ExCeL London has today unveiled its dedicated meetings product – ExCeL London Meetings – offering a bespoke solution to organisers wishing to hold smaller meetings and events at the venue.

A dedicated ExCeL London Meetings Team has been appointed to specifically serve those clients with meetings and events for between 20 and 200 delegates, covering all key areas from sales and event management to AV technology, room set up and catering. The contemporary function rooms, which have undergone extensive refurbishment, include a waterfront reception area with a “meet and greet” guest services representative, event branding opportunities and in-room “hot line” links to the ExCeL London Meeting’s service desk. All rooms benefit from natural daylight and access to private balconies and are located within a peaceful setting conducive to conducting business.  Clients are able to choose from a competitive Daily Delegate Rate or a Room Only option.

Read the rest of this entry »

After 12 weeks of uncertainty the future of St Mary’s Stadium, home of Southampton Football Club, has been secured after its recent takeover by Swiss billionaire investor Markus Liebherr.

Liebherr’s investment in the Stadium, part of the Lime Venue Portfolio, played compliment to the excellent facilities and successful corporate hospitality provision that has made it one of the highest regarded conference and events venues on the South Coast. 

Kwen Wong, General Manager at St Mary’s Stadium commented; “This is obviously a very exciting move for the Stadium. The team here have remained very committed to their roles and continued to work hard to deliver great results, despite times of uncertainty. The takeover means we can now look ahead to the future and continue to create fantastic experiences and the quality that has made meetings and events at St Mary’s Stadium so successful.”

Read the rest of this entry »

There will be a united showing from the city of Nottingham at this year’s Event UK with Nottingham Conferences, Experience Nottinghamshire, The Nottingham Hoteliers Association, and Nottingham Arena partnering for the first time to create a Destination Nottingham area at the show.

The collaboration aims to promote Nottingham and the surrounding region as a first class destination for conducting and winning business. It will also form part of a wider campaign encompassing a rebranding of ‘Keep Britain Talking’ to ‘Keep Nottingham Talking’; highlighting the multi million pound economic contribution that the meetings and events industry brings to Nottingham and the East Midlands.

Read the rest of this entry »

Following an extensive consultation with its customers, Church House Conference Centre has launched a hotel style day delegate rate, designed specifically for meeting and small conference organisers.

The rates, which start at a cost of £65 include:

• Hire of main conference room
• Three servings of tea, coffee and biscuits
• Danish Pastries on arrival
• Buffet lunch
• Audio visual package including LCD projector, screen and PA system
• Technical support
• Iced water and boiled sweets on tables
• Conference paper and pen (using recycled products)
• Event Hosts

Robin Parker, General Manager at Church House Conference Centre commented; “In the current economic climate there is a need to be more versatile in the way we package our venue. We have definitely seen an increase in demand for smaller meetings and conferences and it is for that reason that we have introduced these new rates.”

Work has begun on a £350,000 extension to the catering facilities at the East Midlands Conference Centre which will double the size of the existing set up. The development will lead to increased capabilities at the EMCC including the ability to host over 500 people for a banquet.

As well as being designed with an increased environmental consideration, the larger space will allow the EMCC to cater for a more diverse range of events, increase refreshment efficiency for larger events, and provide space to serve food for two smaller conferences or events simultaneously. 

The project will be completed in five months by local building contractor specialists;

Read the rest of this entry »

Leicester City has reaffirmed its position as one of the leading hospitality providers in the UK by sweeping the board at the 2009 Football Hospitality Awards.

The venue, whose hospitality and events division is managed by Lime Venue Portfolio, was awarded Gold for both the Director’s Choice in Coca-Cola League One, as voted for by visiting club directors and the prestigious Conference and Events Marketing Award, as judged by BDRC acknowledging   its quality marketing literature and successful mystery shopper-style telephone calls.

Read the rest of this entry »

Lime Venue Portfolio has become the latest organisation to sign up to the 2012 UK Events Industry Fair Pricing & Practise Charter, created by tourism bodies Visit London and VisitBritain.

This commitment will see one of the largest collective of venues operating in the meetings and events market pledge its commitment to sustain business value surrounding the Games and become more accessible to Olympic event planners.

Read the rest of this entry »

Nottingham Conferences has confirmed a conference win for Nottingham that will see an estimated £250,000* of economic impact for the city. The conference, branded Interflam, will bring over 350 experts in fire science and engineering from 25 destinations across the globe into the city.

“A delegate for a conference like this is expected to inject on average £247 per visit into the city, be it through accommodation, travel and through spend in bars, restaurants and local shops,” comments Kirstie Danzey, Marketing Manager at Nottingham Conferences. “This, added to the event production and overnight accommodation, represents a significant boost to the local economy.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Nottingham Conferences has joined a significant agreement that will see it become closer to the business opportunities presented by the Olympic Games set to take place in London 2012.

The 2012 UK Event Industry Fair Pricing and Practice Charter is designed to capitalise on the city’s business tourism industry – currently worth an estimated £172 million a year to the local economy – by committing signatories to a fair pricing business agreement involving the domestic and international business that will be attracted to the UK surrounding the Games.

Nottingham Conferences, which represents the entire conference and events portfolio of The University of Nottingham is the first academic venue in the whole of the UK organisation to sign the charter. 

Highlighting the impact that the 2012 Olympic Games will bring to Nottingham and the East Midlands, Kirstie Danzey Marketing Manager of Nottingham Conferences commented; “Although inevitably, most of the focus will be on London during 2012, it is important that Nottingham and the East Midlands and all other UK destinations press themselves to become a part of the Olympic Games, aligning themselves with what is going on and help to make it a UK legacy rather than just London.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Destination London, the trends report from ExCeL London has received a welcome endorsement from the Mayor of London ahead of its launch at IMEX (26^th – 27^th May 09) later this month.

The report features quantitative and qualitative research from over 300 event organisers and delegates, providing insight into current and future trends within the London conference and events industry.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, commented within the report:

“Our capital is a unique city that offers great diversity and choice, with over 300 languages spoken and a skilled and talented workforce to help businesses in the capital grow and succeed.

“We are investing in large infrastructure projects such as Crossrail, the largest addition to the transport network in London and the South East for 50 years, and upgrading our Tube lines so that they are fit for the 21st century.”

Read the rest of this entry »