BOSSES at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow have reported an “outstanding year” of financial success.
The improved performance generated net additional expenditure of over £1.25 million per day in the Glasgow area, a total of £457m for the year.
Aside from 2014, during which the Commonwealth Games were held in the city, 2018/19 has been named as “financially the most successful year in the history of the SEC”.
Trading turnover increased by 21% to £35.1m with conferences, exhibitions and live entertainment all reporting growth.
Almost 2.1m people visited the campus, with 1.1m of those heading to the SSE Hydro.
The venue hosted 144 performances in 2018 – including Kevin Bridges’ shows and the European Gymnastics championships – making it the fourth-busiest live entertainment arena in the world.
SEC chief executive Peter Duthie said: “This has been a tremendous year for the business and exceptional in that every sector in which we operate has delivered a record performance. This success is measured in financial terms but also by the economic impact the campus generated, not only for Glasgow, but also for Scotland and the rest of the UK.
“We will ensure that trading profits continue to be reinvested to ensure the existing facilities meet the needs of our customers in an increasingly competitive market.”
“Our ambitious plan to upgrade and expand the campus – principally to facilitate further growth in the conference and exhibition sectors – is being pursued, and in the current financial year a Planning Permission in Principle application has been prepared.”
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