imago makes new marketing appointment

imago has appointed a new marketing manager as it looks to raise awareness of its portfolio of venues. 

Rob Chamberlain took up his position having previously held marketing and event management roles at Warwick University, Body Power Expo, and Keele University. His experience has seen him manage a wide variety of live events with responsibility for the marketing and promotion of venues and brand portfolios. 

He joins imago at a crucial time – one of his first tasks will be to oversee the rebranding of the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, which is due in 2017, as it seeks to consolidate its position as one of the UK’s leading academic venues. 

Speaking of his appointment, Rob said: “I’m delighted to have joined imago team. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to work for such a fantastic portfolio of venues and its great time to be coming on board. There are lots of exciting initiatives in the pipeline, including the launch of imago’s new branding, to raise awareness of everything imago has to offer and I am looking forward to being involved in its continued success.”

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing Manager at imago, comments: “Rob is a welcome addition to our team and joins at a crucial time as we look to enhance our marketing strategy. His experience of academic venues and the events industry as well as his creativity is a huge asset as we look to promote imago to a wider audience.”

2016 marks the 25th anniversary of imago, which unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. imago manages the AIM Gold accredited Burleigh Court and Holywell Park as well as Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

imago retains Investors in People Gold

imago has retained its Investors in People Gold accreditation following its latest audit, maintaining its reputation for achieving high standards. 

The conference and events arm of Loughborough University first achieved Investors in People Gold accreditation two years ago. imago employs 300 people across its portfolio of venues – Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, The Link Hotel and Loughborough University campus, and believes in providing its staff with excellent working conditions and career development opportunities. 

Investors in People is the UK's leading accreditation for business improvement through people management, and provides a framework to help businesses get the best from their people. imago has used the framework improve its processes, communication and staff engagement to establish best practice. 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, says providing staff with training and development and excellent working conditions contributes to its success. She comments: “Investors in People is a commitment to the people that make your business a success. Measuring our performance against the standard’s objectives creates clarity around where we can improve and channel our resources more effectively. This allows us to harness the talent of staff towards achieving company goals. We are committed to the continual improvement of our employees, and by investing in our staff and working to the Investors in People framework we can help our team achieve their full potential. To retain our Gold accreditation recognises the systems we have in place and demonstrates our ability to deliver excellence to customers.”

Kay England, imago’s Chief Executive adds: “As a company in its 25th year, imago’s ambition has always been to provide customer excellence delivered by excellent staff. Integrating the Investors in People standard into our business strategy gives us the framework to challenge ourselves; to look for opportunities to develop so that we deliver service excellence through consistently high standards and team work. Having Investors in People Gold improves our company. It helps recruit high quality people and attracts and retains more customers. It is much, much more than an award.” 

The Investors in People standard is also valued by imago’s client base. Mike Stirzaker, Director of Prescience Business Learning, commented “As a leadership development provider, we work at many venues throughout the UK on behalf of our various clients. imago is our preferred choice and the benchmark against which we assess all others. Not only does imago have the right facilities, what makes it stand out is the capability and support of the staff in ensuring everything works, and works well.  Such levels of customer service don’t happen by chance and, as learning and development practitioners ourselves, we recognise the focus given to training and development in helping establish a culture that is personable, welcoming and at all times highly professional.” 

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. imago manages Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

imago marks 25th anniversary

imago, the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, is marking its 25th anniversary. 

Since the organisation came into operation with the opening of its four star conference centre and hotel at Burleigh Court, imago has grown and has now become one of the leading academic venues for meetings and events in the UK. 

Emma Boynton, imago’s head of sales and marketing comments on the occasion: “During the last 25 years, imago has gone from strength to strength. We are delighted to be marking our 25th anniversary and everything we have achieved during the last quarter of a century.” 

Kay England, imago’s CEO, has been with the company during the last 25 years and says the business has come a long way since 1991. She comments: “I couldn’t be more proud of what imago has achieved over the past 25 years. Burleigh Court was established on a green field site on Loughborough University campus in 1991. Since then with the help of some fantastic staff we have gone from strength to strength adding Holywell Park, Campus Conferences, The Link Hotel and Event Management to our award winning portfolio. We now have a successful, progressive and vibrant conference, hospitality and meeting group that puts our customers and staff at the heart of everything we do.”

