Follows is a list of our previous Celebration Europe news reports:

The area of London's Docklands known as Customs House and Canning Town is one divided by the DLR. To the south is the sleek and ultra-modern ExCel complex and the hotels linked to it, while over to the north is a typical urban residential area of mixed ethnicity. While the Docklands have seen a great deal of investment and development, Canning Town and Customs House are reminiscent of a certain nerf herder. Directly opposite the Customs House DLR station is Freemans Road, which has little to offer except for an off-license, convenience shop and a few fast food restaurants serving kebabs, fish & chips, burgers and chicken. While the area did not feel dangerous after hours, the local population is probably one that would not accept hundreds of Star Wars fans wandering around its streets.

The Royal Victoria Docks was a working port from 1855 and handled produce from the North and South America, as well as New Zealand. The increased used of container vessels causeda decline in shipping traffic to the Docklands throughout the late '60s and '70s and the dockyard closed in 1981. In 1988 the dockyard and surrounding derelict land was purchased, and in 2000 the ExCel centre opened its doors. Since then it has hosted an average of 250 conventions a year - including the annual British Toy Fair.

The Celebration Europe space can be divided into three main areas:

South Event Hall - with over thirty-two thousand square metres of blank canvas, the South Event Hall is London's biggest event space and will contain the dealers area, licensee displays, autograph area, fan site tables, presentation stages, Artist Alley and special features.

Auditoria - this two-thousand seat arena will be used for the opening ceremonies, special guest presentations and concerts.

South Gallery Rooms - these 45 meeting rooms are split over two floors. The upper floor will be used as hospitality suites and to house the numerous collecting panels, exhibits and demostrations that Celebration Europe is hosting, while the lower Waterside Rooms will be the venue for the opening night party.

As well as the event space, the Boulevard is a public concourse runs that down the middle of ExCel, dividing the North Event Hall/Gallery Rooms from those on the south side. It contains various food/drink outlets and other concessions including: business services which sells batteries and memory cards as well as providing photocoping and fax machines, pay-as-you-go internet clusters (at 13p a m inute) for fans who want to send an email or check out the Rebelscum coverage, cash machines, baby changing facilities, a first aid station, access to car parks and a florist (so you can earn some Brownie points before your partner discovers how much you've spent at Celebration Europe!).

While the general standard of accomodation in London is very high, the cost of room and board can range from what you might spend on a good meal to the price of a week's holiday in the sun. It pays to hunt for the best option, but remember that the rates listed below are for comparative purposes only and can increase as rooms become scarce. All hotels are listed in order of price (cheapest to most expensive).

There are six hotels, ranging from budget to 4-Star, that are immediately adjacent to the ExCel centre. The closest is only a one minute walk and the furthest is ten minutes by foot. The majority are within five minutes walking distance.

Including the restaurants and bistros at the adjacent hotels there are 30 eateries within a ten minute walk of ExCel. The immediate on-site catering options - ranging from confectionaries, to light meals, to full course restaurants - are:

Whistlestop - V
Sweets, drinks, crisps, packet sandwiches, magazines and newspapers

Amigo - V
Sweets, drinks, crisps, packet sandwiches, magazines and newspapers

Costa Coffee - V
Freshly brewed coffee and tea, cakes and muffins (average serving: £3.50)

The Fox @ Boulevard - V
Coffee and lite bites throughout the day (average serving: £4)

Panini Pronto - V
Hot paninis and other snacks throughout the day (average serving: £4)

Traditional Pasty & Pie Company - V
Serving freshly-baked pies and pasties (average serving: £5)

Baked Potato Co. - V
Freshly baked potatos with a choice of fillings (average serving: £5)

Pizza This, Pizza That - V
Pizza and pasta dishes, as well as freshly prepared salads (average serving: £5)

Oi! Bagel - V
Fresh-baked bagels with deli fillings (average serving: £5)

Birley Sandwiches - V
Fresh deli-style sandwiches made to order (average serving: £5)

Chozen Noodle - V
Servings a variety of Oriental and South-East Asian stir-fry and noodle dishes (average serving: £7)

The Fox @ Bar & Diner - V
Situated on the mezzanine level above the eastern entrance, serving typical breakfast and lunch dishes to 3pm, and pub fare to 11pm (average serving: £15)

Tapa Tapa - V
Traditional Iberian tapas dishes and wine bar, OPen until 10pm (average serving: £15)

For off-campus/non-residential dining the following restaurants can be found within a short walk of ExCel:

The Fox @ ExCeL - V
Situated on the walkway to Custom House DLR station, this pub has two floors plus a separate restaurant area which is ideal for families, and is open from 8am to midnight.

Super Star Chinese Restaurant - V
Offers authentic Chinese cuisine and Dim Sum, and is located opposite the western entrance to ExCel, and next to The Fox @ ExCel pub.

So! Bar & Restaurant - V
Cross the footbridge that spans the Royal Victoria Docks for a varied menu including char-grill steaks, seafood, fresh pizzas, pasta and a great view of the ExCel centre.

The Fox @ Connaught - V
Located next to the Ramada Docklands hotel, this pub serves breakfast, lunch or dinner from nnon to 11pm and has a happy hour every day from 5pm to 7pm.

The confirmed opening hours for Celebration Europe are:

Friday 13th July 2007 10am - 9pm
Saturday 14th July 2007 10am - 6pm
Sunday 15th July 2007 10am - 6pm

Members of the official Star Wars fanclub will be given Early Bird entry, starting at 9am each morning, as well as access to the Fan Club Lounge and special seating areas.

The autograph hall will be run on a coupon system (worth £5 each). Photo prints are not included in the price of the coupon, but commemorative Celebration Europe prints will be sold at the event. Guests will sign personal items too.

5 Coupons
Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)
Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)
Dave Prowse (Darth Vader)


4 Coupons
Ray Park (Darth maul)
Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)


3 Coupons
David Ankrum (Wedge ANtilles voice)
Dave Barcley (Jabba puppeteer)
Sean Crawford (Yakface)
Dermot Crowley (General Madine)
Tim Dry (Whippid)
Mike Edmonds (Jabba puppeteer)
Christine Hewitt (Tonnika Twin)
Barrie Holland (Lt Renz)
Lightning Bear (Scoutrooper)
Ian Liston (Wes Janson)
Daniel Logan (young Boba Fett)
Shannon McRandle (Mara Jade)
John Mollo (OT Costume designer)
Tony Philpot (Jabba puppeteer)
Matt Sloan (Plo Kloon)
Brain Muir (Sculptor)
Joe Viskocil (SFX)
Danny Wagner (SFX)


TBA Coupons
Matt Wood (General Grievious voice)
Jay Lag'aia (Captain Typho)
Jerome Blake (Mas Amedda, Orn Free Taa, Rune Haako)
John Coppinger (Senator Yarua, Jabba puppeteer)
Dave and Lou Elsey (Creature Shop)
Julian Glover (General Veers)
Garrick Hagon (Biggs Darklighter)
Nalini Krishan (Barriss Offee)
Richard LeParmentier (Admiral Motti)
Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
Mary Oyaya (Luminara Unduli)
Simon Williamson (Max Rebo puppeteer)