Conferences Group Magazine

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Conferences Group Magazine January 2015

Issue

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CROWNE PLAZA GLASGOW Glasgow is one of the world’s greatest cities for business and innovation, which is why Crowne Plaza Glasgow places itself on the map as a perfect conference, meeting and event destination.

Located on the banks of the River Clyde and situated next to the SECC and adjacent to the SSE Hydro, it really is a fantastic choice for all kinds of events.

The hotel boasts an array of meeting and conference facilities, with 15 meeting rooms and capacity to hold up to 800 delegates in our Argyll Suite, we can guarantee we will find the perfect space for you.

To book, call 0141 306 9988, alternatively email conf.cpglasgow@valorhospitalityeurope.com or visit www.crowneplazaglasgow.com

CROWNE PLAZA CHESTER Set in the heart of the fantastic city of Chester, Crowne Plaza Chester is ready to shine. With great transport links we are connected to the whole of the UK. You can reach us in just two hours from London by train and find us one mile from the station, close to three major motorway junctions and near two international airports. These are just some of the reasons why your next conference, meeting or event should be at Crowne Plaza Chester. Additionally, the hotel has a range of excellent facilities, including 11 meeting rooms with the capacity to hold 600 delegates theatre style and 400 delegates for dinner.

To book, call 01244 899 988, alternatively email cpchester@valorhospitalityeurope.com or visit www.crowneplaza.com/chester

To find out more call your chosen hotel directly quoting ‘Conferences UK’ *Terms and conditions apply.

To qualify for this offer, your booking for a conference, meeting or event must be confirmed and taken by 31st March 2015 at Crowne Plaza Chester or Glasgow. The offer of 1 in every 10 delegates goes free is only applicable on new bookings and is subject to availability. 9 places will be chargeable and the 10th place will be free.

Inside this Issue...

Editor’s Letter

4. H OW TO MAKE THE MOST OF CONFERENCESUK

Writing the introduction to the first magazine of the new year is always one of my favourites tasks. There are lots of reasons for this, but, like many people, I enjoy the optimism the new year brings.

8. T EN TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE PERFECT VENUE 12. AWARD WINNING VENUES 16. FEATURED VENUES 18. F OUR TRENDS SHAPING 2015

This optimism is reflected throughout the sector and this year I look forward to another very successful twelve months. Since launch the magazine has become increasingly popular as more and more of you read it and provide feedback, so it is appropriate that we start the new year with a ‘bumper’ edition.

We are fortunate to feature thirteen amazing venues this month and have taken the time to explore and highlight some of the unique characteristics of those venues in some more depth. You will also find a review of the venues that gained recognition at various awards events last year and a guide on how to book the perfect meeting room or venue.

Given that this is the first edition of a new year, we have taken the opportunity to look ahead to some of the trends that will shape the future of our industry. Finally, and perhaps a bit more pragmatically, we have included a guide to getting the most out of Conferences Group.

I hope you enjoy the magazine and very much look forward to working with you in 2015.

Simon Thompson Managing Director

How to make the most of ConferencesUK

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF CONFERENCES UK Here at Conferences UK we pride ourselves on the quality of our free venue finding service and our ability to find the perfect venue for our customers. We have been around since 2005 and two things underpin our success - Our team of expert venue finders - The use of cutting edge technology All of our team are expert venue finders with several years of experience and a detailed knowledge of the venues across the UK. Their expertise is supported by our award winning technical platform contains details of thousands of venues in the UK and internationally.

Delivering a great customer experience is what enables us to thrive as an agency and our continued ability to simplify the process of finding great meeting spaces ensures that we are our customers first choice when they need a venue.

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An iconic hotel & conference venue on the South coast

      

Convenient South Coast location 173 luxurious bedrooms 10 conference and event suites for up to 500 Leisure Club and Spa Restaurant and Bar Onsite parking Complimentary Wireless Internet Access

Terms and conditions: 2 Odeon cinema tickets will be issued to the corporate bookers of each residential conference, meeting or event to take place during 2015. Tickets are valid for any Odeon Cinema outside of the M25 and will be issued only upon receipt of a signed event contract. Agency bookers will receive 1 cinema ticket per booking meeting the above criteria. Bookings must include a minimum number of 8 bedrooms.

