A golden hat-trick for EEF Venues

Broadway House, EEF Venues’ conference venue at the heart of Westminster, has achieved Gold in the stringent Accredited in Meetings (AIM) assessment – the nationwide 'kite mark' for accredited venues and service providers in the UK meetings, conference and events industry.

All three EEF Venues now have AIM Gold status: Broadway House, Engineers’ House in Bristol and Woodland Grange in Warwickshire. 

Broadway House, which features twelve distinctive meeting rooms, with a maximum room capacity for up to 120 delegates, is the final venue in the group to join AIM’s elite group of 17 UK venues to have been awarded gold status to date.

David Vaughton, director of venues for EEF Venues said: ”AIM has embedded itself into the industry as the ultimate benchmark for quality so we couldn’t ask for a better endorsement of our quality and service standards. 

“AIM gives essential, third party credibility - which is crucial for client confidence. Customers know straight away that there is a certain standard, and when that standard is gold, they know that their event will be impeccable. It’s about providing peace of mind and that’s an incredible advantage to have in a highly competitive sector.”

Amanda Sutton, venue manager at Broadway House said:” AIM Gold is the best accolade any venue could wish for. It is the ultimate benchmark of quality so to have achieved this gives us an incredible advantage over other venues in Westminster. We are absolutely thrilled and view this as a vote of confidence in our facilities, in our service levels and our people.”

For more information call us on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Ashorne Hill's Fam Trip leaves guests stirred, not shaken

Ashorne Hill’s latest agency familiarisation trip was a great success. Agencies from all across the country including, Book-o-Tel , Ellis Salsby, Zibrant and Inntel arrived at Ashorne Hill for reception drinks and welcome in the Great Hall.

The evening began with a tour of Ashorne Hill’s building and grounds. The conferencing and events team led the tour showcasing the very best of the facilities. The agents were able to view many styles of meeting rooms which were set up in a number of different layouts, enabling them to visualise how their clients could utilise Ashorne Hill’s facilities. Looking out over the 3rd floor balconies - the sun was setting as guests took in the view of the rolling Warwickshire countryside and landscaped grounds.

The 80s theme for the evening proved very popular with the agents. The entertainment began with a ‘Tom Cruise’ style cocktail demonstration. Individuals were chosen from the audience to take centre stage and attempt to mix the cocktails in the same flamboyant way as the mixologists causing great amusement amongst fellow guests.

During the course of the evening every guest was given the opportunity to re-create some of the most popular cocktails. With the sounds of the 80s being played throughout the evening, vases filled with retro sweets, glow sticks and the decor to match guests were truly transported back in time. 

Ashorne Hill provided guests with a ‘Bowl food’ offering, enabling the agencies to sample multiple dishes throughout the evening. 

The event culminated in an 80s disco – people partied until the small hours of the morning and good fun was had by all. 

What our guests said...

“A BIG thank you to you and all the team for a wonderful evening and thanks for all the hospitality. We never realised what a great venue you have.”-Linda Mansfield

“The venue was breathtaking and what a super time we had , we will certainly be pushing any future enquiries your way. Thanks again for your hospitality and we look forward to working with you soon” - Derek Storer and Helen Higgins – Hotelsmart

“It was an absolutely fabulous night, the showround was great and very informative. The bowl food, cocktail making and disco were all really good fun too.” Faye Parker – Book-o-tel

“We all had a wonderful time, we felt the trip was of great value. Not only to bring Ashorne Hill back to the front of our minds but to see the fantastic product you have to offer. I would have absolutely no problems recommending you to my client and neither would my colleagues.” - Nichola Silvester – Ellis Salsby

To view Ashorne Hill's film tour, visit: http://www.cceonline.co.uk/venue/ashorne-hill/

The Manor House - Who do you think we are?

We may share our name with other hotels in the Guildford area, but that is where the similarity ends. We’re a unique venue and the only place to hold your meetings or accommodate your guests.

The Manor House is an independently-owned conference centre and hotel in Godalming. There are 10 meeting rooms and 31 bedrooms set in suburban countryside, surrounded by so much peace and tranquillity that you can leave the windows open all day and hear calming bird song, breathe in the fresh air and view an amazing panorama of the Surrey Hills.

