12
Academic Venues
“Venue choice
depends on client
requirements,
however,
provided they
fit the brief, we
always include
academic venues
in our searches”
cademic venues are
particularly popular for
training, workshops or
assessment days as
they offer modern spacious
buildings that are often
purpose-built without the hotel
price tag.
By choosing an academic venue
the event planner can harness
benefits such as built-in AV
equipment, a variety of meeting
spaces, good transport links and
plenty of car parking onsite. In
addition, if the event is residential,
academic venues are able to
house a high volume of delegates,
making them a desirable option
for large events.
In the Midlands, we have a
number of strong academic
venues to choose from including
Imago at Loughborough,
Conference Aston and Keele
University Conference and Events.
Warwick Conferences have five
distinct venues to choose from
which can accommodate up to
1,200 delegates, and access to
the University of Warwick sports
facilities, including pool and gym is
included in event packages.
Should you wish to tie in a bit of
culture/evening entertainment
there is also Warwick Arts Centre
on campus.
Collaborative venues such as the
De Vere East Midlands Conference
Centre create a hybrid between a
European Spores
Conference, Royal
Holloway:
a case study
Purpose-built
without the hotel
price tag
Conference Care director Chris Peacock offers
some agency insights on what what works well,
and what doesn’t in an academic venue.
traditional academic venue and a hotel. This partnership
bridges the best of both worlds; event spaces such as an
auditorium that can host over 500 delegates complemented
by a contemporary modern hotel. Conference Care held its
2016 Christmas party at the De Vere Orchard Hotel, using
the hotel mezzanine for pre-dinner drinks and the Atrium of
the EMCC for the dinner; both great spaces which worked
really well with our ‘White’ theme.
Ultimately of course, venue choice depends on client
requirements; however provided they fit the brief we always
include academic venues in our searches.
www.conference-news.co.uk
University of London’s Royal
Holloway hosted the 7th
European Spores Conference
last year in its Windsor
Building, together with a
corporate sponsorship
exhibition. The business came
via an academic ambassador
and is the third European
Spores conference hosted at
Royal Holloway.
Registration of the 150
delegates was handled by the
in-house conference office.
Organisers took advantage
of a package which included
attendance at the three-day
conference as well as meals
and accommodation. There
was free on-site car parking.
Single and premium en-suite
accommodation was in halls
of residence, close to the
conference and dining
facilities. The event attracted
16 corporate sponsors.
A team of Royal Holloway
staff was present throughout
the conference offering
general administrative
support, as well as technical
expertise and catering.
The conference and social
programme included a
pre-conference drinks
reception in the Crosslands
bar, followed by a buffet dinner
in the Founder’s Dining Hall;
conference presentations
from a truly international group
of speakers; two lengthy
poster and networking
sessions; a dinner cruise on
the River Thames and a
farewell drinks reception and
banquet in the Picture Gallery
and Founder’s Dining Hall.