Grand Harbour Hotel | West Quay Road | Southampton | SO15 1AG Telephone: 023 8063 3033 | Email: sales@grandharbourhotel.co.uk

How to make the most of ConferencesUK

HOW TO USE OUR SERVICE 1) LET US KNOW YOUR REQUIREMENTS Contact us to let us know your meeting requirements. You can call on 0845 351 9917 or send your requirements via our website www. conferences-uk.org.uk If you are contacting us via the website, we just need your contact details. If you are calling us, some of the basic information about the proposed event would be useful. Remember our team really are experts, so they can help you clarify those requirements.

2) WE WILL CONTACT YOU If you enquire via our website we will contact you to clarify your requirements and ensure that we understand your needs correctly.

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3) WE GET TO WORK

6) THE SITE MEETING

Our team will then get straight to work, seeking available venues which match your requirements. The team will use both their expert knowledge and comprehensive database to seek out the best match.

We can arrange a site meeting for you visit the venue, meet the staff and ensure that it meets all of your needs.

4) NEGOTIATION We will discuss your requirements with the venues and negotiate the best rate on your behalf. As expert venue finders we pride ourselves on our negotiation skills, and ensure you get the best available price. We even negotiate on the price of things like teas and coffees, to make sure that you get the best possible deal.

5) THE PROPOSAL We will send you a concise proposal, which will include the venue options which most closely match your requirements. This proposal will generally include a selection of venues and will include details of the availability, pricing and the savings we have achieved on your behalf.

7) BOOKING Once you are satisfied with all of that and wish to proceed, we will check the contracts for you and place the booking on your behalf. You can then enjoy your event and provide us with some feedback on the quality of our service

From midwives to midfielders, last year we nearly saw it all!

2014 saw over 50,000 delegates walk through the doors of Yarnfield Park.

People from a wide range of occupations and professions, attending a diverse range of learning and training programmes.

From the young footballers of the Nike Academy and police dog handlers to midwives, engineers and doctors, there was certainly never a dull moment!

With each of our clients having their own unique requirements, Yarnfield Park is the perfect venue whether it’s for a conference, event or training programme. With an ideal central location, range of meeting spaces, great facilities and friendly environment, we can help organisations grow, inspire and empower their people. And as one of the UK’s largest centres, we’re able to offer huge flexibility and choice when it comes to choosing the right facilities and space for your event, big or small.

THE S ON VISIT U ILION AT AV AIM P

X E F N RY C8O BRUA E F 9 1 1

grow | inspire | empower 01785 762 900 | enquiries@yarnfieldpark.co.uk www.yarnfieldpark.co.uk

How to make the most out of ConferencesUK

WHO DEALS WITH YOUR ENQUIRY JAYNE WINSTANLEY Jane has worked in the events industry for several years and is passionate about finding a venue that matches her client’s requirements CARL BRINDLEY Carl joined Conferences UK in 2011 from a large corporate agency and over the years has gained vast knowledge of client needs and venues.

VANESSA STEEL Vanessa joined the business in 2013, after working as a freelance conference co-ordinator and an event co-ordinator for the National Trust.

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JOAN UTTLEY Joan is the newest member of our team and brings a wealth of experience across a broad range of sectors. In addition to her venue finding experience Joan has a background in PR and has run several successful businesses.

WHAT DO CLIENTS SAY? “Superb customer service with very prompt replies and attention to clients needs. I will spread the word to others...”

“Carl was so polite, he was very prompt and professional. He accommodated all my requirements. I would highly recommend this service to anyone. A*** service Regards Kelly” “Jayne Winstanley was very helpful from the first time we spoke and understood all my needs. Excellent service.”

“The service we have received from Joan Uttley has been first rate and I would not hesitate to contact her should we have venue requirements in the future.”