To mark the occasion, imago will be holding a celebratory event on 28th October in support of imago’s partner charities Minnie’s Friends and Twenty Twenty. The event is an opportunity for imago to thank clients for their support over the years and to establish new connections for the future, as well as building on its support of vital local community projects. 

For those unable to attend, visitors to The Meetings Show are also invited to celebrate imago’s 25 years of conferencing excellence at a drinks reception being held on Wednesday June 15 (4-5pm, Stand L600) to raise a glass and capture the moment in their photo booth. 

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. imago manages Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

Offsite meetings valued by employees, imago research reveals

Research into the value of face to face communication showed that employees value offsite meetings compared to those held in-house.

The research - Does the future have room for face-to-face communication - was conducted amongst a sample of more than 750 event organisers, delegates, graduate and undergraduate students.

The research revealed that delegates felt getting to know colleagues outside the office was the most valuable element of an offsite meeting, followed by increasing learning ability away from office distractions and meeting new people that encouraged new thinking.

Respondents who took part in the focus group sessions agreed that a neutral environment encouraged a fresh approach to thinking, with interactive sessions and good food showed investment in employees to make them feel rewarded.

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, commented: “All too often meetings are arranged in-house. Whilst this is convenient it often doesn’t lead to productive outcomes for those attending or the organisers. Holding a meeting offsite should not just be seen as a day away from the office. As our research revealed that employees get more out of going to meetings that are not held in familiar surroundings – it encourages them to get to know their colleagues, increases their learning ability and by meeting new people i9t encourages a different way of thinking. All of these elements are beneficial to those attending and the businesses they work for as it provides a greater return on investment.”

The research was undertaken by Loughborough University and imago.  The Right Solution provided methodology, analysis and validation of the research which was conducted amongst 779 respondents using a mixture of focus groups, online and face to face questionnaires.  The final research paper is available from http://go.welcometoimago.com/meet-the-future. Follow the debate and share thoughts about the research on Twitter via #futureF2F.

Such has been the success of imago’s research, the organisation is planning a follow-up research project, which will be launched later this year. Emma adds: “The feedback from the research and its findings have been extremely positive. As an organisation it is helping us shape successful meetings for our clients and improve the services we offer. The purpose of the next research project is to look into individual areas in more detail and we look forward to seeing the results.”

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. imago manages the AIM Gold accredited Burleigh Court and Holywell Park as well as Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel.

imago makes new business development appointment

imago has appointed Natasha Hughes to the role of Business Development Manager as it seeks to take advantage of sales opportunities in the market.

Natasha, who was included on the miaList in 2014 and is a graduate of Loughborough University, previously worked at Customer Relations Manager at Burleigh Court where she managed conference clients and hotel guests and was a duty manager responsible for the day to day operations at the four star hotel and conference centre.

In her new role, Natasha will be responsible for building relationships with existing and new clients and winning business for imago’s portfolio of venues – Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, The Link Hotel and Loughborough University Campus.

Natasha commented: “Over the past few years I have become passionate about hospitality and customer service and its ability to completely change a customer's journey and perspective alongside improving business reputation, sales and revenue. My previous role means I have built strong relationships with imago’s client base which will be of great benefit when retaining clients and understanding their event requirements and how our venues can best meet their needs. 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, said: “We are delighted that Natasha has joined our business development team. She is already well known amongst our client base and will be a great asset to our team as we look to increase sales across imago’s portfolio of venues.”

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. imago manages Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel.

imago to present research into face to face communication at CHASE

imago, the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, is once again exhibiting at the leading third sector exhibition where it will be presenting its findings into the value of face to face communication.

The 24th Charities and Associations Event - CHASE 2016 - will take place on 16 and 17 February at the Business Design Centre, London, where imago will also be showcasing why its portfolio of venues are ideally suited for events organised by charities and associations.

