Bringing you the latest on new venues, venues offering something just that little bit different, others which are hitting the refurbishment trail and those that simply have a story to tell! And don’t worry, if we’re giving you the heads up on venues that aren’t available to review just yet, they soon will be!
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
WHO – MK7, Milton Keynes
WHAT – Large auditorium for 450 with futuristic meeting and boardroom facilities
WHY – Super modern event space for high end conferences and events with first-class hospitality
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing has unveiled its ultra-modern and vibrant new event space MK-7 to the meeting and events industry. The stylish new venue at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory headquarters centres around a breath-taking auditorium that houses the team’s collection of race cars dating back to 2005. The launch is a bold move for the team, offering delegates and guests unique access into the racing world and the opportunity to immerse themselves in the engineering prowess, winning innovation, premium hospitality and glamour of Formula One. MK-7 offers a unique setting for brand activations, receptions, dinners, conferences and intimate meetings. Complementing the central event space is a stylish boardroom and 40-capacity mezzanine area, all decorated with details of the team’s history. The space can be configured to suit clients’ requirements and can be exclusively hired for up to 450 guests attending a reception, with the boardroom sized to seat 22. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing is well-established in the field of hospitality, entertaining guests at all 21 races of the F1 calendar. The launch of its new space marks the team’s increasing commitment to the meetings and events sector and allows clients unprecedented access to the world of Racing.
JUST THAT LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT…
WHO – CityCo, Manchester
WHAT – Heritage venue, with excellent small meeting and event space for 2-80
WHY – Fascinating history, centrally located and warm Mancunian welcome
CityCo, Manchester’s city centre management company, is uniquely located in the heart of Manchester on the top floor of Lloyd’s House overlooking Manchester Town Hall. If a venue with fascinating history is high on your wish list look no further! Designed by the architectural practice of Speakman & Charlesworth in 1867, the site was originally created for the Manchester Shipping Office and Packing Company and was the city’s first purpose-built packing warehouse. Fast forward 150 years and CityCo have transformed this heritage venue and produced a range of stunning flexible event space with original features everywhere. The Shipping Office, Cotton and Sorting Rooms host a variety of corporate events, from small conference, seminar or training sessions, to up-market “Dragons Den” style pitches and presentations. Celebratory dinners with locally sourced catering options prove popular and CityCo is well placed for those organisations looking to “escape” for a creative team away-day. Special mention for the warm friendly Mancunian welcome that is guaranteed for all delegates/guests and the excellent value rates on offer.
MORE THAN A LICK OF PAINT
WHO – Emerald Headingley Stadium Events, Leeds
WHAT – Emerald Suite for 500, plus outside terraces for receptions & networking events
WHY – Iconic sporting venue with real wow factor cricket and rugby views!
Wow! Even if you’re not into cricket, you can’t fail to have seen the national news headlines as Ben Stokes single-handedly took on the might of the Australians and won the match for England to keep the Ashes alive. But it’s just not cricket anymore at the Emerald Headingley Stadium! A recent £45m refurbishment of one of Leeds’ famous sporting stadia is already proving a big hit with a huge influx of bookings for conferences, events and celebrations. The new Emerald suite, which can take up to 500 people, has extensive views of both the cricket and rugby pitches and fills a gap in the local market for a venue of this size. For the first time the stadium is also able to offer outside terraces suitable for barbeques, hog roasts or networking events. The two terraces, which hold 30 and 100 guests respectively, are just some of the latest additions, with the venue also now able to host large scale exhibitions for the first time. To complete the picture, the corporate boxes and Directors Suite have had a complete refresh. To celebrate the re-opening, Headingley is holding its first concert a Proms on the Pitch event on 21 September featuring top soprano and Yorkshire legend Lesley Garrett.
STORY TO TELL
WHO – Leeds College of Music & Northern Ballet, Leeds
WHAT – Plenary conferences and events for up to 350 using joint facilities
WHY – Striking venues with excellent inhouse production facilities
Two of the Norths’ leading cultural lights, Leeds College of Music (LCoM) and Northern Ballet (NB) have joined forces to offer exciting new conference and event space in Leeds. With over 100 years of combined cultural activity in Yorkshire, the two neighbouring institutions have teamed up to cater for medium to large-scale conferences and events for up to 354 delegates in a unique setting. The recently announced partnership, now offers a unique opportunity for clients who want to host a conference in a striking environment, with breath-taking views across the city. The sites’ combined offering includes two large theatre spaces – The Venue (LCoM) and Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre (NB), both with excellent lighting, sound and inhouse production capabilities. In addition, the Rooftop Bar (LCoM) and Atrium (NB) provide flexible catering and exhibition spaces with further breakout areas across the two venues allowing a bespoke tailored experience for each client. Recent conferences at Leeds College of Music include the Creative Cities Convention, One Dance UK and High-Speed Rail Industry Leaders. Northern Ballet have hosted BBC Future Women in Media event, Leeds City Council International women’s Day event and The National Trust Road Show. This exciting new development is one of the reasons why Leeds has continued to climb the British Meetings and Events Industry Survey (BMEIS) making the northern powerhouse the 4th most popular conferencing destination in the UK.
And there’s more – check out the following Links:
Stratford upon Avon Hotel completes £13m refurb