“I have used Conference UK and Vanessa for a couple of years now.

Always very impressed” “Conferences Group came up with several locations offering exactly what I was looking for and saved me lots of time. It was so simple, I will definitely use them again.”

“Joan was very helpful indeed. This was the first time I have had to book for a conference, she was very attentive and made sure I understood everything.

Good work Joan” “Really excellent service from Jayne. She was very prompt, answered all my questions and made my search for a venue so much more relaxing!”

WELCOME TO YOUR NEXT LONDON VENUE

VENUES IN ZONES 1 & 2 DELEGATE RATES FROM £39 020 7882 8174

QMHOSPITALITY.CO.UK

10 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Event Venue

Choosing the ideal venue for your conference and event can sometimes be a tough decision. It can determine whether your event is a success or failure. There is so much choice, a wealth of information available online and of course, limiting factors which will ultimately influence where you finally book.

Take a look at our top tips below 1. LOCATION & ACCESSIBILTY This is paramount to maximising attendance. Your venue must have excellent transport links – air, train and motorway; plentiful (and if possible free or cheap onsite) parking and if the event is to take place on more than one day or has an early start / late finish – onsite or nearby accommodation to suit a range of budgets. Try to determine where most of your delegates or guests will be coming from and chose a location that is convenient to the majority.

Assess your business needs and factor in the overall logistics when shortlisting your venues.

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2. SIZE

4. LAYOUT OPTIONS

You should choose a venue that is the right size and capacity, ensuring a good fit for your delegates and event.

If you book a venue that is too large it might look like the numbers for the event have not been achieved and it is poorly attended and therefore unsuccessful. If you chose somewhere too small it will be overcrowded and uncomfortable and there may not be enough seating or space for networking. Does your venue have spaces that meet your needs? Check with your venue the capacities of the spaces you are booking. You should also check that there will be sufficient staff working on your event and ask if you will have a dedicated point of contact.

Depending on what type of event you are organising, ensure your venue can set your room(s) out in your desired and optimum layout. For example you don’t want to be tied to a room that can only be laid out theatre style if your delegates have group work or discussion to do. Other factors to check include asking if there are any obstructions to the staging in the room, is there plenty of power, is there natural daylight, is it close to breakout rooms and catering?

3. COST Budget is crucial when searching for a venue and you should always set this first. However, if you have found your perfect venue but find it falls outside your budget, consider negotiating before walking away as you may be able to reduce the costs in some areas to bring the event in within budget. What packages are available and what does this include.

Is everything included or will you be charged for extra refreshments, water on the tables When it comes to paying your final invoice you don’t want any unexpected costs that you hadn’t budgeted for.

5. MENU When it comes to choosing menus for your event, whether it be a drinks reception, a gala dinner or a buffet lunch, ensure there is something available to suit everyone. You want plenty of choice with hot and cold options. Make sure you cater for dietary requirements, allergies and have the suitable alternatives available. It is a good idea to book a tasting session when you go for a site visit especially if you are booking a seated dinner.

A UNIQUELY HISTORIC AND IMPRESSIVE CONFERENCE FACILITY IN THE CENTRE OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Originally a power station for the city tram network, it is now a fully refurbished, Grade II listed building full of character, and an inspiring venue for any event. With many of the original features still in place, including a 50 tonne internal crane, the Turbine Hall stands out as one of the largest and most spectacular meeting spaces of its kind in the North East.

The CastleGate also features a variety of flexible meeting spaces, ranging in size and equipped to accommodate every need. The CastleGate team have extensive knowledge and experience of delivering successful events, working closely with groups to provide a tailored service for every customer.

Our philosophy is simple; we offer friendly service with professional standards, and exceptional value.

www.thecastlegate.co.uk enquiries@thecastlegate.co.uk 0191 2332288

10 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Event Venue

6. AVAILABILITY

9. SITE VISIT

It makes sense to check for other major events taking place at the same time, either in your events location or within your industry to ensure that your event attracts the maximum number of attendees. If the venues you are shortlisting are available you could check whether other events are taking place there at the same time as this may impact on networking in common spaces.

