The Corn Exchange

THE CORN EXCHANGE is Cambridge's largest live entertainment venue and has hosted hundreds of great bands and acts including The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Oasis.

It is a spacious building at the back of the Guildhall, measures 163 feet by 54 feet, and has a glass roof supported by a single span of iron girders.

The Corn Exchange was designed by architect Richard Reynolds Rowe, and built on the remains of the Priory of Friars Hermits. The foundation stone was laid by the then Mayor (Mr. Alderman Death), on May 26th, 1874.

It was formally opened in 1875 with a concert performance by the Coldtream Guards and a local choral society. While playing the National Anthem, a mistake was made and an angry mob attacked the Mayors house!

In its days as a trading venue, there were 130 merchants' stands and the building and the other facilities offered, rendered Cambridge one of the best corn-markets in the east of England.

During the 1970s the Corn Exchange was used for concerts and exhibitions. The venue subsequently closed in 1981 due to concerns over the safety of the roof and complaints from local residents about noise levels.

In 1986 as a result of public pressure and with the help of grants and donations, the building reopened with a performance by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then it has hosted hundreds of the nation's favourite acts and is to many locals Cambridge's best venue.

Website: Cambridge Corn Exchange