The research – Does the future have room for face-to-face communication - measured the value of meeting face to face amongst a sample of more than 750 event organisers, delegates, graduate and undergraduate students. imago will be discussing the results to see if its findings match the thoughts and requirements of meeting planners in the third sector.

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago comments: “CHASE brings together senior decision makers from one of our target markets and is an ideal platform for us to discuss the importance of face to face communication. It will also allow us to gain further insight into what is important for event organisers in this area in relation to the value of meetings.”

Key findings from the research included:

• 96.6% of meetings attendees cited small face to face meetings of fewer than 10 participants as their favoured form of communication.
• Group interaction and discussion is considered the top benefit of face to face communications by 78.4% of delegates and 69.4% of students.
• On a scale of 0 to 100, delegates ranked engagement during face to face meetings at an average of 85%, with students at 73%.
• An interactive format as a tool to retain information was most favoured by both delegates (81%) and students (72.1%).

Emma adds: “As well as presenting our research, the exhibition provides us with the opportunity to showcase our venue offering and how our experience in organising meetings and events can benefit them and their members. It was highly successful for us last year which is why we have chosen to return, and we are even more delighted to be part of its education programme.” 

The research was undertaken by Loughborough University and imago.  The Right Solution provided methodology, analysis and validation of the research which was conducted using a mixture of focus groups, online and face to face questionnaires.

imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. Its venues and services have achieved industry wide recognition, including achieving AIM Gold, the highest level of venue accreditation - and are widely acknowledged as some of the best academic facilities for meetings and events in the country. For more information visit www.welcometoimago.com or call 01509 633030.

imago is on Stand 30 at CHASE. Does the future have room for face to face communication will be presented on Tuesday 16 February (10.45am).

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. 

Increase in web traffic boosts imago enquiries

imago has recorded double digit growth in the number of people visiting its website, which is contributing to a growth in business enquiries. 

The conference and events arm of Loughborough University launched its new website in December 2013 providing a portal for each of its venues – Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University Campus and The Link Hotel. It was designed to give event organisers a wide range of information, including a downloadable booklet which offers advice to help event organisers get the most out of using the first class facilities available. 

In January 2015, www.welcometoimago.com saw a 12% increase in the number of website sessions compared to January 2013 when the old website was still in operation. Of those who have downloaded the e-booklet, almost 40% have gone on to make an enquiry to hold an event. 

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago comments; “Our new website was specifically designed to boost our online presence and we are really benefiting from this, as demonstrated by the growth in visitors and enquiries. The website makes it easy for event planners to find all the information they need so they can make an informed decision. Whilst not all of the website enquiries will turn into business we are delighted that more people are discovering what imago has to offer and we’re certain this will help us win new business. It’s also a great tool for organisers who have already booked an event at one of our venues. The e-book is part of our commitment to supporting clients, from the initial enquiry through to event delivery.” 

Based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, imago provides high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities.

imago getting in the spirit for Red Nose Day

Staff at imago, Loughborough University's conference and events arm, have been raising money for Red Nose Day over the past week with activities including with a bake off and face painting all in the name of charity. 

Members of the imago team from across its portfolio of venues were encouraged to bring in their best cake and biscuit creations for a bake off and cake sale earlier this week to help raise money for Comic Relief, which raises vital funds to help change millions of lives, both in the UK and across Africa.

And on Friday 13th March staff were wearing their funniest face to work with the help of an on-site face painter.

“Comic Relief and Red Nose Day bring important aid to many deserving people both here at home and abroad,” comments Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago. “We had a lot of fun with the bake sale earlier but bringing our best funniest faces to work has been most entertaining. And we've been raising lots of money for a fantastic cause in the process." 

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, providing high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. As well as Burleigh Court, imago’s portfolio of venues includes Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

imago targets not for profit sector

imago, the conference and events arm of Loughborough University, is targeting new business opportunities in the not for profit sector. 