It is really important to go and visit your potential venue(s), make a list of what you need the venue to deliver before you go and take a camera. You often can’t make a judgement from the internet or a telephone call alone.

Factors you should consider are the welcome from reception, car parking, breakout spaces, catering facilities, parking, outdoor space (if required).

Are you confident in the staff to deliver the best – are they confident in what they are doing and will they help with what you are trying to achieve.

7. SUITABILITY What type of event are you holding?

Does the venue fit? Are there ample opportunities for branding and also ask does it reflect your events objectives?. Again check if there are any other events taking place at the same time that may clash with your events objectives. Check the venue has appropriate break out space if necessary. How adaptable are the venue staff and how will they respond to the inevitable changes 8. TECHNICAL Delegates want free, fast and available wi-fi so ensure this is available. Enquire about technical packages available if you require equipment such as projectors and flipcharts. Ask if there is technical support available should you need it.

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10. USE CONFERENCES UK Using a venue finding service gives you the benefit of insider knowledge, experience and feedback. Remember that Conferences UK can help you find your perfect venue…give us a call today on 08453519917

DDR PACKAGES AVAILABLE FROM

£33.99 Inc VAT

OFFERING UNLIMITED TEA & COFFEE AND FREE BACON BAPS

Newcastle United Football Club RECOGNISED and loved by sports fans the world over, St James' Park home to Newcastle United FC offers far more than just football.

It is also one of the North East’s leading conference and event venues – guaranteeing guests premier league facilities; a warm, Geordie welcome and superb hospitality from an award-winning Sodexo Prestige team.

• The Bamburgh Suite can seat up to 1000 for a formal dinner • Wide selection of function rooms • Full audio visual connectivity, free WiFi and on-site technician Why not overlook the famous pitch and enjoy a mini tour of the stadium at your next event.

BOOK TODAY: St James’ Park, (Newcastle United FC) Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4ST.

0191 201 8400 www.nufc.co.uk Winner Matchday Hospitality for large stadiums at the Stadium Events and Hospitality Awards 2014.

Award Winning Venues

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The Centre Conference Venue Slough

Flexibility is the Key Modern and dedicated events venue offering over 900m2 of pillar free space. There are 12 meeting rooms in total offering capacities from 20 up to 700.

WiFi is complimentary and is available in all rooms.

• Exceptional value on room hire charges • Wide range of catering options and day delegate rates • Ideally situated next to the vibrant trading estate in Slough • Close to the train station with links to London Paddington and junction 6 of the M4 • We are a short distance from the M25, M40 and Heathrow airport.

• Free car parking TO BOOK CLICK HERE

or call 01753 787 591

Award Winning Venues

Are you looking to book an award winning venue in 2015? We’ve taken a look at some of 2014’s winners from the Visit England Awards, the Event Awards and the Conference Awards.

ExCeL London scored highly with judges in 2014 winning bronze in the Visit England awards in the Business Tourism Awards and Exhibition Venue of the Year in the Event Awards.

Other London venues that scored highly were Cavendish Conference Centre winning Best Small Conference Venue (up to 350 theatre style) in the Conference Awards. The judges said “Retention on existing business was fantastic. They clearly value their own staff with good retention and offer flexible working. They put high value on customer feedback and encourage this with donations to a charity of the customer’s choice.” The Business Design Centre scooped Best Mid-Sized Conference Venue (between 350500) in the same awards. The judges said “The Business Design Centre certainly listens to their clients and tries to adapt the venue to their needs and attracts impressive customer retention stats and customer service ratings . They really understand the importance of soliciting and acting upon customer feedback. Their concept seems to work as is shown in the retention rate as well as new client events.”

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Olympia Conference Centre won Best Conference Venue Customer Service at the Conference Awards, the judges saying that they “were impressed with Olympia’s customer satisfaction levels which remain consistently high in all areas. They seem to have a great conference team who interact well with their clients and offer that personal service which we all want for our events!”

