Conference Venues
Throughout the year there are hundreds of conferences taking place all over the UK. These can vary in size from small conferences for forty or fifty people up to large conferences for hundreds of people. Conferences can vary in length too from a one day event to a week long conference. Some companies hold their conferences annually and use the same venue every year, whilst others will only have them every now and again or a few times during the year.
The location of conference venues is also a very important factor. If you have people attending from all over the UK or from abroad it is important to locate the conference venue where all delegates have easy access. Being near an airport or a train/tube station is sensible as it provides the delegates with an easy access point. If you have a number of offices in different locations it is sometimes wise to locate the conference venue in a central location that everyone can easily reach. London is a good location with easy access from a number of airports and train/tube stations. Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff all have airports in close proximity and are easily accessible by train and road.
There are a number of suitable conference venues including hotels and conference centre or training venues. Conference centres are usually well accommodated for large events or events that need a number of rooms. Hotels can also work well as they have areas where exhibition stands and lunch can go together. Well known conference venues in the UK include the Mermaid Conference Centre in London, the SECC in Glasgow and East Midlands Conference Centre.
There is also the option of using something unusual as your conference venue. This can include venues such as football stadiums, racecourses and other sporting venues. These conference venues are well situated and they have the added bonus of having a large number of car parking spaces. This is always useful if you have people driving to the conference venue. The executive boxes at these venues are also ideal for syndicate rooms and they usually look over the track or pitch. However they generally do not have accommodation on site, but will have hotels close by and are usually able to recommend places to stay. Some companies will prefer onsite accommodation at the conference venue but if it is not essential these type of conference venues are definitely worth consideration.
It is becoming increasingly common that companies have their conference and also a room or space for exhibition stands. This space can provide the delegates with an area where they can have lunch and network. Whilst many rooms at conference venues have foyer areas with space for one or two stands at other venues you may need to hire another room.
When organising a conference it is important to remember a few key points. As well as location and the type of conference venue you want to use it is worth considering the price per head and minimum numbers. A day delegate rate (DDR) is a price per head which includes the room hire of the main room, lunch and refreshments. It is important to find out what is included in the DDR as this differs between conference venues. Audio Visual (AV) equipment also needs consideration. For large conferences you will need to use microphones and think about the type of projection you want to use.
With such a wide range of conference venues it is important to find one that meets all of your requirements. Venue finders are quite experienced in sourcing conference venues and it is always worth considering using them to help you find the best venue.