And to showcase how its portfolio of venues are ideally suited for events organised by charities and associations from the not for profit sector, imago is exhibiting at CHASE. Taking place at the Business Design Centre, London, on 17 and 18 February the event brings together senior decision makers from this sector giving them the opportunity to meet with suppliers focused on providing services to charities and membership bodies.

imago has hosted many events from the sector with previous clients including those from the youth, sporting and disability sectors. 

Based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, imago is a leading provider of meeting and event spaces. Its portfolio of venues includes 

• Burleigh Court; which has 26 meeting rooms, 225 bedrooms and 150sqm of exhibition space. 

• Holywell Park; a dedicated conference centre for up to 300 delegates. 

• Loughborough University; with conference, training and exhibition facilities for up to 2,000 delegates. 

• The Link Hotel; an excellently located hotel for delegates to meet and network. 

Organisations looking to hold events with imago can take advantage of two exclusive offers when booking at imago’s facilities. For events being held on Loughborough University Campus, for every 15 delegates, organisers using the code Spring15 will receive one place free of charge.* 

The second offer is available for weekend events taking place at Burleigh Court. Special 24 hour and day delegate rates are available for groups of up to 100 delegates and groups of more than 100 delegates wishing to take advantage of its extensive facilities for residential events such as leadership workshops, spiritual retreats, team building, training and networking. Both include the use of up to two complimentary syndicate meeting rooms (subject to availability). 

imago has received industry wide recognition for its services - including achieving AIM Gold, the highest level of venue accreditation - and the facilities available on Loughborough University Campus have been widely acknowledged as some of the best academic facilities for meetings and events in the country. 

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago comments: “We have taken a strategic approach to how we can increase business. And the not for profit sector is just one area where we are looking to grow. Our portfolio of venues, particularly Loughborough University Campus, are suited to the needs of charities and associations holding events in the East Midlands. CHASE provides us with the opportunity to showcase our venue offering in a dedicated business environment, and we’re looking forward to meeting with senior decision makers and highlighting how our experience in organising meetings and events can benefit them and their members.” 

Discover imago’s Gold winning venues at International Confex

Visitors to International Confex are being invited to discover imago’s Gold winning portfolio of venues and exclusive packages tailored specifically for event organisers. 

Situated in the heart of the UK in Loughborough, Leicestershire, imago provides a perfect backdrop for conferences of all sizes which can be easily reached by rail, road and air, making it a truly international destination. 

In addition to its location, imago is highly recognised as offering some of the UK’s finest conference facilities. In the last 12 months, it has picked up a number of prestigious accolades including: 

• AIM Gold for Burleigh Court and Holywell Park placing imago in an exclusive group of the highest quality meetings venues in the country

• Investors in People Gold standard, making it one of only a handful of venues from the meetings industry to achieve the accreditation

• Burleigh Court, Gold, Hotel of the Year, Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards. 

• Burleigh Court, Gold, Large Hotel of the Year, VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014

• The Link Hotel, Three Star rating in its assessment by The AA. 

As well as promoting its world class facilities and full event management solutions, imago will be promoting two exclusive packages which event organisers can take advantage of when booking an event. 

imago can offer an all inclusive package for Holywell Park Conference Centre which offers a large exhibition area, ideal for product launches and networking events, nine versatile meeting rooms and a well-equipped lecture theatre. The package allows event organisers to hire the venue for as little as £7,000 (excluding VAT), includes free Wi-Fi, refreshments and lunch for up to 200 delegates throughout the day. Event organisers taking advantage of imago’s offer can also arrange accommodation at preferential rates at Burleigh Court and the Link Hotel (subject to availability). 

The second offer is aimed at large scale events which would benefit from the facilities available on Loughborough University Campus which offers conference, training and exhibition space for up to 2,000 delegates, with good quality accommodation also available. For every 15 delegates attending a meeting or event, organisers using the code Spring15 will receive one place free of charge.*

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing of imago, comments “Our portfolio of venues has proven time and time again to come out on top. Our location is not only easily accessible for domestic and international travellers, but means delegates are away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre allowing them to immerse themselves in the event and take away more knowledge. Our award winning venues combined with our extensive event management services allows imago to work closely with event planners so they can get the best out of their time with us. Visitors to International Confex will have an opportunity to learn more about both the venues and our exclusive packages when they join us on stand CC58.”