At the Events Awards London venues were successful in the Event Space of the Year (under 400 capacity) category with OXO 2 winning and the Event Space of the Year (over 400 capacity) with 8 Northumberland Avenue bagging the top prize.

The North West of England enjoyed success picking up Gold in the Business Tourism category (Visit England Awards) for Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester and highly commended for the Lowry in Salford in this category The North West also scooped silver in the Large Hotel of the Year category with Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool, Merseyside and Peckforton Castle in Tarporley, Cheshire was highly commended. Manchester Central won Best Large Conference Venue (over 500). The judges said: “Manchester Central stands out for being innovative. For example they

create impressions before delegates arrive at the venue by working with local transport. Their approach to sustainability is impressive and does not end inside their own walls.” Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, won Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.

Large and small venues were celebrated with Burleigh Court, Loughborough, Leicestershire winning Large Hotel of the Year at the Visit England Awards and The Old Rectory Hotel, Martinhoe, Exmoor, Devon winning Small Hotel of the Year Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire was highly commended in the Large Hotel category whilst Swinton Park in Ripon, North Yorkshire won silver in the Small Hotel category. Trebah Garden, Falmouth, Cornwall picked up Silver in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.

Would you like to book one of these venue – call us today on 0845 351 9917

MILLBROOK VENUES 4 VENUES, UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

CONCEPT 1

* Centrally Located (Junction 13 of the M1)

Concept 1 is a space you can make entirely your own with the absolute certainty that you will have exclusive access to it during your event, making it a perfect venue for any event between 85 to 350 delegates.

* 50 miles of secure tracks

CONCEPT 2

HOW BIG’S YOUR IMAGINATION?

Concept 2 gives you 1250 square metres in which to design your event, with no internal support pillars to restrict the views of your delegates or your own creative thinking.

* Highly Secure & Confidential

Millbrook’s four venues offer you endless opportunities to create a totally unique event, exhibition, launch, conference, meeting or party ranging from 30-1250 delegates. Set within 700 acres of private grounds and located between London and the Midlands.

Bring your own support team or use ours. luke.galliana@millbrook.co.uk Millbrook Proving Ground Station Lane, Millbrook Bedford England MK45 2JQ 01525 408388 www.millbrook.co.uk

POD Pod is an individual venue that can be used for everything from funky fun days to the most confidential product launches and meetings, accommodating 25 to 80 delegates.

CUBO Cubo is our smallest and most fun and quirky venue, welcoming up to 30 delegates in a contemporary, creative environment.

Featured Venues THE GRAND HARBOUR HOTEL

This great venue is only a fifteen minute walk from Southampton Central train station and a short drive from Southampton Airport. The Grand Harbour Hotel is in the heart of Southampton, we suggest you check out the recently refurbished conference and event suites, including the state of the art Mayflower Suite which can seat up to 500 people theatre style.

YARNFIELD PARK

Located just off the M6 in Staffordshire, halfway between Birmingham and Manchester. It offers over 25 meeting spaces, including the Knighton Suite which can accommodate up to 450 delegates.

There’ll be no Wi-fi worries in Yarnfield as they have one of the fastest dedicated internet solutions with a 300Mbps capacity that allows 800 devices to be connected at once! With plenty of outdoors space for teambuilding, this is the venue to fulfil all of your training and development needs.

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Flexible venue space in a prime city centre location £30.00 DDR including car parking in Manchester City Centre for January, February & March www.theplaceaparthotel.com Carley Bannaghan carleyb@theplaceaparthotel.com 01616 778 The Place Aparthotel, Ducie Street, Manchester, M1 2TP For events in January, February, March*

With five meeting rooms reaching capacities of 400 people, the high ceilings and large arched windows of this Victorian former warehouse mean that natural light abounds and the sense of space is no illusion – there really is room for any type of corporate event or meeting.

Delegates can also benefit from apartment hotel accommodation, an ideal concept for business travellers. All apartments have living spaces as well as fully equipped kitchens,

and all two bedroom apartments have two separate bedrooms and two separate bathrooms, making them excellent for sharing.

