Corn Exchange Cambridge

History of the Corn Exchange

The first corn exchange in Cambridge was built on St Andrew's Hill in 1842 to serve the region's agricultural trade. Within three decades it had become too small, and civic leaders commissioned a replacement on Wheeler Street, on a site formerly occupied by the Black Bear Inn. Architect Richard Reynolds Rowe designed the new building in the Gothic Revival style, using polychrome brickwork in yellow, red and dark blue with tile and faience detailing beneath a Welsh slate roof. The foundation stone was laid in May 1874, and the building opened on 6 November 1875.

For almost a century the hall served its original commercial purpose, providing a covered space for corn merchants to trade. By 1965, trading had moved to the Cattle Market site and the building began hosting occasional pop concerts and exhibitions through the 1970s. A structural survey in 1981 found the roof to be unsafe, forcing closure. A sustained public campaign raised sufficient funds for repairs and refurbishment, and the venue reopened in December 1986 with a concert by Boxcar Willie, followed by a formal reopening with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in February 1987.

The Venue Today

Cambridge Live, the city's arts and entertainment trust, manages the Corn Exchange programme. The venue hosts around 350 events annually across an exceptionally broad range of genres. Major touring musicians in rock, pop, folk and jazz perform regularly, and the hall is a well-established stop on the national comedy circuit. Theatre companies, dance troupes, children's entertainers and spoken word artists all feature in the year-round calendar.

The main hall accommodates approximately 1,800 people in a flexible layout that can be configured for seated, standing or mixed audiences. The original Victorian proportions give the space a distinctive character, with high ceilings and decorative ironwork contributing to an atmosphere quite different from purpose-built modern arenas. A balcony level provides elevated seating, and private boxes are available for selected performances. The venue underwent a significant restoration in 2018 to mark its approaching 150th anniversary, with improvements to the auditorium, lighting and front-of-house areas.

Visiting and Accessibility

The Corn Exchange sits in the heart of Cambridge, directly behind the Guildhall on Market Square. Cambridge station is around 20 minutes' walk, with regular services from London King's Cross and Liverpool Street. The Grand Arcade and Park Street multi-storey car parks are both within five minutes' walk. There is no venue parking, so arriving by public transport or using city centre car parks is recommended, particularly for evening events.

The venue is largely wheelchair accessible, with lift access between levels and designated wheelchair spaces available in rows O and R on the flat floor as well as in the Hirsch and Salisbury boxes. Standing events offer accessible seating in the boxes. Two accessible toilets are located at the front and rear of the building. Assistance dogs are welcome. A row of seats near the front is reserved for visually impaired visitors. The box office on Wheeler Street is open Monday to Saturday and can advise on specific access requirements.