Godalming? Now there’s a place that may not come straight to mind, but it’s had its moments!  It was the first town in Britain to have electric street lighting and was home to Jack Phillips, the heroic wireless operator on the ill-fated Titanic. Charterhouse School, the public school famous for producing politicians and diplomats, is just across the road.

Location is often cited as the key factor in selecting a venue for a meeting, so let’s see what we can do to help you picture exactly where Godalming is. Like those Charterhouse politicians and diplomats, it’s gloriously well connected.

Godalming is mid-way between London & Portsmouth, six miles from Guildford, Surrey’s County Town. The A3, linking London to the south coast, runs a couple of miles from our door, putting Godalming and the Manor House within an hour’s drive of the centre of London. The M25 is twelve miles away and from there, you can be on the M4 heading west to Wales or the M40 to the Midlands within an hour.

If you’re travelling by train, Godalming is on the main London to Waterloo route and there are at least two trains an hour during peak times. The journey takes about 50 minutes and you can alight at either Godalming or Farncombe, both of which are about a mile from the Manor House. Taxis are plentiful or we can supply you with walking directions if you fancy the stroll (uphill!)

For those travelling from further afield, Heathrow and Gatwick Airports both lie about 30 miles away and can be reached within 40 minutes. We are happy to organise a taxi pick up or a chauffeur service to the Manor House.

The Manor House really does offer a great location, whichever way your guests travel, whilst its unique situation in peaceful surroundings overlooking the Surrey Hills makes it worth serious consideration for your next meeting.

Say hello to CEME Conference Centre's new Marketing Manager

CEME Conference Centre is delighted to announce that Debbie Beckett has joined the conference team as Marketing Manager.

Debbie has worked in Sales and Marketing for over 14 years and brings a wealth of marketing and events experience.  Having worked as a marketing professional for several years, Debbie went on to be a Marketing Events Specialist at a leading hi-tech manufacturer for over 4 years and was responsible for multiple global exhibitions and large annual corporate events, conferences and awards ceremonies. Eamonn Cole, Conference Centre Director commented,

‘Debbie will manage and develop key client accounts and business partners and her strong people skills and proactive approach will benefit us hugely in continuing to grow CEME’s business, specifically within their corporate market. It’s great to have her onboard to promote CEME Conference Centre’.

‘I am delighted to have joined the team at CEME and in my new role I will undertake numerous marketing activities in support of the sales function, including preparing for and representing CEME Conference Centre at industry functions, exhibitions and networking events, with a special focus on PR and Comms, social media, website management and new business development.  I am really looking forward to continuing to build the business at CEME and will be focusing on e-marketing and B2B in order to raise awareness and get the word out about what amazing space we have here at CEME – whether for board meetings, seminars, conferences, exhibitions or film shoots.  We also have beautiful landscaped gardens and lakeside decking areas  – perfect for team building events.  

Debbie is looking forward to partnering with you to promote events and meetings business at CEME. When Debbie isn’t working she enjoys photography, garden design and sailing and is a qualified Day Skipper.

CEME Conference Centre is an award-winning meetings venue offering innovative and flexible solutions for all your meeting requirements from our ‘high-tech’ POD Theatre to small meeting rooms, conference, exhibition and outdoor space. CEME can host product launches, presentations, awards, training seminars, conferences and exhibitions for up to 600 with the latest AV technology, natural day-light and special inclusive rates and is ideally located for London Docklands, City, East London and Essex with excellent underground, train and road links and free parking for 500 cars. 

New era for Cotswold Conference Centre

Cotswold Conference Centre near Broadway is getting a new name after 12 years of award-winning business.  

The meeting, training and teambuilding venue, which is located on the stunning 400-acre Farncombe Estate between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon, will be renamed Farncombe Conference Centre from 25 June.

It is part of leading hospitality brand Farncombe, which also includes Farncombe Courses, Farncombe Events and the luxury hotel Dormy House. The move brings all the Farncombe Estate `family` together.

CEO Andrew Grahame said: “We felt that after 12 years it was time to bring all our businesses under a single Farncombe banner. As our businesses grow in strength, we believe the Farncombe brand will become synonymous with the best of hospitality, in the best of locations.