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. It’s portfolio of venues includes: 

• Burleigh Court; which has 26 meeting rooms, 225 bedrooms and 150sqm of exhibition space

• Holywell Park; a dedicated conference centre for up to 300 delegates

• Loughborough University; with conference, training and exhibition facilities for up to 2,000 delegates with good quality accommodation 

• The Link Hotel; an excellently located hotel for delegates to meet and network or rest before the next stage of a journey. 

imago venues recognised by BDRC Continental VenueVerdict

Two of imago’s venues have been recognised in the latest BDRC Continental VenueVerdict results. 

Holywell Park has achieved BDRC Continental VenueVerdict Gold Standard Accreditation which is given to those properties recording a twelve-month Net Promoter Score of +70 or higher from 40 or more Business Event Host responses in the twelve month period January to December 2014. Furthermore, each of the four calendar quarters is required to contain at least ten responses. In the last two years, the dedicated conference centre in Loughborough, Leicestershire, has achieved BDRC Continental VenueVerdict Gold Standard Accreditation on four occasions.

In addition to Holywell Park achieving Gold accreditation, Burleigh Court – its four star conference centre and hotel - achieved Highly Commended under the scheme. 

Emma Boynton, head of Sales and Marketing at imago, comments: “Feedback from clients is extremely important to imago. It helps us to build a strategy which allows us to continually improve our customer service. Being awarded BDRC Continental VenueVerdict Gold Standard Accreditation is recognition of the high standards we are achieving at Holywell Park. As it is calculated by responses from people who have attended events held here the accreditation is even more valuable. It is also pleasing that Burleigh Court has achieved Highly Commended and we look to build on this in future.”  

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, providing high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. imago manages Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

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

Bumper year of events boost growth at imago Holywell Park

A bumper year of events at imago Holywell Park has boosted growth, with the venue seeing a 100% increase in the number of exclusive use bookings year on year. 

Based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, Holywell Park is one of the most popular venues in the East Midlands thanks to its extensive facilities. The purpose built event venue offers a large exhibition area, nine versatile meeting rooms and a well-equipped lecture theatre. It also benefits from spacious break out areas, free Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art AV equipment and free parking. 

Events held at Holywell Park over the last 12 months include gala dinners, product launches, small trade shows and conferences and it is forecast that total sales will be 8% ahead of target.  

Event organisers choosing Holywell Park can take advantage of its all inclusive package, which costs as little as £7,000 (excluding VAT), and the benefit of booking accommodation at preferential rates at Burleigh Court and the Link Hotel (subject to availability). 

Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at imago, comments: “During the last year we have seen a significant increase in the number of organisations looking for a venue which provides space and flexibility. And this is where Holywell Park comes into its own. It can be used for a wide variety of events from meetings and conferences to trade exhibitions and gala dinners. Our exclusive package has proved extremely popular – it provides event organisers with everything they need at an affordable price - and has been a factor in the venue’s growth. 

“One of its biggest assets is its location. Holywell Park’s central location and excellent transport links by road, rail and air makes it an ideal venue in the East Midlands. We are forecasting our growth to continue into the New Year and we hope that new and existing clients will take advantage of all Holywell Park offers.”

Holywell Park is one of the venues in imago’s portfolio of venues. Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, which also includes Burleigh Court, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

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

Burleigh Court first to achieve Gold with Green Tourism’s new assessment criteria

imago’s four star hotel Burleigh Court is once again celebrating after being awarded Gold by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

It is the third time in a row Burleigh Court has achieved the Gold standard. The latest assessment was marked against the new Green Tourism Version 5 Criteria making Burleigh Court the first hotel in England to achieve the accolade. Green Tourism is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Originally developed in partnership with Visit Scotland, it is now the only certification scheme validated by Visit Britain, through the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) and is the largest and most sustainable tourism certification programme in the world.  

