Main Hall (Auditorium)
Events hall
Capacity
- Standing
- up to 1,800
- Seated
- up to 1,400
Nearly 1,800 standing; seating for up to 1,400.
Concert hall
1 hireable space
Comedy
Pop
Classical
The Sands Centre
Carlisle's largest indoor entertainment venue, beside the River Eden on Newmarket Road, with a main hall holding nearly 1,800 standing or 1,400 seated alongside a redeveloped leisure centre.
Up to 1,800
capacity
1 space
hireable
Main Hall and conference spaces for events, dry hire or with technical support; enquire with Better.
available for hire
About this venue
The Sands Centre on Newmarket Road in Carlisle, on the banks of the River Eden, is the region's largest indoor entertainment venue and has been the city's home for touring shows for over 40 years. It is run by Better (GLL). A redevelopment officially opened in December 2022 added a steel-framed leisure extension with a 25m pool, a learner pool, sports hall and gym, and Cumberland Council has since carried out RAAC replacement work on the auditorium roof.
The auditorium, or Main Hall, holds nearly 1,800 standing or up to 1,400 seated and takes national music and comedy tours, tribute shows, ballet, plays, the annual pantomime, corporate functions and live sport. It is available for hire on a dry-hire basis or with in-house technical support, with lighting, sound, projection and broadcast equipment, on-site catering, dressing rooms and wardrobe facilities. Tickets are sold through the Better Box Office.
The Spaces
Facilities
- Catering / kitchen
- Box office
- Green room / dressing room: Backstage dressing rooms and wardrobe facilities
- Streaming / hybrid events: Broadcast equipment available
Accessibility
- Accessible toilet
- Step-free access to venue
Location
The Sands Centre, Newmarket Road, Carlisle CA1 1JQ
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