Venue & General Information

Exhibitors and contractors are not to leave items in the aisles. Exhibitors and contractors must remove all waste materials other than small items. Designated emergency aisles must be kept clear at all times - a floorplan of the emergency gangways can be found in the on-site Organisers' office. Please ensure you adhere to these rules to ensure a safe & accessible build up and you must co-operate with our Floor Managers.

During the open period no objects must protrude from the stands into the aisles nor must furniture or displays or parts of displays be placed in the aisles. 

Under no circumstances may an Exhibitor (or staff member working on behalf of Exhibitors) be permitted to distribute any promotional material (including printed or other cards, circulars, articles, leaflets) at any point within the exhibition centre other than on their allocated stand space. This restriction includes the gangways surrounding your stand and all public spaces. 

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The consumption of alcohol onsite during build up and breakdown phase is strictly forbidden. 

The taking of illicit drugs is strictly forbidden at all times.

It is an offence to smoke or to knowingly permit smoking inside the venue premises. If you observe someone smoking, a complaint may be made to any member of the exhibition team. This also applies to e-cigarettes and vaping. Smoking and Vaping will only be allowed in designated smoking areas outside.

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Balloons are permitted as long as they are tethered and any filled with helium must follow the compressed gas guidelines. Please be advised that there are charges to bring the balloons down if they escape.

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Children under 16 will be refused access under all circumstances during build up and breakdown and no alternative facilities will be provided.

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Exhibitors are encouraged to provide hand sanitizer at their stands for the convenience and safety of visitors and staff. All high touch points e,g, counters, meeting tables, and shared equipment, should be regularly cleaned with appropriate cleaning materials during build, show open, and breakdown. 

It is essential that all relevant H&S regulations and control measures are in place for the use and storage of hand sanitiser. If you plan to have large quantities over 50L please contact the organiser.

Enhance cleaning services can be ordered from the Cleaning & Waste Supplier. 

It is your responsibility to maintain your stand in a clean condition at all times. We have arrangements for basic stand cleaning to be carried out at no charge to you. The cleaning of exhibits will remain your responsibility, as will any special services that may be required such as the removal of bulk rubbish. Standfitting materials, carpets, pallets, etc. are not included in the cleaning service and must be removed by the exhibitor or contractor. Any costs incurred for the removal of this type of waste will be forwarded to the exhibitor concerned. 

PLEASE note that you will incur charges if you or your contractor leaves excess waste during build-up and breakdown. 

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If you intend to play recorded or live music on your stand during the course of the exhibition you are required by law to obtain music licence. 

Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) & Performing Right Society (PRS) have joined forces to provide a single, simple point of contact for licensing music when it is played and performed in public. The new venture is called PPL PRS Ltd. For more information about TheMusicLicence, please visit pplprs.co.uk or contact PPL PRS directly on 0800 086 8820. 

Exhibitors are solely responsible for obtaining any licence required to play music on their stand.  

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For the safety of all convention attendees, volunteers, guests, and staff, there are restrictions on what can be bought, sold, and brought into the show.

Organiser reserve the right to have removed or confiscate any item deemed to be breaking these rules. Moreover, organiser and security for the event and venue reserve the right to reject any weapon or prop if deemed likely to cause a nuisance.

Security will be checking all prop firearms each day near the show entrances and stages. If a prop does not comply with this policy, security will check and follow up if the item was purchased in the show.

• Metal or wooden blades, whether sharp or blunt, including but not limited to swords, axes, kunai, throwing stars, ice skates, and knives of any kind; This includes “ninja swords”, which are prohibited under Ronan’s Law (2025) and may not be sold, displayed, or offered even as collectibles.

