Record year for Apex and big names set to bring more visitors

23 May 2024

A cultural venue has seen its best year to date selling a record number of tickets and bringing thousands of visitors to West Suffolk.

The Apex in Bury St Edmunds, which is run by West Suffolk Council, sold 113,356 tickets in the year from 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 – its best performance since it opened in 2010.

More than 75,000 of those tickets were brought by people from outside of West Suffolk. The figures demonstrate the venue’s role in continuing to attract visitors to the area, contributing to tourism spend and helping deliver the council’s strategic priority for sustainable growth. 

As well as selling a record number of tickets, it also outperformed other venues throughout the UK, achieving above the National average in terms of the percent of tickets sold for its shows.

 The Apex is continuing to grow its audience – ticket data shows that more than 10,000 new customers came to the venue last year.

And there’s plenty to enjoy in the year ahead with John Barrowman, Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke, as well as music including Stewart Copeland, Will Young and Jason Donovan to name a few.

Comedians Rich Hall, Ed Byrne and Lucy Beaumont are all set to perform sets at the venue over the coming months, while The Science Museum Live is among the various daytime shows and activities aimed at young family audiences.

The Apex is also continuing to go from strength to strength as an established community hub serving as a meeting place for a range of groups including the Bereavement Café and St Edmundsbaby, as well as a gallery space for West Suffolk College and the Bury St Edmunds Photographic Society to name a few.  

The concert hall is regularly hired by local organisations which have included the University of the Third Age – U3A, Royal British Legion, Bury Bach Choir, Bury Friendly Orchestra RAF Honington Band, Brandon School of Dance, the Newmarket School of Dance, Baby Ballet, Fat Cat Comedy Club and the Voice Squad. 
 
Yoga sessions, painting and harmonica workshops are held in the studios, while the venue is also used for corporate events by a host of local businesses as well as the West Suffolk Business Awards.

Cllr Ian Shipp, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture at West Suffolk Council said: “I am absolutely delighted with this success which is helping support the sustainable growth of our local economy. This is bringing visitors to West Suffolk, which as well as helping showcase our area, is undoubtedly contributing tourism spend to businesses including the hospitality sector.  

“The ticket sales also show people from across West Suffolk are coming along to enjoy the exciting array of entertainment at The Apex.

“We are proud to invest in arts, culture and leisure as part of our work to help our communities thrive. Whether it’s through grants to others or at our own facilities like The Apex, it’s about providing a mix of activities that residents across West Suffolk can access and enjoy for the benefit of their health and wellbeing.

“That is why it is also fantastic that so many community groups are making use of the building as a meeting place, for workshops, their own events and as a gallery space for artists of all ages.”

You can find out more about what’s on at The Apex website.

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