK’s most anticipated angling exhibitions, expanding its lifestyle and consumer portfolio.
Commenting on the success of the venue, Sarah Marshall, Venue Director at Farnborough International. “These event rebooks are a testament to the confidence our clients place in our world-class facilities and the exceptional service delivered by our team. We’re thrilled to see such a strong start to 2025, and with contracts now stretching into 2026, Farnborough is firmly positioned as a go-to destination for leading events in the UK.”
Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre continues to attract an increasingly diverse range of events, cementing its reputation as a venue where ideas, industries, and innovation converge to create extraordinary experiences.
Farnborough International brought together hundreds of lonely, vulnerable and elderly people from the local Farnborough and Aldershot areas to kick off December festivities and celebrate Christmas early.
Aimed to sprinkle some seasonal cheer to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with their family or friends, guests were treated to an afternoon of festive fun and food, including a two-course lunch, entertainment from St Mark’s Primary School choir, bingo and an advent prize draw.
The event, which took place 6 December 2024 at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, was held in partnership with Mash Media’s One Day At Christmas initiative, which saw eight, national event spaces across the UK simultaneously host community Christmas parties. Community groups and organisations in attendance for the day included: Rushmoor Voluntary Service, MHA Communities Hants North, Surrey Heath Age Concern, CAMEO, Community Grub Hub, SUGS, The Vine Centre, Mike Jackson House, Wellbeing Centre (MIND), Hope Hub, Centenary Lodge (Stoll), The Healing Hub, U3A, Eggars Court, Cooper Court, The Ferns and Apex Prime Care.
Alex Baker MP for Aldershot and Farnborough and the Mayor of Rushmoor Councillor Mara Makunura opened the festivities and Team GB Olympian Iwan Thomas MBE joined the team of volunteers serving Christmas dinner. Discussing the event, Alex Baker MP, said: “It was a joy to welcome everyone to Farnborough International for One Day at Christmas – a charity event organised by the UK events industry. Thank you to all the partners who helped, provide a festive experience for the most lonely and vulnerable in our communities.”
Sarah Marshall, Venue Director at Farnborough International, added: “We are thrilled that we have been able to host this valuable community event at the venue for the second year, with the support of our volunteers, partners and supporters. Our local community is incredibly important to us at Farnborough International, and to bring some festive spirit to those who need it most is a real privilege.”
Farnborough International collaborated with its key suppliers, partners and volunteers, alongside its own team, to make the event a success, including the venue’s Official Caterer Amadeus, MB Medical Solutions, RJA (UK) Ltd, CSP Ltd, RME Services, Encore, Stadium Support Services, Impression Graphics & Installations Ltd, Tecna UK, alongside volunteers from ADS Group Ltd, Easyfairs UK, Raccoon Media Group, Whitespace Group, Reset Connect, Ops Squad Ltd, Handle Recruitment, and Revive Marketing & PR.
Iventis, a leader in innovative event and venue planning software, is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with Farnborough International Ltd (FIL), organiser of the world-renowned Farnborough International Airshow, and a year-round events and venue operator. The collaboration marks a significant leap forward in harnessing cutting-edge technology to enhance the planning and execution of airshows, events and venues, reinforcing FIL’s leading position in driving innovation in the aerospace and events industry.
Farnborough International has a rich history of spearheading innovation, both as the organiser of the world’s premier airshow and in its role as an events and venue operator. The award-winning organisation is dedicated to continually enhancing its technology framework to better serve both new and existing partners. This mission led to the collaboration with Iventis and the implementation of the cutting-edge Iventis venue and event planning technology.
The partnership is set to revolutionise how FIL engages with organisers, showcases its Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, and transform operational efficiencies through:
Interactive virtual venue tours: Organisers and sponsors can navigate the venue and its surrounds in a dynamic, 3D virtual environment, allowing them to explore commercial opportunities from anywhere in the world.
Advanced operational planning: The Iventis technology enables operational event planning, from planning stages through to execution, using one collaborative 2D and 3D platform.
Optimised visitor journeys: Comprehensive set of planning tools help to seamlessly plan visitor experiences from nearby transport hubs to the venue itself.
Premium sponsorship opportunities: The Iventis platform will enhance the ability to visualise and market multi-activation sponsorship packages and venue spaces as effectively as possible.
