Weekly Round Up
Stay up-to-date with the latest beam member news and updates in our weekly newsletter.
The prestigious Jockey Club Rooms joins Venues of Excellence
Venues of Excellence prides itself on inviting independent, diverse and unique venues into its portfolio, and The Jockey Club Rooms is exactly that, an historic venue with versatile space within the unique setting of the spiritual home of British Horseracing in Newmarket.
Where extraordinary comes as a standard, conference and event planners choosing to host their events can walk the corridors travelled by historical legends and dine in Georgian splendour in rooms adorned with equine masterpieces, whilst savouring the most modern of culinary delights.
The Jockey Club Rooms is an exclusive club used by its Members during Race Meetings and Bloodstock Sales at Newmarket.? At other times of the year however, these unique premises are available to non-members for private and corporate entertaining, conferencing and events.? With a choice of 7 meeting rooms for up to 120 delegates, complemented by 22 bedrooms, and spacious outdoor space for receptions and team building events, The Jockey Club Rooms is steeped in fascinating history.
Conference and Event planners can meet with Mandy Jennings , the VOE team and member venues at The Meetings Show , 19 & 20 June at Excel London , and hear more about the award-winning consortium and its amazing selection of venues.
Destination Emirates Old Trafford Launches Christmas Experiences
Destination Emirates Old Trafford, Lancashire Cricket Club has unveiled a selection of corporate Christmas party experiences for the 2024 festive season, following an extensive ￡75million makeover to establish the legendary cricket stadium as a premium, versatile events destination in Manchester.
For a night to remember this Christmas, the iconic sporting venue is offering seven shared party nights. Guests can expect an array of electrifying music, featuring a live acoustic set in the Mezzanine bar, a saxophonist during a three-course festive dinner, and a live band and vocalist, followed by a resident DJ. Selfie pods will capture the memorable night for partygoers with instant photos, and glitter artists will be on hand to add some Christmas sparkle. Event planners can choose from a full-scale, vibrant party experience for 850 guests in The Point, or a more intimate affair for 220 guests held in the traditional surroundings of the Members’ Suite.
For private events for up to 1,000 guests, event planners can utilise the blank canvas of The Point, the largest event space at Destination Emirates Old Trafford. For smaller gatherings of around 20 guests, the stadium offers a selection of private suites in the historic, yet modern Pavilion building. The venue can also provide numerous options for conferences, meetings, exhibitions, and team-building activities.
Destination Emirates Old Trafford also has a newly extended Hilton Garden Inn hotel onsite offering 250 bedrooms, with 135 pitch-side rooms overlooking the world-famous cricket pitch. For added convenience, the venue has a 700-space car park available to all guests.
For all shared party places, Destination Emirates Old Trafford is offering a 10% Early Bird discount on all shared party places booked before 31 May.
The Power of Events – Schools Engagement Programme May Update
We are delighted to announce the forthcoming expansion of our Schools Engagement Programme following the success of the pilot in the East of England. Commencing in Autumn 2024, this initiative will extend nationally, reinforcing our commitment to cultivating the next generation of event professionals. ?
Pilot results to date
Initiated in January 2024 and supported by EIF grant funding, the pilot phase has so far encompassed more than 3,000 pupils from 17 schools, significantly enhancing their perceptions of the events industry as a viable career path. The engagement outcomes were notably positive, with understanding of the UK Events Industry and consideration of a career in it increasing to 65% post-presentation, from a mere 2% initially.
Expansion Plans and Objectives
Buoyed by these results, our ambition is to broaden the programme's reach, targeting all 4,210 secondary schools across the four nations within the next five years. This strategic expansion aims to foster widespread awareness and enthusiasm for a career in the events industry.
Opportunities to get involved:
1. Schools Ambassador Programme: The Power of Events is also actively recruiting passionate industry professionals looking to volunteer as School Ambassadors. This role involves delivering presentations about the events industry to pupils in schools local to them, playing a crucial part in shaping their career interests. ?
2. Regional Sponsorship: The Power of Events invites our partners and supporters to get involved in this next chapter for the programme by sponsoring the rollout into their local regions. Your support will directly impact thousands of pupils, enriching their professional prospects.
If you’d like to volunteer as a Schools Ambassador please click here, if you would like to discuss sponsoring a new region please email [email protected].
Eastside Rooms announces agency charter following 56% increase in agency enquiries
The Eastside Rooms , Birmingham, has launched of a dedicated Agency Charter in response to a significant surge in business enquiries and confirmations.
Over the last year, the venue has seen a significant 56% increase in agency enquiries and a 10% growth in confirmations, highlighting the strengthened partnership between The Eastside Rooms and its agency partners.
