Located at the heart of England, Staffordshire is a county of contrasts that make it a cultured business destination centred on the bustling city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Known locally as the potteries, Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heritage earned it the title World Capital of Ceramics. Visitors can view much of its history at The Potteries Museum and Gallery in Hanley, which runs after-dark torchlit tours of the collection, known as the Staffordshire Hoard. The city’s cultural quarter in Hanley also contains the Regent Theatre, the Victoria Hall and several small independent art galleries showcasing local artists.
If culture doesn’t tickle your delegates’ fancy, you can take groups on a tour of the National Brewery Centre and get them to make their own beer at the on-site micro-brewery. Then there are the many restaurants, pubs and bars in Stoke-on-Trent that provide a fantastic choice of eateries to suit all tastes and budgets. Make sure you don’t leave without tasting the local delicacy, Staffordshire oatcakes, which are delicious served hot with either sweet or savoury fillings. They’re available from local bakers, shops and some supermarkets.
Stoke is home to two professional football teams: Stoke City and Port Vale, and is one of the smaller cities in England that boasts two league clubs. Other sporting hospitality opportunities in the area include Uttoxeter Racecourse and Fenton Manor Sports Complex, which caters for a large variety of leisure options under one roof, including crazy golf, squash and swimming. Many venues also have spa and leisure facilities attached to them.
The countryside in the region is noted for its beauty, such as the breathtaking landscaped Italian Gardens at the Trentham Estate. The huge manor offers plenty of chances for outdoor team-building opportunities, a relaxing spell taking in the scenery, or a visit to the Trentham Monkey Forest for a stroll among its 140 Barbary macaques.
Stoke also has a vibrant music scene. The Golden Torch, a local nightclub, became the centre of the northern soul scene in the early 1970s. Major music venues in the region include the Sugarmill and the Underground, giving further chances for exclusive hospitality.
Finally, when entertaining particularly lively delegates, there are two theme parks in the region: Alton Towers and Drayton Manor, both of which offer lots of chances to host a conference and then take a spin on a rollercoaster afterwards.
Staffordshire Stoke-on-Trent Conference Bureau represents more than 40 venues and offers a free venue-finding service. Delegates are provided access to an event-specific website and a range of services is available, including room allocations, upgrades and extended stays.
Well-connected
How to get there – and where to stay.
Staffordshire benefits from a central location, an hour’s drive from Manchester, Birmingham and East Midlands airports.
It is flanked on either side by the M6 and M1 motorways and can be reached in 90 minutes from London Euston station, making it easily accessible from all parts of the UK.
Local public transport is provided almost exclusively by bus, including the National Express service, which operates long-distance coach services from Hanley Bus Station. In 2011 coach operator Gorilla Bus started serving Hanley, offering direct services to Liverpool, Manchester airport, Knutsford and East Midlands airport.
Rooms with a view
The gorgeous countryside around Stoke-on-Trent allows for some fantastic and unusual conferencing opportunities.
Alton Towers Resort
Situated in the heart of rural Staffordshire, Alton Towers Resort offers a magnificent set of spaces suitable for a gala dinner or product launch. The Stateroom can seat 500 theatre-style or 430 for a meal. There are also two themed hotels with a total of 391 bedrooms, three restaurants and 500 acres of landscaped grounds. Finally, the Hospitality Suite and Towers Suite provide a base for corporate fun days.
Venue: Staffs
The conference centre within Staffordshire University can accommodate up to 250 delegates theatre-style. Amenities include more than 1,400 bedrooms and two restaurants on-site. Companies can also make use of the university’s other facilities such as a media centre, photography studio and mock courtroom for team-building exercises. There are additional bespoke options for training and outdoor events and sporting amenities, including squash courts, AstroTurf pitches and a sports hall.
Hoar Cross Hall Spa Resort
Voted England’s leading resort at the World Travel Awards for seven consecutive years, this impressively appointed, Grade-II listed state home was restored to include 93 en suite bedrooms and four meeting rooms. The large Drawing Room, with its capacity of 150 theatre-style, will certainly impress delegates. There is also, of course, an extensive range of spa and leisure facilities, including two swimming pools, sauna and steam rooms and a nine-hole golf course.
Yarnfield Park
Located halfway between Birmingham and Manchester, the venue is easily accessible from the M6. Yarnfield Park is one of the UK’s largest dedicated residential conference centres, with more than 40 event spaces that can accommodate up to 450 delegates. It will shortly be announcing a new range of meeting rooms and enhancements to the technology currently on offer. The venue is set in 80 acres of countryside ideal for team-building.
Britannia Stadium
Home to the Premiership Stoke City Football Club, Britannia Stadium sits proudly on the skyline, with commanding views over Stoke and across Staffordshire. You might hold a cocktail reception with pitch-side views and let delegates soak up the history of the oldest football club in the Premier League. There is also the opportunity to take a stadium tour. Executive catering is available for up to 1,000 guests throughout the venue.
The Branston Golf & Country Club
The Pavilion at The Branston Golf & Country Club is recognised as one of the Midlands’ most prestigious locations for meetings, conferences, exhibitions, product launches and more. With capacity for up to 200 at a banquet, you also have the option of combining your meeting with a round of nine- or 18-hole golf. The day delegate rate starts at £20 per person.
Core Technology Building
Core (standing for Centre of Refurbishment Excellence) is a ‘living renovation’ devoted to continually improving its sustainable practices. Aiming to help the regeneration of a deprived area of Stoke, the project has transformed a derelict pottery building into an accredited demonstration facility. Situated in the centre of the Potteries, the building provides a number of modern spaces for meetings and seminars.
The Potters’ Club
The British Pottery Manufacturer’s Federation Club was founded in 1951 to provide a place for the directors of local pottery companies to entertain their visitors and guests, including royalty and VIPs from around the world . It remains a members’ club, hosting regular dinners and events, and is directly opposite Stoke-on-Trent station, making it ideal for a business meeting. The restaurant has a maximum capacity of 110, but there are also two private rooms for seminars or dinners that include bar and lounge facilities.
