LAST UPDATE AUGUST 2022

Located close to the City, just a short walk from Aldgate/Aldgate East Tube Stations and a stone‘s throw from the new Elizabeth Line, due to open later in 2019. 

Brilliantly designed sustainable conference and events venue.  Six meeting rooms and bags of networking and informal break out space suitable for 10 – 200 guests/delegates. Outside terrace with panoramic views of the City. Corporate meetings, academic conferences, product launches, drinks receptions would all feel at home. Extensive AV inclusions in every room with ability to web–stream to a wider audience.  Staff very much on their game, all professional, friendly and knowledgeable.  

Attention to event detail and event thinking exceptional, from the ease of movement of delegates around the building to the positioning of ceiling mics to negate the need for Q&A handhelds.  DDA compliant but offering so much more for disabled guests.  A genuinely sustainable venue which extends from the buildings’ construction through to the zero–food waste policy and “living roof” which saves water. Proximity to tube and the soon to be opened Elizabeth line enables easy travel arrangements. Act quickly to secure space. 

How often do you truly find yourself saying “wow” when visiting a venue? Not that often probably!   

Well be prepared to be well and truly wowed every few steps, should you decide to check out Events @No6 – an amazing addition to the London venue scene, which truly has the WOW factor. 

Conference and meeting venues are opening all the time.  No shock there then.  But very few are truly built with events in mind, often constrained by the existing fabric of the building and whilst good, are rarely exceptional.  

Step forward The Royal College of Pathologists who really have broken the venue mould when they decided to move from their Carlton Terrace home of many years to trendy East London close to Aldgate and Whitechapel.  They’ve funded a sustainable head office and event venue (Events @No6) from scratch that is arguably one of the best designed conference venues of its type anywhere in Europe.   

The building oozes class from the minute you enter. The internal fusion of brick, wood and concrete works perfectly, with the concrete pillars from a distance actually looking like a wood effect. Potential echoey sound issues are cleverly negated by hidden sound proof material behind sustainable brick walls.   A plethora of sustainable design awards surely beckon, particularly when you look inside the Elizabeth Foyer and see the original chandeliers from Carlton Terrace perfectly in-keeping with their new surroundings. 

The architect and builders should take a bow, but great credit must also be given to Michelle Merrett, Head of Facilities & Events. Michelle’s experience of hosting many events shows in the natural delate flow around the building and the close attention to detail only a very experienced event operator would have.  More of that in a minute. 

We’ll try to be concise, but there’s a lot to say. 

On entering, you immediately get the feeling of openness and ‘warm’ blank canvas event space. And in an age where arguably the space outside of the meeting room is equally as important for informal catch ups and networking, the six bright meeting rooms link seamlessly to flexible naturally lit breakout areas with superb views over the City. 

Room capacity’s range from 10 up to 200 and offer a variety of genuinely different venue booking options.  A training course would work well here, as would a keynote presentation at a conference for 120, an event where exhibition partners needed easy access to delegates or an evening reception/dinner after the main business of the day is concluded. 

Whatever the event requirement, delegates and guests won’t get lost thanks to high tech ‘OneLan’ visual signage displays screens, strategically placed and immediately updateable.  No bits of paper with printed logos on the wall. But the digital signs are just the start of the many thoughtful solutions offered in each room as part of the meeting and event space experience: 

• Suspended ceiling microphones – say good bye to Q&A hand held mics! 
• Built in live web streaming equipment as standard – great for international events 
• Projector paint walls give glare free clear images  
• Presentation relay monitors ensure a clear line of site for all 
• Modular stages have integral ramps for wheelchair users 
• A complimentary choice of lectern styles reflects event theme 
• Green room access for VIPs close by 
• Boxed delegate note paper take one sheet or the lot so no waste 

Attention to event detail is everywhere you look: 

• iPad check in at reception stops registration queues 
• Laptop plug in power points aplenty 
• Separate goods lift access will be a big hit with production partners and exhibitors 
• Half–moon tables on wheels and storage bays everywhere allow quick change meeting room configuration to completely change the look and feel 

The same care thought and attention to detail extends to the excellent sustainable food options.  Head Chef Andrew Finch is passionate about becoming a zero waste to landfill venue.  Food is recycled where ever possible to create delicious soups and even the coffee beans are recycled to produce recipes that ensure that the kitchen makes the most out of every piece of food.  Seasonally sourced local produce purchased from small independent businesses is perhaps not a surprise but inhouse filtering of water is highly innovative with the actual water nutrients printed on the side of the re-useable glass bottles. 

• Even on a dark day, this is a light build. Strategically angled floor to ceiling windows not only afford great views but maximise the natural light keeping delegates alert and refreshed. 
• The extensive cloakrooms offer showers for delegates to use.  Those travelling by bike or who want to freshen up after a day‘s conference before the evening event now have the perfect solution. 
• Host an open-air drinks reception and admire the City views safe in the knowledge that there is a wet weather option literally through the glass doors which could also easily be used as fine dining option. 
• You won’t need to worry about turning the lights off when they’re not needed.  An automated lighting system operates when required to reduce energy consumption. 
• The “chilled beam system”, provides energy-efficient solutions for the ventilation and air conditioning of all meeting spaces.  Self-regulating, windows and vents open automatically avoiding the need for energy wasting air conditioning with all high-level windows opening at night to cool the concrete ceilings ready for the following day.  

This is normally the section where we state any little niggles or highlight areas which you should be aware of.  But in truth it’s difficult to find specific areas of concern.  Sure, there are no bedrooms linked to the venue, but then again, London is not short of options.  Perhaps the main thing to bear in mind is the fact that availability for meeting space is likely to be limited in the months to come as Events @No6 becomes the venue of choice for many meeting and event bookers.  

• As you would expect, the venue is fully DDA compliant. But the thought given to wheel chair users is commendable.  The wide–open access corridors and entry points give step free access and the main stage offers integral ramps for keynote and top table speakers. 
• We love the fact that Events @No6 has a living roof which provides a habitat for local birds and insects and reduces the volume of rainwater run-off. 
• Not often we mention toilets in our editor’s destination reports.  But take your camera and record the wonderful cellular photographs that adorn the walls and which pictorially and beautifully remind you of the key purpose of the building. 
• Don’t forget, if you are one of the 11,000 UK or overseas Members of the Royal College of Pathologists, you can exclusively use the dedicated library and knowledge facility.  

You can have the best venue in the World, but if you don’t have the staff to go with it… And Events @No6 absolutely gets that.  Customer service training was actively taking place during our visit and with over 50 events undertaken in little over a month since opening, the venue already operates like a well–oiled machine with a reassuring calmness.  Perhaps this is down to the staff living and breathing their core values which are shared below as they epitomise what the venue is all about.