“We are continuing to invest heavily as we look forward to an exciting future ahead. For example, we have expanded our dining room and are planning an upgrade to our training rooms.  Dormy House is currently undergoing a £10m refurbishment, while next year a prestigious new spa will open its doors to hotel guests, spa members and day visitors.” 

Farncombe Conference Centre has 11 flexible meeting and training rooms ¬- in addition to separate syndicate rooms and coffee lounges – arranged village-style around the private estate.  The largest meeting room holds up to 120 people and there are 89 en-suite bedrooms available for staying delegates.

Last year it unveiled a new £250,000 conservatory-style dining room, named the Willersey Room, to increase dining capacity.  Early in 2014, there will be an upgrade of facilities in the Coach House building, which features three flexible training rooms and a west-facing terrace with views over the Vale of Evesham. 

The venue has a long string of awards, including twice winning the VisitEngland national title for Business Tourism and a VenueVerdict Gold award from customers every year since the standard was launched in 2009.

For more details call us on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

imago Christmas Conference

Hold an event during December with imago and receive a Christmas party for free!

Have you ever thought about combining your conference with a Christmas party? Anyone who holds an event with imago during December 2013 will receive a Christmas party free of charge.*

imago's Christmas Conference package includes: 

• Free Wi-Fi
• Accommodation
• Main meeting room
• Full English breakfast
• Christmas carvery lunch
• Essential audio-visual equipment
• Tea/coffee and refreshments
• Unlimited use of spa and leisure complex
• Christmas party (includes a three-course Christmas dinner and music entertainment)

Price -  Burleigh Court 24 hour delegate rate - from £110 per person (+VAT)
         
Call us on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk for more details.

*Subject to availability. Conferences must be held on a Monday-Thursday, with a minimum of 20 delegates. Smaller bookings could result in a shared party on a different evening, depending on availability.

"Leaders in Venue Management Prepare for Future Success"

Keynote Speaker, Adrian Furnham

ConferenceCentres of Excellence hosts its third annual conference in July, bringing together all of its member venues, along with fellow professionals in the meetings and events industry.

The Conference, which takes place on July 19^th at imago Burleigh Court, Loughborough offers an excellent line up of keynote speakers and workshops, focusing on overcoming challenges within the industry, and preparing for increased future success for venues.

Bringing people together is essential for the success of business, according to the UK’s leading sales and marketing consortium for specialist venues. And to underline their commitment to recognising excellence, Conference Centres of Excellence will also be celebrating its awards for the second year running.

Anthony Lishman, Executive Director commented “I’m delighted that this year’s conference returns for its third year with a stronger line up of speakers and workshops than ever. It is a great opportunity to reward your team for a job well done in these most challenging of times.
The peer to peer networking and educational benefits speak for themselves, but the whole event is designed to not only move our consortium forward and demonstrate our passion for our industry, but also give us a glimpse into what very large organisations are doing to get the best out of their most precious resources. “

Keynote Speaker, Liggy Webb

Keynote speakers at the event include Adrian Furnham, renowned business psychologist, academic and media commentator, and Liggy Webb, a leading expert in the field of Modern Life Skills.

There will be a series of workshops available to delegates as well as a networking lunch and supplier exhibition.

Conference Centres ofExcellence will also hold its annual awards dinner on Thursday 18^th July prior to the conference, bringing together past Chairs of the consortium to celebrate 21 years of recognising Excellence.

To view the full CONFERENCE PROGRAMME, and to reserve your place, CLICK HERE to visit our website.

Summertime meeting offers at the manor house

Hotter than a summer's day - well an English one, anyway! - our meeting offers are just the thing to brighten up your meeting plans.

the manor house free one

It's been so popular, we've extended it a third time! For every ten delegates you book, we'll give you one free, so you only pay for nine! With a full day package from just £40 per person and a residential package from £140 per delegate, meeting within your budget just got easier! Meet for half a day and the per person price is £33 or for a morning or afternoon, it's just £23. Available for all new bookings for June and July.

august bonanza

Come and meet at the Manor House in August! You'll be able to enjoy all our facilities at the best price ever, starting at £13 if you want to meet just for a morning or afternoon. Meet for half a day and the price is £23, rising to £30 for the full day package. Like the idea of a barbeque on the terrace on a warm summer's evening? The price to stay for a residential package is £120  and the barbie's included!

meet & treat - a quick meeting in an informal setting 

If you need to have a quick, informal meeting over coffee or with a bite to eat, the Manor House can help. 

