Big changes at the Beardmore

The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre has announced earlier this week that they will be rebranding as the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel in January 2016.

The rebrand supports the hotel’s 2020 vision to continue developing as an internationally recognised conference centre of excellence. 

The Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel will be at the heart the Golden Jubilee Foundation, the new brand name for the family of facilities which also includes the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, the Golden Jubilee Research Institute and Golden Jubilee Innovation Centre. 

Director of the Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre, Bronagh Bell, said: “This announcement marks the next stage in our evolution as a provider of first-class meeting and hospitality services. Our shared campus means that our clients, guests and delegates not only have access to our custom-built facilities, but to state-of-the art research and clinical  skills suites, live audio visual links and our new Innovation Centre. 

“We are delighted to be a core part of the Golden Jubilee Foundation, which will allow the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel to keep finding pioneering ways to support high level international, medical and innovative conferences and events.”

The Beardmore will transition into the new brand over the next few months, officially becoming the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel on 11 January 2016. The hotel will still be running business as usual, welcoming and serving regular clients and guests from across Scotland, the UK and beyond. 

Bristol front of house manager shortlisted for the mia-List 2015

Olivier Nanchi, front of house manager at Engineers’ House conference venue in Clifton Downs, Bristol, has been shortlisted for the mia-List 2015, an initiative by the Meetings Industry Association (The mia) to identify the industry’s most inspiring and passionate people.

Ten people will be chosen this year to join the list at a celebratory lunch on 28th September 2015 at Park Plaza Riverbank, London.

37-year-old Olivier, who lives in Clifton but is originally from France, started his career with EEF Venues at Engineers’ House eleven years ago as a front of house assistant.  In that time, he has gone from providing general venue support, such as organising teas and coffees, to being responsible for a team of eight front of house and service support staff. 

Since 2004, the busy, AIM Gold accredited venue has grown by 400 per cent and was named UK’s No 1 Specialist Venue and Overall Venue in BDCR Continental’s VenueVerdict Awards 2014, in which Olivier is referenced on multiple occasions for his expertise and organisational skills. 

David Vaughton, director of venues for EEF Venues, said: ”In an organisation that has built its entire reputation on customer service excellence, Ollie Nanchi is a true ambassador of the EEF Venues’ brand.  He constantly strives for perfection and has an eye for detail, taking great pride to ensure that all of the 16 conference rooms have been set up impeccably. His customer service skills are legendary, reflected in the fact that repeat bookings account for 78% of the venue’s business, testament to the relationships he and his colleagues build with clients. His patience, understanding and good humour have earned the respect and admiration of all.”

Ollie said: “I feel truly honoured to be considered for the mia-List 2015. My job is all about making people feel welcomed and looked after so it is great to get this industry recognition.”

NEW RESEARCH VALUES THE UK MEETING INDUSTRY AT OVER £21 BILLION

New research into the UK’s conference and business events sector, entitled the ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2015’ (UKCAMS), values the sector at an estimated £21.6 billion in venue and destination direct spend in 2014. The total represents an increase of some £2 billion compared with the previous year, due mainly to an increase in event size. 

The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey’, now in its 22nd consecutive year, has a specific focus on the value and volume of the market and the performance of meeting venues. It also highlights key market trends identified by venues. The results provide a definitive insight into the business events sector and are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

The research findings also reveal that the overall number of business events in 2014 (an estimated 1.28 million) was similar to 2013. However, the increased average size of events led to a total of 104 million delegates generating 162 million business event days, compared with 91 million delegates and 148 million business event days in 2013.

Increasing optimism in the market was reflected in higher levels of investment by venues, with 78 per cent having undertaken some investment in 2014. The proportion of venues investing more than £100,000 was up on 2012 and 2013 levels. Venues also indicated that their overall business performance was up in 2014 compared with 2013, and 65 per cent anticipated that 2015 results would show further growth.

Other key findings from the research include:

• There was an average of 366 events per venue in 2014 – this was on a par with 2013 (356 events) and 2012 (373 events). The majority of events (61 per cent) were held in hotels
• The average event duration was 1.6 days, although most events (64 per cent) lasted a day or less. Average duration varied from 1.4 days for non-residential events to 2.0 days for residential events
• The average daily delegate rate achieved by venues for business events was £46 (inc VAT). The average 24-hour / residential rate was £126 (inc VAT). This compares to an average for the period 2010 to 2014 of £43 (inc VAT) for day rates and £129 (inc VAT) for 24-hour / residential rates.
• The lack of growth in rates achieved suggests that the market is still highly competitive. It may also highlight the influence of company procurement departments, identified by venues as one of the main challenges to their conference and meetings business
• Other challenges noted by venues were keeping pace with technology demands and the provision of Wi-Fi with sufficient bandwidth
• Interestingly, issues around compliance, contracts and T&Cs, staff recruitment and retention, and the payment of commission to agencies were rated as only a moderate challenge by venues.

Simon Gidman, Head of Business Visits and Events for VisitEngland and principal sponsor of UKCAMS 2015, comments: ‘England’s events industry has a lot to look forward to over the next few years. In addition to major global sporting events such as the England Rugby World Cup in the autumn of 2015, England plays host to a series of significant scientific and business events including the prestigious European Science Open Forum in Manchester (2016) and the International Festival of Business in Liverpool (2016). The ‘UK Conference and Meeting Survey 2015’ provides important confirmation of the energy and vitality of the sector, and really positive indicators for its future growth.’

Other sponsors of the research are: The Meetings Show, venuedirectory.com, Visit Guildford for Business, Conference Centres of Excellence, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, and Hiscox Event Assured.

The research was carried out by Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services and Richard Smith of RJS Associates. 

Copies of the full UKCAMS 2015 report are available priced £145 + VAT. Visit http://www.ukcams.org.uk to download an order form.

Warwick Conferences video shows benefits of dedicated venues

Warwick Conferences has unveiled a new animation to showcase the benefits of hosting business events at dedicated conferencing facilities.

Using insights from the independently commissioned Value of Satisfaction report which investigated the factors that contribute to positive delegate experiences, the animation follows two characters - Sarah and Nigel - on their own conferencing journeys: Sarah at a dedicated business venue, and Nigel at a multi-purpose venue.

Their very different experiences stem from the varying likelihood of running into disruptions while on-site at a meeting.

Warwick Conferences’ Value of Satisfaction report found that meeting disruption can take many forms - from unhelpful staff to Wi-Fi that's not up to the job - with three-quarters of delegates experiencing disruption for one reason or another in the previous 12 months.

Business meetings held at multi-purpose venues - such as hotels - tend to be more susceptible to distractions, with 91% of delegates reporting having encountered disruption when using non-dedicated facilities. More than a quarter of delegates had been interrupted by non-business guests at a multi-purpose venue, including wedding parties and leisure groups.

Meeting disruptions can have a detrimental event on productivity, leading to events that don't achieve what they set out to do, which explains why 96% of managers agree that a venue should lack distractions, and value focused environments in which delegates can get on with the task at hand.

Warwick Conferences is a collection of meeting space at the University of Warwick, including three distraction-free, dedicated training and conference centres – Scarman, Radcliffe, and Arden – and the on-campus Conference Park. 

Rachael Bartlett, head of sales and marketing at Warwick Conferences, comments: “Unfortunately, meeting disruption is rife in the conferencing industry, leading to lower levels of delegate satisfaction and a high proportion of meetings that don’t achieve their goals.

“Choosing the right environment for your event is key to its success. Generally speaking, dedicated venues are better placed to deal with meeting disruption since their expertise and focus lies in catering solely for business guests.  Non-dedicated venues, on the other hand, have a multitude of needs to manage, leaving business events held at these venues more susceptible to disruptions.  

“To maximise productivity, it’s important to properly evaluate your requirements and ascertain which type of venue would work best for your event before you book.”

To view the video, visit www.warwickconferences.com/why-warwick-conferences.

Conference Centres of Excellence introduces venues to the agency market

Conference Centres of Excellence is targeting the agency market to develop brand awareness of its independent venues.

Under the leadership of new Director of Sales Mandy Jennings, Conference Centre of Excellence is targeting agency business by providing a single point of contact for booking the group’s 26 UK venues. As more corporate buyers are working with mandated agencies and procurement procedures, the approach to agents is vital in order to influence decision makers who are looking for dedicated venues appropriate to training, specific meeting and conference requirements. 

The Conference Centres of Excellence sales team is extremely experienced in the training venues market, and can facilitate agents booking venues which will deliver results perfect for training and regional roadshows. By offering all inclusive packages tailored to specific event requirements, the venues add value to the delegate experience, with free Wi-Fi, syndicate rooms, onsite AV support and unlimited refreshments, whilst enabling agents and their clients to monitor costs.

The approach to the agency market is designed to raise the profile of the group’s highly accredited independent venues, many of which are multi-award winning and considered some of the best in the UK. 

“Understanding the agency market and being able to facilitate introductions on behalf of our members provides benefits for both venues and agents” said Mandy Jennings, Director of Sales for CCE Venues. “By providing agents with one point of contact for 26 high quality venues, we can provide a regional solution that offers flexibility but with the ongoing reassurance of excellent service and facilities which our quality promise provides.”

Conference Centres of Excellence has integrated the agency brand awareness into its marketing plans over the coming months as part of the membership benefits to venues, and will be showcasing its venues at the upcoming Meetings Show at London Olympia (7-9 July).

For more details please contact agents@cceonline.co.uk

To book at meeting with the CCE Sales Team at The Meetings Show visit: http://www.themeetingsshow.com/Content/Register-here

Wyboston Lakes’ employee shortlisted in this year's MiaList Awards 2015

Davide Graziano, HR and Training Co-ordinator at Wyboston Lakes has been shortlisted in this year’s MiaList 2015, after being nominated by his Director of HR.

“Davide has only been here seven months and has already shown great dedication and support to his colleagues. He truly cares about the efficiency of the team and is always willing to go the extra mile. It is a fabulous achievement for Davide to have reached the shortlist.” Heidi Pegrum, Director of HR at Wyboston Lakes.

The miaList Awards recognise the individuals who inspire those around them, to go above and beyond the call of duty and have a positive impact on the business, and Davide embraces all of those qualities.

The miaList was created to celebrate the amazing industry individuals who are prepared to go that extra mile to ensure that their venue, service or product is nothing short of excellent.

Wyboston Lakes is very proud of Davide’s journey so far and wishes him the best of luck in the awards.

The judging lunch is on Wednesday 15 July and the winners will be announced at a celebratory lunch on Monday 28 September 2015, Park Plaza Riverbank, London

Bristol Patient Safety Conference returns to Engineers’ House

Following last year’s inaugural Bristol Patient Safety Conference, Engineers’ House hosted a very successful event again this year on 15th May.

Dr Mike Durkin, national director of Patient Safety for NHS England gave a keynote address, followed by presentations by leading national patient safety experts.

One of the aims of the conference is to provide networking opportunities for those involved in patient safety work across the region. Individuals and teams from local hospital trusts, local healthcare professionals, and businesspeople who have innovated to improve patient safety will be talking about their achievements at the conference.

Martyn Bowen, venue manager at Engineers’ House said: ”The format of the conference was a combination of plenary talks and interactive workshops so it was a lively event, with delegates making the most of our many break-out areas throughout this historic building.

”We were delighted that our client chose to return to Engineers’ House for a second consecutive year. It is always lovely when clients come back, and with repeat bookings accounting for 78% of our business, we see this as a great vote of confidence in our customer service skills. Our client has even gone as far as to book ahead for 2016 - a reflection of how successful the event was.”

Broadway House supports Sparks Charity

EEF Venues’ Broadway House in Westminster hosted a post 2015 Virgin London Marathon event at the venue on 26th April to welcome participants running in the marathon in aid of Sparks, a charity that raises money to fund pioneering children’s medical research.

The charity supports clinicians and scientists in finding cures and treatments to help the 1 in 30 children born in the UK with a condition which may affect them for life.

Amanda Sutton, venue manager at Broadway House, said: “There was a warm welcome awaiting the participants, their families and friends at Broadway House where they were able to take rest and refreshment after the event and share their experience with us.  We replenished their batteries with delicious finger food and plenty of juice and water and had  rooms set aside for massage areas for the participants.”

Todd Harris, challenge events executive with Sparks, said: “We had 75 runners participating in the marathon this year for Team Sparks and we expect to raise in excess of £165,000. In amongst those 75 runners we had former Olympian, Ian Stark; Phil Brown, current Southend United Manager, and Sarah-Jane Mee, Sky Sports Presenter. This is a major fund raising event for us and we were delighted to have had the support of EEF Venues at Broadway House.”

Woodland Grange appoints new reception manager

Woodland Grange has appointed Ann Langdon as reception manager at the AIM-Gold accredited venue. She joined on 11th May and is now responsible for a team of three.

Ann started her career with a HND in Hospitality Management at West Herts College and went on to hold many positions within the hospitality sector, moving up the career ladder from food & beverage team leader to general manager with Premier Inn.

Commenting on her new role at Woodland Grange, Ann said: "Reception is the hub of any venue so being organised and efficient impacts positively on the venue’s entire team and operation. Most importantly, first impressions count and it is a receptionist’s job to ensure that guests are greeted professionally and with warmth."