• Guns, rifles, or artillery including airsoft guns, BB guns, paintball guns or props built from parts of these items;

• Hard bats, paddles or clubs that could be used as striking weapons, including but not limited to wooden or metal baseball bats, golf clubs;
• Functional projectile weapons e.g. strung bows or crossbows;
• Sharp items e.g. arrows, bolts, protruding nails;

• Lasepointers, vuvuzelas, silly string, and drones (even if not part of a costume);
• Heavy tools and power tools that could be weaponised, including but not limited to iron pokers, crowbars, drills, chainsaws;
• Chemical weapons, explosives, and incendiary device e.g. mace, pepper spray;
• Large pressurised containers and gas canisters;
• Fog or vapour machines;
• Any items restricted or prohibited from being carried by law e.g. knuckledusters, nunchucks, and bokken (a type of hard wooden or toughened plastic training sword).
• Heavy items that could be used as weapons , including but not limited to canes with heavy tops, iron pokers, heavy cast iron pans, or crowbars are not permitted. Nor are power tools such as actual chainsaws or hedge trimmers.
• Roller skates and blades, skateboards, scooters, go-carts, etc. are only permitted in areas that the venue allows their use. Assume any part of a venue under a roof forbids their use.
• Ice skates are not allowed, even with skate guards attached.
• Helium Balloons
• Realistic replica swords, knives, and blunt weapons that closely resemble real weapons, even if displayed in a locked box or sold as a collectible. 

Prohibited Materials:

• Selling weapons made of glass or other easily breakable materials.
• Any single item weighing more than 4 kg or deemed excessively heavy.
• Large quantities of solid wood, particularly sharp or pointed pieces, that could be used as weapons.

Attendance at an MCM Comic Con must not be used as a defence to sell a prohibited item unless permission has been expressly granted in writing.

No exceptions are made for special licences, memberships, or training. Police may destroy confiscated items without warning. Exhibitors bring items to an event at their own risk.

Any item suspected to be illegal under English law will be passed to the police for review. Such items will only be returned if the police confirm they are lawful. If the police decide to retain anitem, the owner must follow up with the polcie directly, and neither the organiser nor the venue will accept responsibility for its return.

Under Ronan’s Law (2025) and the Offensive Weapons legislation, certain items (including ninja swords and other offensive weapons) are now fully prohibited in the UK and cannot be sold, displayed, or brought into the venue under any circumstances.

Please take care when transporting any form of firearm/weapon prop. Regardless of how realistic it looks, ensure it is completely hidden while travelling and be aware of your surroundings, attire, and the appearance of your props to bystanders when outside. Don’t assume attending an MCM show reassures people that the item is a prop. False alarms waste police resources and risk creating stricter rules and laws.

***Images provided are not representative of the full range of items not allowed on the show.***

If you're unsure your item meets regulations, please contact the Operations Team before bringing it onsite.

Items containing nudity is not permitted, nor are exposed costume or prosthetic genitalia. Adult fetish attire such as extreme BDSM gear is also unsuitable.

While not expressly banned, MCM reserve the right to intervene in the case of items with the following: profanities or sexual acts; inciting of hate or crime; and uniforms, emblems, or flags of organisations responsible for crimes against humanity.

Any exhibitor found attempting to sell or display a prohibited item will be formally recorded by the Operations Team and notified in writing. A repeat breach at any future event may result in further actions, including removal from the event, restrictions on future applications, or termination of their contract to exhibit.

The organiser reserves the right to escalate measures depending on the seriousness of the breach. Attempting to sell a bladed article or other item prohibited under English law (including under Ronan’s Law 2025) will be treated more seriously than items deemed inappropriate solely under our internal policy.

We kindly remind exhibitors that MCM Comic Con is a family-friendly event and the organiser does not consider it appropriate for stands to be used to promote the online sale of bladed articles. Exhibitors should be aware of the potential consequences of violating Ronan’s Law (2025). We therefore ask that exhibitors avoid advertising bladed articles, even if sold legally online, as part of their presence at the show.

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Demonstrations are permitted if measures have been put in place to reduce or eliminate transmission risks.  You must have COVID-19 Health & Safety Documentation which shows how this area will be monitored and controlled. 

