PA Life talks to Suzanna Reid Barreiro da Silva, Managing Director at Unique Venues Birmingham, a collective of community focused spaces that are a great choice for corporate events…
How does your collective model enhance visibility, credibility, and choice for corporate bookers, compared to engaging individual venues directly?
Launched in 2017, Unique Venues Birmingham (UVB) exists to explore mutually advantageous commercial opportunities, offered by the combined conference and hospitality event spaces of both The Rep and The Library of Birmingham (LOB), whilst respecting the core purposes of the buildings. All profits made by UVB are covenanted back to The Rep and The Library of Birmingham.
When you are looking for something unique, diverse, unusual or with an academic twist, there are a host of venue choices out there and many have one key objective, to drive commercial revenue into the venues, whilst respecting the core purposes for the buildings.ย But what does this really mean?
As public and community spaces experience reductions in grants and funding, many have looked to explore new avenues to generate revenue. Hosting corporate and private events in their buildings is something many organisations now consider a key revenue generator, with all profits being covenanted back to the organisation.ย Whilst it sounds quite straightforward there are some interesting challenges for these organisations to be able to successfully deliver events, at the same time not impacting on the core use of the buildings.
The business model for these organisations differs tremendously from a corporate hotel or venues space which has been purpose built for the delivery of conference and events.ย You can find yourself working with listed buildings or being able to access an academic venue only during vacation, and for many who operate businesses independently, the commercial teams manage a range of dates, times and procedures that all need to be considered at the point of enquiry for the conference and event planner. This could be linked to start or finish times or access to the venue and in some cases can be quite specific in the types of events they are able to deliver to ensure no conflict to the ethos of the buildings.
Can you share how best-practice exchanges within your organisations translate into better experiences for corporate bookers and their delegates?
Organisations who are working with our business model, will be focussed on their activities to work with the community to the greater good for all.ย Examples of this can be, ensuring a reduced carbon footprint from their suppliers, supporting local businesses providing a more sustainable approach to the commercial strategy. Alternatively, you may find the organisation asking you to authorise any โleftover or unusedโ catering on the day to be donated to a local charity who are working with the homeless in the community and value such donations. What is key here is that the nature of the operation by such organisations, adapt and adopt their procedures to provide support across the larger community.
But what does this mean for you the conference and event planner, and why should you consider working with this style of venue?
As a corporate organisation, you will have your own CSR policies and when you are seeking an event venue, on the initial enquiry or visit, consider asking the venue about their CSR, commitment to sustainability and align their responses with yours. Whilst this style of business model may not be a key selling point to the conference and event planner, when you are aware of how the profit from your event will be invested, you can be confident that it is a positive choice and one that benefits the community.
Our commitment to deliver an exceptional customer experience within unique spaces gives you the corporate booker and your delegates a bespoke journey in two iconic buildings in Birmingham city centre.
How might Executive Assistants use your marketing materials, venue profiles, or storytelling formats to frame proposals and recommend places that stand out to senior stakeholders?
UVB provide fully interactive conference proposals, so if your senior stakeholders are unable to visit in person when venue sourcing, they can easily tour our spaces whilst in the office.ย With a range of marketing information around UVB, Birmingham and what Delegates need to know, we can assist in providing Executive Assistants with a host of material to help them plan their event.ย In addition, we work closely with West Midlands Growth and local hotels to create a seamless conference proposal which in turn gives confidence we have everything in hand to leave conference and event planners time to create fabulous conference programmes and delegate experiences.
Corporate delegates are now seeking more than boardroomsโthey value well-being, immersive and team-building experiences. How are your venues integrating these expectations, and how can assistants highlight them in event briefs?
UVB has unique spaces within the Rep and the Library of Birmingham and with this comes extraordinary features that give a WOW factor to events we host.ย Shakespeare Memorial Room features original wood panelling from the old Birmingham Library and located on the 9th floor of the library offers panoramic views over the Brimingham City Skyline. For banqueting and award dinners, your guests will be seated in the Library feature spaces and the impressive Book Rotunda.ย The Library of Birmingham is the largest public library in Europe and the busiest in the UK with over 1 million books on the shelf!
When it comes to the well-being of your delegates, our chefs have created innovative menus with your delegates gut health in mind, designed to feed the body while protecting and supporting gut function โ without compromising on flavour. We believe that healthy food should be inclusive, enjoyable, and energising. Every dish is carefully balanced to support digestion, boost immunity, and promote mental clarity โ making them perfect for avoiding the afternoon energy slump and mood dip often triggered by blood sugar crashes or heavy meals.
Offering theatrical spacesโฆwithout any of the drama, we can offer receptions and dinner on the stage on top of an actual set, or if you are looing for team building with a difference then finding out more about our behind the scenes tours of Wigs, Makeupโฆand perhaps some theatrical make up always provides delegates with a unique fun experience.
What practical support do you offer EAs and PAs to simplify their event planning process?
EAs and PAs have a dedicated Event Coordinator as their point of contact from the initial enquiry throughout the planning process and introduces our Event Manager on the day who will run the event.ย We can support with external services recommending preferred suppliers and will arrange onsite meetings to walk through your event with all your suppliers which ensures everything runs smoothly on the day.
As demand grows for sustainable, socially responsible, and experience-led events, how do you innovate or collaborate to meet this demand? What should event organisers look for when aligning their brief with these values?
Choosing to work within a venue that has a multi-faceted use is inspiring, as you are always seeking out new ways to host events, overcome operational challenges and deliver an exceptional customer experience.ย This is coupled with your own passion to work within great spaces to deliver events knowing that the financial profit is being covenanted back to the core business to enable it to continue to flourish and offer its services to the community.
Why makes Birmingham a great city for corporate events?
Birmingham is considered a top destination for corporate events and one that once you have visitedโฆyou wonโt want to leave.
With a rich industrial heritage, vibrant cultural scene and world class event facilities, conference and event planners will plan a great conference and cultural programme for their delegates.ย With excellent transport connectivity to the UK and internationally, it provides a perfect hub for international corporate gatherings.ย Birmingham offers a cost-effective destination to host events and has gained a reputation as a dynamic and engaging city for corporate events.
We are delighted to have Unique Venues Birmingham as a PA Life Recommended Supplier.