This new charter is designed to enhance The Eastside Rooms’ collaboration with agencies through improved commission structures, streamlined booking procedures, and solidified payment commitments. Additionally, the charter reinforces mutual responsibilities and a commitment to confidentiality and data protection, ensuring a trustworthy and efficient partnership.
Agency business continues to grow for The Eastside Rooms, further cementing the importance of the Charter, with prospective bookings up by 37% and confirmed bookings by 33% for 2025.
The Eastside Rooms’ director of sales, Leanne Bladen commented: “Our Agency Charter marks a milestone in our journey with our agency partners. The foundation of our collaborative success lies in the relationships we've nurtured over the years, and with this charter, we aim to solidify these working relationship even further. By refining our commission structure and booking procedures, we're not just streamlining our operations—we're building trust. Our commitments on payments and the responsibilities we share are set out clearly to avoid any ambiguities and ensure a smooth partnership.
The Eastside Rooms is committed to fostering a supportive environment where agencies feel valued and respected. This charter not only acknowledges the contributions of their partners but also sets the stage for a future of continued success and mutual growth.
Richmond Hill Hotel Wins Duo of 'Best Places to Work' Awards
Richmond Hill Hotel has been named one of the UK’s best places to work according to the 2024 Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Work’ list and The Caterer .
The hotel, which is located only minutes from Richmond Park, London’s largest royal park, is one of only three hotels which successfully placed in the medium organisations category (50 – 249 employees) this year in The Sunday Times ‘Best Places to Work’.
The prestigious awards recognise and celebrate organisations with the highest employee engagement and wellbeing levels, with winners selected solely from results of employee surveys.
The Georgian hotel has also achieved acclaim in The Caterer’s ‘Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2024’ list, with a ranking of only 30 hospitality operators included from across the UK.
The annual list, which was compiled by The Caterer magazine, features operators leading the way in employee engagement and workplace culture, also determined by employees themselves.
Diane Tapner - Evans , General Manager of Richmond Hill Hotel, said: “This isn’t the first time we’ve been recognised as one of the UK’s best places to work by The Sunday Times, however we are honoured to once again be recognised. It’s even more special that we have also been included in The Caterer’s Top 30 places to work, this just reinforces why workplace culture remains at the top of our agenda."
Richmond Hill Hotel is always looking for great people to join the team, to explore the current opportunities, visit https://www.richmondhill-hotel.co.uk/careers.
Nottingham Venues Signs the Hoteliers’ Charter
Nottingham Venues has announced that it has signed the Hoteliers’ Charter, the national standard that champions the hospitality industry and advocates for working in hotels as a viable long-term career choice.
In becoming a Charter Hotelier, one of only three in Nottinghamshire, Nottingham Venues is demonstrating its commitment to its 270 employees and to providing a workplace environment built on the foundations of respect, fairness, equality, diversity and opportunity.
By signing the charter, Nottingham Venues also re-affirms its commitment to supporting employees’ career development, their wellbeing and to ending low pay.
The move to achieve Charter Hotelier status is the latest part of Nottingham Venues’ People Development Strategy led by HR Director Suzie Adams who joined the business in 2022. Since then, there have been measurable improvements in employee’s happiness and satisfaction at work. Nottingham Venues’ staff engagement score of +67 is above the industry average and the company benchmarks well against others in the industry.
Nottingham Venues is a collection of hospitality destinations located on the 英国诺丁汉大学 ’s campuses - including the 4* Orchard Hill Hotel & Restaurant , the Jubilee Hotel and Conferences venues, Campus Venues and the East Midlands Conference Centre . It provides meeting space from 5 to 1000 delegates, with over 40 meeting rooms, 2000 sq. ft. of exhibition space and 300 bedrooms at the Orchard Hotel and Jubilee Hotel combined.?
East London’s hottest new venue Riverside East, to Join the Lime Venue Portfolio
Lime Venue Portfolio has announced the addition of Riverside East to its group of venues. The stylish events space is situated centrally within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park , adjacent to the ArcelorMittal Orbit and slide, the LONDON AQUATIC CENTRE LIMITED , Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, and the London Stadium , and is operated by the portfolio’s award-winning bar and event specialist, Peppermint Bars & Events , who have also overseen a transformation of the 100 - 2000 capacity venue.
Riverside East will open in the Spring after a multimillion-pound refurbishment and Lime Venue Portfolio has been bought in to add value to the venue’s meetings and events proposition, exposing it to the thousands of organisers looking for London based venues.