“It is a very exciting opportunity for me to join a business that is recognised for its customer service excellence, and I will be working very hard with my team to ensure that this reputation continues.”

imago to launch new industry research on future of face to face meetings at The Meetings Show

Research on The Future of Face to Face Meetings environment will be launched by imago at The Meetings Show next month as part of its education programme. 

Undertaken by imago in partnership with Loughborough University, this will be the industry's first opportunity to examine the research and its implications for the meetings sector moving forward. The results will be presented on Wednesday July 8th in an open forum by the research team, which includes Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago, and Sally Greenhill from The Right Solution. 

Emma comments: “The research we have undertaken examines the importance and benefits of learning in a face to face environment and whether it can compete with other forms of communication, particularly amongst tomorrow's business leaders. The results of this research will allow us, and other organisations, to build a better picture of the economic market place to spot opportunities that are not being maximised or highlight areas of the market that are over saturated. We welcome everybody along to hear the results and find out how face to face meetings play an important role in the way we conduct business.” 

The Future of Face to Face Meetings Environment will take place on Wednesday July 8 at The Meetings Show, held at Olympia, London (3.50pm). 

College Court is officially 5 Star!

Following an audit by the Environmental Health Officer College Court are delighted to have been awarded 5 Star which ranks the venue as ‘Very Good’ in their standards of food hygiene.

The catering team led by Riccardo Corbinzolu are passionate about food and want all guests to leave with a memorable experience.

"Since opening, guests have enjoyed wonderful food and while we know that we have always carried out best practice it is great for the team to have it recognised following an independent audit. Working with Wilson Vale, our catering partner, this is an excellent endorsement of the quality measures that they have in place and re-enforces that quality is one of the key building blocks at College Court" commented Steve Crawford, Centre Director.

Riccardo Corbinzolu Head Chef says "My team and I are always aiming high and this is a quality mark that recognises the commitment and efforts made by my team at all times, which ultimately delivers the best possible experience to all our guests."

A huge well done to College Court and their dedicated team.

imago increases broadband capabilities for better connectivity

imago, the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, has invested its broadband capabilities to ensure delegates stay connected. 

The broadband provided at each of imago's venues – Burleigh Court Hotel and Conference Centre, Holywell Park, The Link Hotel and Loughborough University campus - has increased from 100mps to 200mps making internet access quicker and easier. The investment means imago can accommodate even the most challenging AV requirements and provide seamless streaming for any event. 

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago, comments: “We recognise the importance of technology in creating successful events, particularly the ability for delegates to stay connected. As a result we are always looking at ways to improve the facilities we offer. 

“Increasing the broadband speed not only provides seamless internet connection but also demonstrates our commitment to ensuring visitors Wi-Fi needs are fully catered for. As part of our commitment, for organisation’s holding an event across a number of our venues, the Wi-Fi is linked so there is no need for delegates to login separately at each site – they simply enter their details and stay connected for the duration of their visit. Improving our broadband capabilities allows us to facilitate larger events, and alongside our wide-range of AV services means we can provide the technological requirements of any event, however challenging they may be.”

As well as high speed broadband, imago’s conference and meeting rooms are equipped with the latest communications technology and AV equipment, supported by a team of on-site technicians. Facilities include a Crestron control system so all AV equipment is connected and controlled via in-room iPads, ceiling mounted HDMI projectors, projector screens, Blu-ray players, Digital Freeview and additional speaker system. 

The Beardmore enters Hotel Hall of Fame

The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre has joined an elite list of hotels around the world, by being welcomed into the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame. 

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, collates information from over 150 million reviews and opinions from consumers around the world. 

The Hall of Fame induction follows The Beardmore receiving the prestigious Certificate of Excellence from the site for five consecutive years. 

Gary Rice, General Manager of The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre, commented on the accomplishment, saying: “The Certificate of Excellence requires us to maintain a consistent “Bubble Rating” from our customers of a minimum of four out of five in our most recent reviews. 

“To have received this consistently for five years and be invited to join the Hall of Fame is an absolutely incredible accomplishment; I am very proud of everyone in our team for all the hard work and dedication that has made this possible.” 

The Hall of Fame recognition continues an impressive run for The Beardmore in 2015, having secured two consecutive VenueVerdict Gold Accreditation’s for customer feedback, along with being named the Best Large Hotel in Scotland at the LateRooms Simply the Guest Awards. 

Gary added: “Awards like this are significant, as they remind us how important it is to make sure we are providing the best possible experience for every customer and delegate that comes through our doors.