We are delighted to announce a special offer of £30.00* for a day delegate rate inclusive of unlimited refreshments, car parking and much more.

Contact us directly and quote PLACE2015 to receive this fantastic offer.

Featured

VENUES

QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Want to seat 750 plus people in a Grade II listed Great Hall in the centre of London? Look no further than Queen Mary’s University of London.

Queen Mary’s has over 100 purpose built meeting and events spaces in the City, Whitechapel and Mile End, able to suit your needs whether you are look for a stunning backdrop to your awards ceremony or a residential conference venue CROWNE PLAZA CHESTER

CROWNE PLAZA GLASGOW

MILLBROOK VENUES

Located opposite the BBC and STV headquarters, the Crowne Plaza Glasgow offers a premium experience that will leave your delegates feeling truly valued. Overlooking the River Clyde, the Crowne Plaza Glasgow offers inspirational views of the river and the city. With 15 meeting rooms and the 800 seating Argyll Suite, this venue can accommodate events of all sizes. Their Club Moativation includes a swimming pool, spa, steam and sauna rooms, making it the perfect place to recharge your batteries after a busy week.

Located just off the M1 between London and the Midlands, Millbrook is a truly outstanding conference centre.

With four venues offering unlimited possibilities for your event, whether you’re hosting 30 or 1250 delegates, you can be confident that Millbrook will be able to accommodate your every need or specification. If you’re launching a new product, you can be confident that Millbrook will be able to put your vision into action.

THE PLACE APARTHOTEL

CONFERENCE ASTON

Situated in the heart of Chester city, the Crowne Plaza Chester offers beautiful panoramic views of the city and Welsh hills. Able to handle all of your business needs, the Crowne Plaza Chester can accommodate up to 600 guests in the Kings suite. If you’re planning on putting on a bigger exhibition, then the Christleton and Malpas suits can be interlinked to the Kings Suite to give you some extra space.

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Offering three meeting, conference and banqueting venues in the centre of Birmingham, Conference Aston can accommodate up to 235 delegates and a further 650 in the summer months when you can take advantage of their beautiful courtyard for a pre-dinner drinks reception or even an informal barbeque. Guests will be able to enjoy Conference Aston’s new meeting venue of the Aston University Campus, within one of Europe’s largest, freestanding brick buildings where your delegates will be dazzled by the building’s stunning art deco features and modern facilities.

Just 100 metres away from Manchester Piccadilly station, The Place Aparthotel is situated perfectly in the very centre of Manchester.

Offering flexible solutions for a range of conference and business events, it has the capacity to hold 250 guests in Bistro suite. Every guest can stay in their own apartment with its own living space and a fully equipped kitchen. Furthermore, all two bedroom apartments each come with two separate bathroom making them ideal for sharing.

conference.centre@solent.ac.uk

Southampton Solent University Conference Centre Spring is just around the corner

To book call 02382 015757 or email conference.centre@ solent.ac.uk Offer runs 01 March-10 April 2015.

Why not try our new venue Test Park, which is located just of the M27 within easy access from the city centre.

Why not treat your guests to our Easter Package for Day Delegates in the heart of Southampton, surrounded by the city’s extensive parks and gardens at just £27 per person.

Our Easter Package Includes: • Meeting room hire • A seasonal hospitality menu including hot cross buns and chocolate treats • Audio visual equipment (PC, data projector & screen) • Flipchart, pad & pens • Delegate stationery sets • Mineral water, cordial & sweets • Wi-Fi

We are dynamic event and conference venue in the heart of the city with a backdrop to the city’s Cultural Quarter. With excellent transport links by bus, coach, ferry and car with Southampton Central train station just a three minute walk away.

Featured

THE CASTLEGATE

DUNCHURCH PARK HOTEL

ST JAMES PARK

This uniquely historic and impressive conference facility is located in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. A Grade II listed building with tons of character, the CastleGate was originally a power station for the city’s tram network. With historic features such as a 50 tonne internal crane, the 500 seat Turbine Hall must be one of the most spectacular meeting spaces in the North East. Offering friendly service with professional standards, they guarantee exceptional value.