With a strong sustainability agenda and a forward thinking approach on issues such as energy, recycling, wastage, procurement and social responsibility, the Loughborough-based hotel and conference centre excelled in criteria which judged the environmental impact of its green policy and the resulting benefit to staff, customers and the local community. 

imago has been recognised for its comprehensive monitoring of energy, water and wastage across all areas of the business to ensure annual  targets are achieved. The hotel also strives to support the community and encourage sustainability by sourcing local produce and supporting local producers and suppliers. It has recently launched a range of ‘Taste of Leicestershire’ menus that includes a payback scheme to raise money for local charities. 

Guy Hodge, Operations Manager at Burleigh Court, comments: “We are thrilled to have retained our gold award for the third time in six years. What makes this achievement all the more satisfactory is that Green Tourism’s standards have been raised and we are the first hotel in England to receive gold with their new auditing criteria. We are passionate about sustainability and ensure all team members are involved and play a part in our green culture. Initiatives such as our cycle to work and staff car share scheme continue to make a difference whilst our green policy, which includes ideas such as recycling food waste and greywater, extends across the whole hotel.  We see sustainability as much more than our efforts to save water and energy - it is also about improving the service we provide which benefits our guests and the community.” 

  

Stuart Park, senior grading officer with Green Tourism said: “Burleigh Court has demonstrated once again that it is one of the leading green hotel and conference centres in the UK, securing Gold under the new Green Tourism Version 5 Criteria. This is the first hotel in England to achieve the accolade, indicative of the determination of the enthusiastic team in introducing and improving sustainability measures within the hotel, and continuing to work very closely with the community and region. Efforts have been made year on year improving low impact technology, such as installing more LED lighting throughout the building, showcasing many local food and drink producers on the menu as well as being an ambassador for sustainable tourism practices – something other aspiring hotels in East Midlands should be aware of.” 

Burleigh Court has achieved much success over the last 12 months, being awarded AIM Gold, Investors in People Gold and winning Gold in the Large Hotel of the Year category at both the   Leicestershire Tourism Awards and VisitEngland National Tourism Awards for Excellence. 

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, providing high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. As well as Burleigh Court, imago’s portfolio of venues includes Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

imago wins gold at Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards

imago wins gold at Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards

For the second year in succession, imago’s Burleigh Court has won Gold in the Hotel of the Year category at the Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards. 

Hosted by Leicester Shire Promotions, the awards celebrate excellence in service and were presented at a gala dinner at the Leicester Mecure Grand Hotel last week (November 20, 2014). Burleigh Court, which is located in Loughborough, beat off stiff competition to win the award which was collected by imago's Head of Sales and Marketing Emma Boynton and Burleigh Court reception and bar team members Katie Walker and Kieran Teasdale.  

Burleigh Court will now progress to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, for which it is currently the title holder in the Large Hotel of the Year category. 

Burleigh Court, part of imago’s portfolio of venues, is a four star conference centre and hotel with 26 meeting rooms, 150 square metres of exhibition space, 225 bedrooms, bar, restaurant and leisure club which offers guests a well-equipped gym complete with swimming pool, sauna and a spa offering a range of relaxing treatments.

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, comments: “Once again Burleigh Court has been recognised for offering our guests high quality facilities and service. We take pride in everything we do, from the moment a guest arrives to the time they leave in order to make their stay as comfortable as possible. Winning awards such as this is a testament to the hard work of the entire team and I would like to thank them for their enthusiasm and commitment in helping us achieve our goals. This is a fantastic accolade for the venue and our hard working, customer focused staff.”

imago unifies Loughborough University's conference and catering activities under one brand. Burleigh Court is one of the UK's leading residential conference centres and provides the ideal environment for training and conference events.

imago achieves AIM Gold for Burleigh Court and Holywell Park

imago has achieved the highest level of venue accreditation for its flagship venues - Burleigh Court and Holywell Park – AIM Gold. 

