Olympia London Enters A New Era As A Cultural Destination

After 140 years as one of London’s best-known exhibition venues, Olympia London is entering a new chapter. This summer marks another milestone in the historic destination’s £1.3 billion transformation, with new restaurants, rooftop spaces, live entertainment and cultural programming opening to the public.

At its centre is The British Airways ARC, a 3,800-capacity live music venue operated by AEG Presents. Reviving Olympia’s musical heritage — once associated with acts including Pink Floyd — the venue has launched with a programme of British and international artists.

Elsewhere, The Square provides a new public setting for free live music, performances and cultural events, while the rooftop Canopy brings a collection of dining and drinking destinations to the site. These include Mexican-inspired Bar Arriba, Japanese restaurant and late-night venue Wolves of Tokyo, British restaurant Lillie’s and the multi-concept food hall Arbour.

They join Idalia, the all-day restaurant that opened in the historic Pillar Hall earlier this year.

The transformation also brings the Hyatt Regency London Olympia, with citizenM London Olympia set to follow later this summer. Further additions are planned through 2027, including the British Airways Theatre.

With offices, hospitality, culture and entertainment now integrated into the site, Olympia London is being repositioned as a destination in its own right — one that looks beyond its exhibition-hall heritage towards a more dynamic future for West London.