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Please remember that you are responsible for rectifying any damage caused to the fabric of the Exhibition buildings, by you, your agents or contractors. In your own interests you should satisfy yourselves as to the condition of your stand site before the building of your stand and after its clearance. It is essential to use a recognised adhesive tape when fixing any carpet directly to the hall floor as all carpet tape must be removed at the end of the exhibition. The correct tape can be purchased from the Organising office onsite at the exhibition. Any charges incurred by the organisers as a result of failure to remove carpet/carpet tape will be passed onto the exhibitor. The stand space must be completely clear and clean by the end of the dismantling period. Any waste left behind is subject to a charge.

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The NEC is designed to allow unrestricted access for disabled visitors. In compliance with the Equality Act, we provide full access to all the facilities within the venue and recognise that disabled visitors may require extra equipment, facilities, and assistance, both routinely and in an emergency.

Traveling to NEC Birmingham:

Access from Birmingham International

- Lift access at the train station

Access to car parking

- Access via gate 1 and parking on hall 5 OEA

For more information please click here.

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While face masks or coverings are not mandatory, you may choose to use one as you see fit.

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It is not permitted, without the prior approval of the Operations Team, to engage in or permit filming, sound or video recording, telecasting or broadcasting within the Venue. If approved, in certain cases, such activities may be subject to an additional charge as determined by the Operations Team. Please contact the Operations Team to discuss. 

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First aid cover is provided by the venue, there is a fully equipped medical treatment room located at the upper landing of the stairs adjacent to Hall 5. You can also come to the organiser’s office or speak to a member of security. If an ambulance is required, please do not dial 999 directly, all medical emergencies must be reported to control who will contact the relevant authorities.

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Exhibitors requiring customs clearance should employ the services of the official freight forwarding agents in advance of the freight arriving in the UK. All goods must be customs cleared at the point of entry into the UK as HM Customs & Excise no longer attends UK exhibition sites.

See Deliveries, Lifting & Storage section here.

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The NEC offers a wide range of communication services including telephony, internet, data networking, ISDN, and facsimile rental all of which can be ordered for your stand. For more information, kindly click here for the Wifi Guidelines.

To order please complete the Internet Order Form [here]

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All items are to be handed in to the Organizer's office.

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The Public Address system is for use of the Organiser and Authorities only. Only official and emergency messages will be broadcast, any requests for information to be announced will be refused.

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By entering into an agreement to attend this exhibition you warrant to Reed Exhibitions that all designs and artwork on or relating to your stand and any exhibits and items displayed on your stand shall not infringe any trademarks or copyright or patents or other intellectual property rights of any third party in any way.

In the event that the exhibition is under any legal obligation (whether by virtue of a court injunction or order or judgement or a recommendation or decision of a Trading Standards Officer or otherwise) to have removed either any item or items displayed on your stand or any design or artwork on or relating to your stand then (without prejudice to any other rights which Reed Exhibitions may have) Reed Exhibitions reserves the right to assist the relevant authorities and where appropriate to have that item or items removed from your stand or to close your stand at the exhibition. No compensation or damages will be payable as a result of such removal or closure by Reed Exhibitions.

The Organisers cannot accept responsibility for any conflict of trading at the Exhibition

Please be advised that it is an offence under Section 107 (3) of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1998 to screen films in public without a non-theatrical licence. For further advice on copyright please contact Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).

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Whilst we encourage you to review your promotional material and consider other more sustainable, non contact methods to distribute information promotional material will be permited at the event. Find out more about how we are using emperia for safe sharing at our events.

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If you are planning to sample or sell, pre-packaged or fresh food/ alcohol please contact the Operations Team as soon as possible ahead of the event. Selling or sampling without pre-authorisation from the Organisers will incur a fee.

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Please click here to view the site rules for the build and breakdown of the event.

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Trading standards will be present for all of our MCM shows this year.

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