Kay England, Chief Executive

Kay England, Chief Executive of imago, comments: “Achieving AIM Gold puts imago in an exclusive group of the highest quality meetings venues in the country. It sets us apart from other venues and is a unique point of differentiation. As a result, we believe it will help us attract more business both nationally and internationally. A huge amount of work has gone into achieving this award and I would like to congratulate all our staff for their contribution, particularly the working group, as they have all played a part in helping imago achieve its aim of excellence within the meetings industry.” 

AIM Gold is the only industry recognised mark of excellence. Achieving the standard places Burleigh Court and Holywell Park, both located in Loughborough, Leicestershire, amongst a select group of the very best venues in the country. 

Burleigh Court and Holywell Park underwent a rigorous audit process which examines all elements of the business including planning and the customer environment and service levels.

Kay continues: “The audit process provided us with some valuable lessons which will enable us to continually improve our business and we will work to ensure these are embedded in our processes as we go forward.” 

Jane Longhurst, mia’s chief executive, says: “To attain AIM Gold is a truly fantastic achievement. It is a hallmark of excellence showing bookers and planners a venue’s exceptionally high levels of service across the board. As such, it is an invaluable indicator of high quality for all those involved in the procurement of meetings and events. I offer my congratulations to Burleigh Court and Holywell Park as they continue to meet and exceed client expectations.”

The announcement was made on the same day Holywell Park was once again awarded the BDRC Continental VenueVerdict Gold Standard for the end of Q3 2014. This is given to properties recording a twelve-month Net Promoter Score of +70 or higher from 40 or more Business Event Host responses in the twelve month period October 2013 to September 2014. 

Kay adds: “imago has built a reputation based on providing our guests, whether they are here for business or pleasure, with the best possible service. Our success demonstrates our ability to deliver excellence to customers and this is something we collectively strive to achieve.” 

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, providing high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. Imago’s portfolio of venues includes Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

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imago’s Burleigh Court retains Visit Britain silver standard for service

The multi-award winning team at imago’s international conference centre Burleigh Court has retained the prestigious Visit Britain Silver Award for the second year running, scoring an impressive 100% for hospitality. 

The Visit Britain report on Burleigh Court stated: “The level of hospitality is exceptional. The whole team, without exception, offered a smile, an appropriate hello, good morning, afternoon or evening and really went out of their way to offer conversation to guests during this stay. One of the very few hotels awarded 100% for hospitality, well done to the whole team on this achievement.” 

Burleigh Court achieved an overall rating of 86% - a three per cent improvement on the previous year. The national average for four star hotels is 82.1%. The hotel and conference centre performed particularly well in key areas, achieving Gold standard scores in service, food and cleanliness, as well as hospitality. 

In addition to the Silver Award, Burleigh Court also achieved the Breakfast Award, an accolade which is given to venues which offer a high-quality and extensive breakfast, supported by service and hospitality that exceeds the requirements expected of a four star rating. Visit Britain also renewed Burleigh Court’s mobility level three accreditation, which is part of its National Accessible Accreditation Scheme. 

Burleigh Court’s Operations Manager Guy Hodge commented: “We are extremely proud that Burleigh Court has once again been recognised for its high levels of customer service. We are one of the only a few select venues nationally to achieve 100% for hospitality, an area where we have worked hard to build and maintain high standards. We’re particularly pleased to have improved on our previous score and we expect to do the same next year as we look to achieve the Visit Britain Gold Award.” 

“We couldn’t achieve this without the support and enthusiasm from our staff. They are all experts in service and help us reach a common goal of absolute customer satisfaction. The positive comments from the report about the team reflect their highly motivated and upbeat attitudes and provide us all with a great sense of satisfaction.”

The Visit Britain Silver Award is given to venues that achieve exceptional standards of hospitality including customer service, catering, housekeeping and the quality of bedrooms and bathrooms. 