3D space visualisation: Venue spaces, features, and event services can be viewed and interacted with virtually, facilitating enhanced space visualisation for meticulous planning security, implementing crowd control measures, and more.
Data-driven decision making: Real-time analytics from the platform will guide operational decisions for optimised visitor experiences.
Sustainable event management: Iventis technology cuts organiser site visits by up to 75% during planning, reinforcing FIL’s commitment to environmental sustainability and supporting efforts to streamline processes, minimise waste, and reduce utility consumption.
Iventis will provide access to its state-of-the-art planning platform, develop 21 3D building models, and import 25 building CADs to ensure the highest precision in planning accuracy.
This partnership offers FIL an opportunity to shape future Iventis functionalities as a trusted partner and ensures that the Farnborough International Airshow and the wider portfolio of events are planned with the most advanced technology available.
Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International, stated, “Our objective at Farnborough International is and always has been to develop and design exceptional, results-driven experiences for our audiences. By integrating Iventis’ state-of-the-art technologies and working alongside their industry-leading team on refining the platforms, we can provide our clients, visitors and partners with dynamic event management integration from the beginning of their journey with us. This partnership with Iventis is an exciting opportunity to closer align technology with our services, and we are looking forward to pioneering the next industry standards with the team.”
Joe Cusdin, CEO and Founder of Iventis, commented, “Collaborating with an industry trailblazer like Farnborough International is a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate the impact of our technology in transforming how major events and venue spaces are planned and experienced. We are thrilled to begin this innovative partnership, learn from the best, and work together to advance the industry.”
This partnership enables Farnborough International to bolsters its role as a catalyst for innovation and Inventis to showcase its leading technology with world-renowned events.
Farnborough International has invested £1 million in increasing its solar panel operation at its award-winning Exhibition & Conference Centre.
As part of the organisation’s focus to get to net zero sooner through its energy consumption and sources, the new solar panel arrays, put in place by Empower Energy, occupy 5780sqm of space on the roof of its largest event space, Hall 1, the equivalent of 29 tennis courts.
At 1.2MW, the expanded system now produces over 1MW of usable electricity for the site on a sunny day, making the venue self-sufficient for its live events held in Hall 1, including globally attended exhibitions, meetings and product launches. Following the instalment of the new technology, the venue will generate 30% of its annual electricity needs via solar power. The investment is part of Farnborough International’s wider commitment to becoming a leading sustainable business, events venue and organiser, outlined in its recently launched sustainability charter, ‘Destination Zero’.
Discussing the seven-figure investment, Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International, said: “At Farnborough International, we have a goal of operating with net zero carbon emissions through concentrating our efforts and actions across four strategic pillars, Energy, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, Partnerships and Wellbeing & Community, to be able to deliver exceptional events and experiences for years to come. This additional investment into our already successful solar panel array is another significant step in our journey to becoming more sustainable.”
A leading exhibition and conference centre, which hosts more than 55 B2B and B2C exhibitions, conferences and experiences annually, a world-renowned event organiser, and film studios, Farnborough International is a catalyst for innovative experiences and rising events conglomerate.
Farnborough International has appointed Sarah Marshall as the new venue director of its award-winning Exhibition & Conference Centre.
Sarah has over 25 years of experience within the events industry and has launched and grown events in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, managing large-scale exhibitions and conference portfolios for a number of organisers including Dods (Total Politics), Hyve, EMAP and Informa amongst others.
In her new role as venue director of Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, Sarah will be leading the commercial growth strategy and cementing the brand’s position as a leading venue and event organiser in the UK. Providing a panoramic viewpoint of the events industry and its wider ecosystem, Sarah will be instrumental in supporting Farnborough International in its continuous focus on pioneering, developing and delivering exceptional events for its clients and wider portfolio.
Discussing her appointment, Sarah commented: “I’m very pleased to be joining Farnborough International at what is an incredibly exciting time for the organisation. With the venue seeing more events held and visitors to the venue than ever before, we will be focusing on providing our clients with the highest quality of service and support, while innovating and growing our portfolio within the market. I look forward to working with the incredibly experienced team here at Farnborough International.”
A leading exhibition and conference centre, which hosts more than 55 B2B and B2C exhibitions, conferences and experiences annually, a world-renowned event organiser, and film studios, Farnborough International is a catalyst for innovative experiences and rising events conglomerate.