A beautiful Grade II listed Manor House, set in 72 acres of magnificent gardens and grounds. Located in the Central Midlands, the venue is easily accessible from the M1, M6. And M45, as well as Coventry and Birmingham Airport. It also just a 50 minute train journey from London Euston. A flexible facility it can accommodate up to 300 delegates in its largest meeting room, as well as offering a permanent marquee that can cater for up to 400 for dinner. Guests can spend any free time they have at the historic village where the Gunpowder Plotters stayed when they awaited the news of Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

The home of Newcastle United comes highly recommended by the creative events magazine RSVP. Listing it as one of the Top 20 corporate party venues in the UK, coming a super seventh, St James Park was the only venue outside of London to make it onto the list. Able to accommodate up to 300 guests in the luxury Moncur suite, you can inspire your delegates with bold views of the pitch, where stars like Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley played in front of thousands of fans.

THE CENTRE CONFERENCE VENUE SLOUGH

CCT SMITHFIELD

SOUTHAMPTON SOLENT UNIVERSITY

A modern, flexible venue. The Centre Conference Venue is able to host a wide variety of functions from boardroom meetings to product launches to a maximum capacity of 700 delegates in the Main Hall. Less than a mile from the train station and a short distance from the M25, M40, and Heathrow, it’s situated next to a vibrant trading estate in Slough.

The experienced events staff will make sure everything meets your requirements and the event will run smoothly.

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Located next to Southampton’s exciting, new cultural corner, Southampton Solent University offers a high standard of customer care and a flexible range of a facilities to accommodate your event. From banquets to boardroom meetings to conferences and exhibitions, Southampton Solent can do it all.

They also offer a dedicated event management service to make sure everything runs to plan on the day.

Located in London’s historic Smithfield market on the edge of the City, CCT Venues-Smithfield is housed in a unique Grade II listed building. Expect bright, contemporary, well-equipped rooms which can accommodate up to 200 people (named after livestock in reference to the famous Smithfield market). Outside the venue is the fashionable Smithfield, where you’ll find many buildings of historic interest, and many hotels, bars, and restaurants to choose from.

London’s premier training venue and conference specialists.

Four modern, bespoke centres in key locations in the capital CCT Venues-Smithfield is located in the historic market building, with 11 training and meeting rooms and a large restaurant. Maximum venue capacity is 500.

CCT Venues-Barbican is ideal for training events and assessment centres, as well as meetings for groups of 4 to 100. It has 23 rooms, two restaurants both with ample seating and great views plus refreshment areas on all floors.

CCT Venues Plus-South Quay, Canary Wharf has been upgraded to a ‘Plus’ brand offering Superior Corporate Event Space. The venue has a large reception area, on trend restaurant with waterfront location and cleverly designed space has interconnecting rooms.

CCT Venues Plus-Bank Street, Canary Wharf is an impressive venue designed to the highest standard and offers panoramic views across London. The venue can accommodate up to 300 delegates and comprises 23 rooms, including a large conference and exhibition suite.

Give us a try with an introductory discount of 10% off your first booking, quoting reference “ConferencesUK2015”.

To make a booking, please contact us on: T: 0808 168 1168 E: enquire@cctvenues.co.uk W: www.cctvenues.co.uk

Four Trends Shaping 2015

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Four Trends Shaping 2015

Meetings & Events Office

Dunchurch Park Hotel, Rugby

Direct Dial: 01788 528185

Road, Dunchurch, CV22 6QW

Fax: 01788 813073

nsherriff@dunchurch.co.uk www.dunchurch.co.uk

The Perfect Venue

£27.50 Delegate Rate

Dunchurch Park is a charming grade II listed manor house. Set in 72 acres of Warwickshire country side we are the ideal venue for upto 450 delegates. Easily accessible from all main motorways and only 10 minutes from M6 junction 1.

Don’t miss our special delegate rates; only £27.50 Day Delegate Rate and £125 24 hour.

Enjoy all of our unlimited delegate packages with the added bonus to include bacon rolls on arrival and orange juice with lunch.

2014 brought us …

• *Refurbishment of our self contained purpose built Garden Rooms • *Refurbishment programme in Rochford Court bedroom block • 15 of our 89 bedrooms already completed • All corridors entrance & foyer completed 2015 brings us…..

• a further 15 bedrooms refurbished by the end of February 2015

Offer expires on 31st March 2015 *Booking reference DP 115, offer expires 31st March

Four Trends Shaping 2015 1 THE INTERNET OF THINGS

2 OCCULUS RIFT

Perhaps one of the most accessible trends to emerge, the internet of things will play a bigger role in all aspects of our lives in 2015. This trend refers to smart or internetenabled objects and at the moment most of us are likely to experience it via wearable devices (‘wearables’).

Prominent examples include, Nike’s Fuelband and Fitbit.

Occulus rift is a virtual reality head mounted display, which was originally developed for gamers. The company was purchased by Facebook last year for $2 billion and the involvement of the social media giant is likely to make this technology increasingly affordable and relatively mainstream.

This year we anticipate that growing numbers of people will have access to such devices as a whole new wave of ‘wearables’ come to market. These will include clothing and jewelry that will monitor heart rate, skin temperature, breathing, sweat gland activity and even blood pressure.

While it is clear that wearables will have a positive impact on our health and fitness, it is likely that they will really start to shape the meetings and conference sector in combination with other trends. Trendwatch have identified ‘the internet of sharing things’ where wearables combine with the consumer driven trend for sharing resources and services (think airbnb and uber).

Breather is a great example of how this might have an impact on meetings and events. This service enables people to find unused urban spaces to rent for as little as 30 minutes, to recharge or work in.

After making a booking, users are granted temporary access to unlock the property via the NFC (near field communication) keyless entry system.

In the longer term, this trend is likely to impact on customer expectations of who meeting spaces are booked, paid for an accessed, whilst opening up a whole new set of choices for people who want to book meeting rooms.

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From an events perspective we can see two applications. It is ideal for live events, adding something cutting edge and different to an exhibition stand, for example. This is a piece of tech which can add a totally immersive brand experience on the stand, while helping the exhibitor stand out from the crowd.

At an earlier stage in the process, it can enable potential delegates to experience virtual tours of destinations and venues. This could be a particulalry powerful method of removing some of the risk that comes with booking a large scale event or even signing onto that expensive conference.

3 FAST- LANING A consumer driven trend identified by trendwatch, which reflects the fact that customers will expect to be able to be provided with an optional ‘fastlane’ through waiting times.

Effectively this involves offering a multi-tiered service provision.

While this may not be suitable for all situations (as if handled badly, fast lanes will just draw attention to sub-standard normal service), it can have a positive impact if the solution benefits all customers.

A great example of this in action is the recent test at Hyatt and Hilton hotel chains, which enabled guests enrolled in their loyalty programs to check into the hotel via their apps and use their mobiles as room keys, in order to avoid wait lines at the front desk.

Fast-Laning could be used to add value to larger events and conferences by enabling pre-paid delegates to skip on-site registration or check-ins.

4 MOBILE PAYMENTS Many industry experts have predicted that 2015 might finally be the year where mobile payments finally makes a break through to prominence in e-Commerce. Apple Pay now has over a million active users, while Google reported a 50% increase in transactions, with new user sign-ups doubling for its Wallet application in the month after Apple Pay was released.

A recent report by global consulting giant Deloitte has already predicted one in 20 smartphone owners making a mobile payment with their phone by the end of the year.

The current thinking is that mobile payments have gradually gained acceptance within the mainstream and that we have approached the ‘tipping point’ where the improved ease, accessibility and understanding of mobile payments finally wins over the masses.

The applications for meetings and events is relatively easy to appreciate, with the manner in which delegates pay for access, upgrades and accommodation changing radically.

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