venue and travel

The Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2026 was held at Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Located on the banks of Liverpool's world-famous waterfront and at the gateway to one of the world’s most famous ports, Exhibition Centre Liverpool sits at the heart of a city that made its name through global trade. Liverpool is accessible from all parts of the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, with road, rail, air and sea routes bringing visitors within minutes’ walking or driving distance.

Transport

To reduce delegates’ carbon footprint, we strongly recommended that they travelled by public transport where possible.

Travelling by train:

Both ACC Liverpool and Exhibition Centre Liverpool are well connected to local and national train services. Liverpool Lime Street station has direct services from London Euston and other long-distance routes. James Street station is a 15-minute walk away, Liverpool Central is a 20-minute walk and Liverpool Lime Street is a 25-minute walk.

Travelling by car:

The venue is less than 20 minutes from the UK motorway network and has ample on-site parking available on a first-come, first-served basis. Secure, inexpensive car parks are also located nearby.

Parking:

There are a number of secure, inexpensive car parks available for visitors to Exhibition Centre Liverpool nearby.

Pay and display onsite car parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with accessible spaces, and is open 24 hours a day.

For discounted parking at select city centre locations, visitors could use the Q-Park website and the discount code: MEETLIV10.

Travelling by plane:

Liverpool John Lennon Airport offers flights to domestic, European and international destinations. A taxi to the city centre takes about 20 minutes, while the express bus service, Route 500, takes approximately 25 minutes and drops visitors within a five-minute walk of Exhibition Centre Liverpool.

Manchester Airport is also just 45 minutes away by car and has an even more extensive network of flights.

The conference worked towards limiting its impact on the environment through careful consumption of energy and resources. Delegates were encouraged to consider the environment and reduce their carbon footprint by using public transport when travelling to the conference, where possible.

For more detailed information, please visit the Exhibition Centre Liverpool website:

Exhibition Centre Liverpool: https://www.exhibitioncentreliverpool.com/visiting-us/getting-here/

Important compliance information for 2026

To ensure compliance with the ABPI Code of Practice, exposure to the promotion of prescription-only medicines was strictly limited to healthcare professionals involved in the sourcing, prescribing, recommendation and management of prescription-only medicines. Delegates who did not fall into these categories could not be exposed to the promotion of prescription-only medicines.

Delegates who did not fall into these categories were not able to access:

The designated Prescription Hub within the Exhibition Hall.
Any Pharmaceutical Sponsored Symposia or presentations.

Photography policy

Please note that, to ensure regulatory compliance, photography and filming of pharmaceutical stands, branding or prescription-only product information was strictly prohibited. Any published content must not capture or report on prescription-only medicines.

Is the Diabetes UK Professional Conference venue accessible?

The Exhibition Centre Liverpool is fully accessible by wheelchair to all public areas by lift. This also includes the main auditorium, the exhibition hall and conference rooms. If you have any special access requirements, please let a member of the organising team know diabetesuk@wonderly.agency.

If you have any particular requirements, disabilities, access, or any other needs we should be aware of, please do let us know when registering to attend. Alternatively, please email diabetesuk@wonderly.agency.

Is Wi-Fi available?

Complimentary Wi-Fi is widely available at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.

Is there parking at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool?

There are a number of secure, inexpensive car parks available for visitors to the Exhibition Centre Liverpool nearby.

Pay and display onsite car parking is available and offered on a first come first served basis, with accessible spaces and is open 24 hours a day.

For discounted parking at select city centre locations, visit the Q Parks website and use the discount code: MEETLIV10.

Is there a cloakroom at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool?

Yes, there is a free of charge, staffed cloakroom available onsite. However please note that items are left at your own risk.

Is there a taxi rank at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool?

The drop off/pick up point is on Kings Parade, adjacent to the venue. A taxi rank is located on the riverside of the venue.

Is there a cash machine at the venue?

The nearest cash machine is in the Royal Albert Dock, on Gower Street, approximately a two minute walk from the venue.

Is there a hearing loop at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool?

The venue has an infrared hearing system and this is in Hall 1 and rooms 3A, 3B, 4, 11 and 12. In order to make use of this system, delegates should turn their hearing aids to ‘T’. A necklace can also be collected from guest relations. If you have any questions prior to the conference, please contact the customer service team on diabetesuk@wonderly.agency.

Please speak to a member of the team at registration if you require assistance while onsite.

What is the conference’s environmental policy?

Diabetes UK, in partnership with Wonderly, as part of Haymarket Media Group is working to limit its environmental impact. We do this by:

Using recycled, recyclable and/or sustainable materials wherever possible.
Signage is produced sustainably or reused where possible.
Delegate materials including the conference handbook and delegate bags have been moved to the official event app to reduce paper and production materials.
Catering menus have been selected with sustainability in mind, with a focus on more plant-based and locally sourced ingredients.

The Exhibition Centre Liverpool has provided the appropriate recycling bins and will hand-sort all of their waste for recycling and wherever possible, 100% of waste is recycled and reused. The Exhibition Centre Liverpool only sends a minimal amount of waste to landfill.

More information on our sustainability policy and efforts can be found here.

What help is available if I have an emergency or require first aid?

In the event of an emergency please contact a member of staff from within Diabetes UK, Wonderly or the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, who are located on all levels and at the registration desk in the ground floor foyer, as well as on the Diabetes UK stand or catering points in the Exhibition Hall, and within seminar rooms.

First aid support is available onsite; please ask an Exhibition Centre steward who will be able to assist you. In the event of a fire alarm, please leave your belongings and exit via the clearly marked emergency exits, where stewards will guide you to the meeting point. Do not use the lifts and make note of any announcements.

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