Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library
Community hall · Southampton Central Library, Civic Centre, Commercial Road, Southampton, SO14 7LW
- 1
- upcoming event
About Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library
The Business and IP Centre (BIPC) Southampton is part of the British Library's national network, based inside the Central Library in the Civic Centre. It offers free business databases, market research and intellectual property information, and runs workshops, coffee mornings and networking events for people starting or growing a business.
When you arrive
The way in: Southampton Central Library, in the Civic Centre on Commercial Road; the BIPC is inside the library
Head into the Central Library and ask at the desk for the Business and IP Centre. The October 2026 funding session runs 10:30am–12pm as a coffee morning.
Getting there
Southampton Central station is about 570 m away (roughly a 9-minute walk). Many city buses stop within a minute or two at the Art Gallery stops on Commercial Road and at the Civic Centre and Cenotaph stops.
Train stations
Southampton Central
9 min walk · South Western Railway, Great Western Railway, Southern, CrossCountry
Estimated from straight-line distance (about 570 m).
Bus stops
Southampton Art Gallery (Stop HF)
1 min walk · 4, 16, 17, N17, 19, 19a, 61
Southampton Art Gallery (Stop HG)
1 min walk · 7, 18, N18, 28
Southampton Art Gallery (Stop HE)
1 min walk · 7, 16, 17, N17, 18, 19, 19a, 28, 61, Unilink U2B
Southampton Civic Centre (Stop AO)
3 min walk · 506, Unilink U1A, U1E, U1N, U2, U2B, U6H
Southampton Cenotaph (Stop HA)
2 min walk · 1, N1, 2, N2, N9, 20, 21, 22, 28, Unilink U1C, U1N, U2C
Parking
Civic Centre Forecourt car park
2 min walk · 72 spaces
Southampton City Council pay car park in front of the Civic Centre (OpenStreetMap: 72 spaces). Tariff not confirmed.
West Park multi-storey car park
4 min walk · 506 spaces
Southampton City Council (OpenStreetMap: 506 spaces). Tariff not confirmed.
Marlands multi-storey
6 min walk · 810 spaces · Charged 08:00–midnight: 1 hr £1.60, 2 hrs £2.90, 3 hrs £3.80, 4 hrs £4.70, 5 hrs £5.60, 10 hrs £7.00, max £9.00
Southampton City Council. Tariff as recorded by Parkopedia.
Grosvenor Square multi-storey car park
4 min walk · 532 spaces · Charged 08:00–midnight: 2 hrs £2.90, 3 hrs £3.80, 4 hrs £4.70, 5 hrs £5.60, 10 hrs £9.00, 24 hrs £11.00, then £5 for each extra day · No maximum stay; multi-day stays allowed · EV charging
Southampton City Council; pay by card, coins or notes.
Bikes
Cycle stands outside the library
0 min walk
OpenStreetMap shows several sets of 12 stands along the library frontage.
Parking: No library car park. Southampton City Council car parks nearby: the Civic Centre Forecourt surface car park (72 spaces) and West Park, Marlands and Grosvenor Square multi-storeys, all 2–6 minutes' walk. Pay by machine or phone app.
On the day
- Food and drink
- Coffee is served at the BIPC coffee-morning sessions; no café details confirmed.
Business events at Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library
There is one business event listed at Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library right now: From Ideas to Lender-Ready: Funding Your Business at Every Stage, on Thursday 22 October at 10.30am.
Everything is run by Southampton City Council Business Support. It is free to attend.
Also in Southampton: Chilworth Manor, Highpoint Venue, Doubletree By Hilton Southampton and Clockwise Southampton.
What's on here
Who runs events here
Questions about Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library
How do I get to Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library?
Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library is at Southampton Central Library, Civic Centre, Commercial Road, Southampton, SO14 7LW. The nearest station is Southampton Central station, about nine minutes' walk. There are five bus stops nearby, the closest Southampton Art Gallery (Stop HF) (one minute' walk). The arrival guide above has the details, and the directions button opens a map.
Is there parking at Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library?
Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library has parking nearby. Car parks listed in the arrival guide: Civic Centre Forecourt car park, West Park multi-storey car park and Marlands multi-storey (Charged 08:00–midnight: 1 hr £1.60, 2 hrs £2.90, 3 hrs £3.80, 4 hrs £4.70, 5 hrs £5.60, 10 hrs £7.00, max £9.00). No library car park. Southampton City Council car parks nearby: the Civic Centre Forecourt surface car park (72 spaces) and West Park, Marlands and Grosvenor Square multi-storeys, all 2–6 minutes' walk.
What business events are on at Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library?
One is listed: From Ideas to Lender-Ready: Funding Your Business at Every Stage, on Thursday 22 October at 10.30am.
How do I list an event at Business And IP Centre, Southampton Central Library?
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