The space is ideal for corporate events, dinners, and brand activations, with the recent investment including the creation of a stunning rooftop terrace with panoramic views over east London, complete with a 260-cover restaurant “The Terrace”, “The Café” a breakfast/brunch/lunch venue on the ground floor with freshly baked bread, local London coffee, craft beers and cocktails. The venue also includes a brand new dedicated multi-use outdoor space “The Yard” boasting the best of London’s Street Food, Big screens and sun-drenched seating for up to 500. Riverside East has a keen sustainability strategy – working with local sustainable partners and a lo-waste, hyper seasonal menu with plant-forward approach.
The venue has also been confirmed as the official Welcome Reception partner for The Meetings Show , underlining its support for the meetings and events industry. The reception, that takes place the evening before the main show will showcase Riverside Easts sustainability credentials, as well as provide a fitting setting for a summer event.
Wyboston Lakes Resort a finalist in two categories at this year’s Conference & Events Awards
?Award winning conference, training and leisure venue Wyboston Lakes Resort has again been recognised as one of the best conference venues in the country and also as among the most sustainable.
It has been shortlisted as a finalist for both Best Venue (501-1100 seats theatre style) and for the Sustainability Award for Venues at the highly coveted Conference & Events Awards.
Marketing Director and Sustainability Lead Louisa Watson said: “It is so exciting to be recognised as a finalist for two such prestigious awards and it is wonderful testimony to the superb quality of our facilities and to the continuing commitment of all our team to our mantra of ‘More Sustainable, No Apology.’
The resort’s stylish Woodlands Event Centre was transformed in 2019 to meet the needs of the latest generation of delegates and event organisers. With a variety of rooms fully equipped with the latest technology, it is highly popular and busy with conferences and events for many sectors including financial services, pharmaceutical and associations.
The resort’s commitment to sustainability has been independently accredited by earning gold awards from the Green Tourism Awards and the IACC, and EcoSmart Platinum Venue Award from Greengage Solutions. All electric energy on-site now comes from renewable resources, reducing the resort’s carbon footprint by 65 percent and a total of 3065 solar panels are currently being installed across the site.
The results of the Conference & Events Awards 2024 will be announced at a ceremony on 5 July 2024 at City Central at the HAC, London.
For more information, please visit www.wybostonlakes.co.uk/business
?ASM Global Europe to open four new UK venues by 2027?
ASM Global - Europe , a leader in venue management, has announced plans to open four state-of-the-art venues across the UK (in London, Newcastle Gateshead, Derby and Southport) by 2027, further solidifying its position as one of the top venue operators.?
The new venues, which will be opened between Spring 2025 and Spring 2027 will provide spaces for a wide range of events including exhibitions, congresses, conferences, hospitality and meetings.? In addition, they will offer significant new entertainment and consumer event spaces for thousands of live event attendees.?
The four venues are:?
Anticipated opening 2025 – Becketwell Performance Venue, Derby is a ￡45 million venue set to significantly add to the city’s cultural and events offering.? The venue has 1,000 sqm of exhibition space, a 2,100 theatre style auditorium, 600 banqueting capacity and 2,500 bedrooms within walking distance, whilst being just 15 minutes from an international airport.?
Anticipated opening 2026 – The Sage ICC, Newcastle Gateshead will bring a world class facility to the North East of England as the first phase of the new The Sage development.? The ￡300 million complex will include more than 5,700m2 of flexible exhibition and banqueting space, a 900-seat auditorium, plus 17 conference and meeting spaces, and benefits from 6,000 hotel rooms within walking distance, as well as easy travel connections to across the UK and beyond via the nearby Central Station and Newcastle International Airport.?
Anticipated opening 2026 - Olympia London will become a destination for art, culture, entertainment, education and events through a ￡1.3 billion regeneration project. In addition to being connected to Olympia’s world-famous exhibition spaces, the completed complex will boast 2 internationally renowned hotels, a brand new conference centre with new conference spaces, meeting rooms and a further 2,000m2 of additional exhibition space for more than 5,000 delegates, alongside 2.5 acres of new public space. Olympia has also recently announced that Incipio - best known for its ‘pergola’ rooftop venues - will take the lead on “a number of premium dining and drinking experiences” at the 14 acre west London site.?
Anticipated opening 2026 – Southport Marina Lake Events Centre (MLEC) will transform the existing MLEC into a high quality, business and entertainment venue that is expected to bring more than half a million visitors a year to the destination.? The venue’s purpose-built auditorium will offer space for up to 1,200 theatre style, complimented by 1,500m2 of exhibition space, breakouts for up to 1,000 attendees and views of the UK’s only permanent water and light show.?
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