Conference News Supplements Binder2 | Page 14

14 Academic Venues Case study Professional@York Human resources in York Why did you choose to hold your event at the University of York? We were holding an internal event and wanted to keep it on campus and showcase internal facilities and support teams. How was your experience with York Conferences? The experience was excellent. The support provided was great throughout. I was very new to the University and Jon Greenwood supported me through the event from showing me the facilities months in advance and thinking through small details in the run up to the event. She was professional throughout and everything we needed to happen did – and at the right time. We received excellent support from the whole team, including Jo, the AV team, the Porters, caterers and Rapid Response. Talk the York The University of York has opened a brand new conference facility ork Conferences has, following a £26m investment, in January opened the doors to its new Piazza Building. Located on the University of York’s Campus East, the building is home to the International Pathway College, and features a 350-seat lecture theatre, a variety of seminar rooms and breakout spaces, a 200-seat restaurant and a Starbucks. Jon Greenwood, director of commercial services at the University of York said: “The Piazza Building has offered our clients, staff and students a fantastic new space for integration, innovation and creativity. The building inspires activity by its very design; throughout the Piazza Building you can find breakout spaces designed specifically for engaging work while simultaneously offering a peaceful atmosphere to work in. After watching the construction work, it’s great to be so proud of the outcome. I’m looking forward to seeing what York Conferences’ clients think of the new venue.” The new venue boasts a 350-seat lecture theatre www.conference-news.co.uk What were the highlights of your event? The event ran very smoothly, exactly as planned – the planning and communication before the event paid off to make the event stress free for the conference team and slick for the delegates. The skills of the AV team were very evident and really enhanced the conference content, especially the Awards Ceremony. Tell us about the catering you had for this event. Hot drinks on arrival, buffet lunch and drinks and mince pies in the afternoon.