Portsmouth Guildhall

If you’ve ever been to an exhibition or conference in Portsmouth, you’ve probably visited the Portsmouth Guildhall. Portsmouth’s de facto Town Hall, today this multi-purpose venue stages live concerts and is also the city’s premier events and entertainment venue.

The Portsmouth Guildhall was originally constructed in 1890 after it had been designed by the Leeds architect William Hill. The building was sadly gutted by bombing during World War II but was rebuilt after the war and reopened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1959. It is now managed by the Portsmouth Cultural Trust and is where the local government meets to make its decisions.

Since the war Portsmouth Guildhall has developed a storied history as a live music venue, hosting some of the world’s biggest musical acts thanks to its standing capacity of 2,500. Past visitors to the Guildhall include The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash and Radiohead. The Guildhall also hosts an enormous range of exhibitions and other live events, from video and board game conventions to film screenings complete with live orchestral accompaniment.

If you’re looking for a grand evening in Portsmouth, there is quite simply no venue better equipped to deliver it than Portsmouth Guildhall.