Meet in Smiths bar and lounge and for £5.00 per person, we will include a bacon bap or Danish pastry and coffee (with free refill). Add £6.00 per person, and we'll give you a sandwich lunch and soft drink too.

Comfy, quiet and free WiFi comes as standard. It's great if you can tell us you're coming so we can keep a place for you if it's busy. Otherwise, there's no need to reserve - just turn up and take a seat!

nitty gritty details

All prices and offers quoted exclude VAT, except meet and treat, which includes VAT. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with each other. Offers are subject to availability and must be mentioned at the time of enquiry. They apply to new bookings only and apply for the dates made in the offer.

Call us today on 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

All inclusive packages at Kents Hill Park

The team at Kents Hill Park really go the extra mile to make sure you have everything you need in our day delegate and 24 hour packages. That way there are no hidden extras when you get the invoice, or the expense claims through after the event for things like car parking and Wi-Fi.  What we quote you is what you will pay, making it easy for you to manage the cost of your event.

Our Conference and Events team: Sally, Laura and Sara, have between them, over 21 years’ experience of running events at Kents Hill Park. They are on hand to give you all the information and support you will need to run a successful event. From the best use of time and space, to making sure you get the best possible value for money. Their wealth of experience and knowledge gives you the peace of mind that your event is in safe hands.

We also make sure you have the same event manager for all your events, providing continuity for you and your team.

Just another benefit of using Kents Hill Park, member of Conference Centres of Excellence.

For more information visit our website today, call 0845 030 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

New Chair for Conference Centres of Excellence board as it celebrates 21 years of Excellence

John Carson, Managing Director at Warwickshire’s renowned training and development and conference venue Ashorne Hill, has become the new Chair of Conference Centres of Excellence.

John was appointed Chair in May 2013, having been both a stalwart supporter of Conference Centres of Excellence and serving member of the board during the period of his company’s almost 9 years of membership.

Celebrating 21 years as the UK’s only marketing consortium to represent specialist, quality conference and training centres in the UK, Conference Centres of Excellence now has 34 members nationwide, including many of the country’s best known specialist conference and training venues, covering a geographical area extending from the South East of England to Scotland. Before joining, venues have to meet stringent criteria in terms of quality, facilities, accommodation and customer care. 

John is quite different from past Chairs having spent his former years as an officer in the Royal Navy and more latterly as an HR Director. Taking over Ashorne Hill was a real career change and membership of Conference Centres of Excellence gave him an ideal opportunity to benefit from the experience of his peers. He is convinced this was really beneficial in his transition from one career to another. He still believes that he has more to learn! 

John said, “I am absolutely proud to be taking over the Chair of Conference Centres of Excellence and hope to grow membership and membership value through the promotion of an organisation that clients can trust to deliver real quality’.

Executive Director Anthony Lishman said “John has been an active Board Member for the majority of the past 6 years, his business and management knowledge combined with great foresight will ensure our consortium thrives under his leadership. I know John will give the Chairmanship his full attention and steer the business in the right direction over the coming months".

Conference Centres of Excellence also welcomes Shaun Bowles, General Manager of Eynsham Hall in Oxfordshire, as a board member.

Awards Dinner and Annual Conference 2013

Conference Centres of Excellence is delighted to be holding its 2013 conference and awards dinner at imago, Loughborough. 

Thursday 18th/ Friday 19th July 2013

This annual event provides an opportunity for CCE Members, industry professionals and suppliers to network and discuss the latest issues affecting our industry in a friendly and supportive environment.

The awards dinner is an opportunity for Conference Centres of Excellence to recognise quality venues and suppliers to the meetings and events industry and the celebratory dinner kicks off the conference in style.

Anthony Lishman, Executive Director said: 

"The peer to peer networking and educational benefits speak for themselves, but the whole event is designed to not only move our consortium forward and demonstrate our passion for our industry, but also give us a glimpse into what very large organisations are doing to get the best out of their most precious resources.

I’m delighted that this year’s conference returns for its third year with a stronger line up of speakers and workshops than ever. It is a great opportunity to reward your team for a job well done in these most challenging of times. "

For the full conference schedule and booking details visit our website today or email summerconference@cceonline.co.uk