Part of imago’s portfolio of venues, Burleigh Court offers business and leisure guests 26 meeting rooms, 150 square metres of exhibition space and 225 en-suite bedrooms with a range of facilities to suit all needs, including a well-equipped gym complete with swimming pool, sauna and a spa offering a range of relaxing treatments. Earlier this year, Burleigh Court won Gold in the Large Hotel of the Year category at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014. 

imago targets growth through new business development appointment

imago has appointed Richard Money as Senior Business Development Manager as the organisation focuses on building long term relationships with clients.

Richard previously held business development roles at Zibrant, Q Lifestyle (Bonvo Travel Singapore), De Vere Belton Woods and The Belfry Hotel & Golf Resort and worked as Head of Sales and Marketing at 2BP Ltd. 

In his role with imago, Richard will be proactively looking for new opportunities to increase the number of business events taking place across imago’s diverse portfolio of venues – Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University campus and The Link Hotel. Of his appointment he says: “imago offers businesses an unique package for a wide range of events. It is a well established company that has already experienced significant growth. I have a passion for identifying and securing new business opportunities, as well as offering excellent customer care across all aspects of my work, which will help imago increase business even further.” 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, commented: “We are delighted that Richard has joined our business development team. He has a proven track record in this field and will help us reach our goals as we target new areas of business and look to increase sales across imago’s portfolio of venues.” 

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities.

imago gets into gear for Sports Relief challenge

Staff from the conference arm of Loughborough University are cycling, swimming and running during a charity challenge in aid of Sports Relief. 

More than 50 members of the imago team are participating in the Sports Relief Challenge, which will see them cover more than 570 miles – the distance between Loughborough and its twin town of Epinal in France – over the course of seven days.  The triathlon is taking place across imago’s portfolio of venues including Burleigh Court, Hollywell Park and The Link Hotel. 

In addition to the triathlon, imago staff will also raise funds by taking part in a Retro Sports Day, a great British Bake-Off and a Slumber Party. 

The fundraising campaign has been co-ordinated by Natasha Hughes, Customer Relations Manager at Burleigh Court. She says: “It’s always good for the team to get together, have some fun and raise money. We decided to make it more challenging by making it long distance, which is why we chose to cycle, swim and run to Loughborough’s twin town. We’re getting as many people as possible involved to raise money for such a worthy cause.” 

imago has a long association with sports. Loughborough University was the official preparation camp for Team GB for the 2012 Olympic Games - imago provided conference facilities and accommodation at its four star hotel Burleigh Court whilst hosting the ‘Team GB experience’ at Holywell Park. It was also the preparation camp for the Rugby Football League (RFL) and is awaiting confirmation that it has been chosen as a base camp for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. 

Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at imago, adds: “Loughborough University is well known for its first class sporting facilities and are we are excited to be undertaking a sporting challenge for charity. The university’s sports offering sits at the heart of our event portfolio. Groups can make use of our expertise as a conference venue in the morning, whilst relaxing or playing a game on a top quality pitch (for almost any sport) in the afternoon. We can also engage sports coaches, trainers and researchers with events at any level, including speaking.”

imago scoops two M&IT Awards

imago has scooped two awards at the Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT) Awards for its four star hotel and conference centre Burleigh Court.

Burleigh Court won Gold in the Best Academic Venue category and Silver in the Best Conference and Banqueting Staff category. It is the fifth year running that imago has been recognised by the prestigious meeting industry awards. 

Organised by Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT) magazine, the awards brings the meetings industry together to measure market reaction with the winners being chosen by customer feedback and votes. This year’s awards were held on 25 February at Battersea Evolution, London. 

Burleigh Court’s awards were collected by Natasha Hughes, Burleigh Court’s Customer Relations Manager and Guy Hodge, Burleigh Court’s Operations Manager. 

Kay England, Chief Executive of imago, says: “We are delighted that we have been recognised at the M&IT Awards. Winning such prestigious industry awards demonstrates that we are providing our customers with the highest levels of customer service. Our success depends on staff consistently providing the best level of care. We achieve this by investing in our staff and helping them reach their full potential. We were nominated against some of the best venues in the country and to come out on top is a testament to the experience and knowledge of our team. The M&IT Awards are voted for by customers and we are grateful to them for their continued support.” 

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand which offers high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities.