The inside scoop on UK venues. This month, Gilwell Park launches winter package, Manchester venues invest in facilities, Olympia London opens rooftop garden, and Wyboston Lakes Resort reveals what planners really want when sourcing venues.
Gilwell Park gets warm for winter
Gilwell Park London has launched a winter meetings package, featuring all the essentials to escape the cold this season.
The venue, owned and managed by The Scout Association, is offering hot chocolate stations, mini gingerbread men, blankets and a buffet lunch with homemade soup, as part of a £50 per person meetings hire package.
Located deep in Epping Forest, but only minutes from Chingford Station, Gilwell Park consists of the White house - dating back to 1754. The house is styled in a simple, understated way, allowing guests to dress it exactly to their tastes and needs, while all meetings profit goes back into the Scout movement.
EventCity and Manchester Central both upgrade facilities
EventCity, the largest blank canvas exhibition and events venue in the north of England, has begun major investment into updating its event spaces, including Hall 4.
The £500,000 refurbishment includes refurbishing all ten of the venue’s meeting rooms and renaming them after Manchester people, past and present such as Emmeline Pankhurst, George Stephenson and Tom Kilburn, creator of the first computer.
Elsewhere in Manchester, new kitchen facilities have been unveiled by Manchester Central. The new open-plan layout, which increases floor space by 20% and production capacity by 50%, will will see the venue produce 95% of its menu items in-house, allowing event catering to be tailored to suit individual requirements.
Olympia London opens rooftop space
As part of a £700 million overhaul of Olympia London, rooftop space Pergola Olympia opened in September.
Set on the rooftop in botanical gardens, it will be a year-round networking and socialising space offering food and drink for up to 500 people.
It features three restaurants and a bar, all surrounded by glass walls and providing views over the UK capital from a West London setting.
Wyboston Lakes Resort reveals poll findings into venue choice
A good range of high quality AV/presentation technology and support staff is the most important factor in choosing a conference venue, according to a survey by Wyboston Lakes Resort.
The poll, which asked almost 100 event professionals to choose their top three priorities from a lengthy list of venue features, reveals that ‘Good customer service’ was a close second, while ‘quality of food’ came just behind in third spot.
In fourth place was ‘free wi-fi for delegates,’ while ‘clarity on pricing’ was fifth and ‘a venue that understands our priorities’ in sixth, just ahead of ‘good lighting in meeting rooms including natural light.’
In eighth place was ‘comfortable seating’ and ‘accessibility of the location’ came ninth.
‘Creativity in food options’ completed the top ten.
By Mike Fletcher