So your boss has asked you to book an interesting location for your company’s next function? PA Life takes a look at some of the options available around the UK to help you organise a memorable corporate event
Stanbrook Abbey (pictured)
Callow End, Worcestershire WR2 4TY
amazingvenues.co.uk/venues/stanbook-abbey/ discover-stanbrook-abbey/
Spaces available: The abbey features 14 recently refurbished function rooms, with spaces such as the Callow Great Hall, which offers a stunning vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows, seating up to 250 people. For small receptions, there’s the Piano Lounge, the Drawing Room and the Boardroom.
Hire rate: Dependent on the event; quotes are available on request.
Unique selling point: Set in its own private estate in the shadow of the Malvern Hills in the Worcestershire countryside, Stanbrook Abbey is an imposing and impressive former monastery with a Pugin-designed chapel and bell tower. It offers a unique backdrop for corporate events and provides organisers with specialists to help with planning and on-site catering, allowing you to focus on the important aspects while its team handles the finishing touches.
Alrewas Hayes
Nr Lichfield, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire DE13 7DL
alrewashayes.com
Spaces available: The venue features a number of meeting spaces and can accommodate up to 750 people cabaret-style. With large rooms and expansive grounds, the property is able to host a range of events, from boardroom meetings to gala dinners and product launches.
Hire rate: From £25 per person for a half day, depending on lunch options.
Unique selling point: Located in rural Staffordshire, the Grade II -listed venue was built in the 1700s and has been restored with luxurious modern interiors and conferencing facilities. It is a family-run business, originally a working farm and manor house with picturesque fields of miscanthus (also known as elephant grass), which is now used as a source of renewable energy.
The Arches
253 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8DL
thearches.co.uk/ corporate-hire
Spaces available: The Grade A-listed venue offers a variety of unique spaces with room for up to 2,000 people. Choose from any of the brick arch areas, or combine two of them for a gala dinner for 700. There’s also the Middle Bar, the Playroom, the Studio and the Dance Arch, which are ideal for smaller, more intimate events. For maximum space, you can hire out the entire ground floor, giving you the flexibility to tailor your event to your specifications.
Hire rate: Dependent on the event and space needed; a quote can be provided on request.
Unique selling point: Conveniently located in Glasgow city centre, the venue is close to the city’s Central train station, while accommodation is available nearby at Jurys Inn, where delegates will receive preferential rates. The former Victorian vaults are both distinctive and versatile and offer the services of a resourceful in-house technical team.
Ascot Racecourse
High Street, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7JX
ascot.co.uk
Spaces available: With 26 race days a year, there are plenty of opportunities to make use of the property and all its facilities for your corporate event. As a venue, Ascot Racecourse is also available on non-race days and offers magnificent rooms, stunning views, private roof terraces and a scenic galleria. Events of all sizes can easily be accommodated, from a small, intimate gathering to a large conference of up to 3,000 delegates.
Hire rate: From £80 per person, depending on the event.
Unique selling point: Horseracing, dining and hospitality at Ascot are natural partners, whether you fancy a simple meal with colleagues, or you’re planning a large corporate event. Enjoy fine wines and champagne, impeccable service and menus of a high quality at the venue’s premier restaurant overlooking the Parade Ring and then experience racing from the private viewing area trackside.
Bray Cottages
Bray on Thames, Berkshire SL6 2AX
braycottages.com
Spaces available: The collection features one, two and three-bedroom cottages, including Lavender. Each property provides ample space for boardroom meetings, with Lavender offering a large open-plan living area that can be opened on to a huge outdoor space.
Hire rate: From £325 a night, but special rates can be negotiated based on length of stay.
Unique selling point: These quintessentially English cottages are located just outside of Maidenhead in the quiet village of Bray. Hire rates include breakfast food items, toiletries and wifi. The concierge is on hand to help with other activities and can arrange reservations at any of the Michelin-starred restaurants in the village, including The Fat Duck, The Waterside Inn and The Hinds Head.
CEME Conference Centre
Marsh Way, Rainham, Essex RM13 8EU
cemeconference.co.uk
Spaces available: The conference centre features a wide range of event spaces, from the POD Theatre, with its circulation area and deck, to a traditional boardroom and a selection of small, medium and large meeting areas.
Hire rate: From £95 per half day.
Unique selling point: Located near Rainham on the A13, CEME is ideally located for both London and Essex. With parking for up to 800 cars, it is also convenient for those coming from out of town. The venue holds an Accredited in Meetings Gold quality certification with the MIA and is signed up to the fair pricing charter, allowing it to offer some of the lowest prices in the area.
The City Rooms
Hotel Street, Leicester LE1 5AW
thecityrooms.co.uk
Spaces available: The venue comprises three conferencing suites that can cater for up to 200 people. The dining room can seat up to 80 delegates and is ideal for corporate dinners and drinks receptions. Meanwhile, the drawing room is flooded with natural daylight and can host meetings of up to 55 people. The ballroom has space for 200, making it a great place to hold a conference, gala dinner or awards ceremony.
Hire rate: Dependent on the event and space needed.
Unique selling point: This Grade I-listed venue in Leicester city centre offers a combination of traditional elegance, tranquillity and modern functionality. The property is fully accessible, with lifts throughout. Its experienced in-house events team can help to make sure all your requirements are met.
Great Hall, The People’s Palace
327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
qmgreathall. co.uk
Spaces available: Originally built in 1937, the Great Hall at The People’s Palace is a versatile venue that is ideal for events for up to 1,000 people. Its stage features a state-of-the-art PA system, HD projection on a 12m screen and air-conditioning, front-of-house bar, cloakroom and breakout areas for 50 to 240 people. There are also more than 100 additional spaces for hire at the adjacent Queen Mary University of London campus.
Hire rate: Dependent on the event; prices are available on request.
Unique selling point: This fully restored Art Deco Grade II –listed venue combines contemporary AV technology and flexible space with removable tiered seating on the lower floor and a large stage. It completed a £6.3 million restoration project in 2013, bringing a new lease of life to its design.
Hedsor House
Taplow, Buckinghamshire SL6 0HX
hedsor.com
Spaces available: With its extensive 100 acres, Hedsor House offers a picturesque backdrop for corporate events of all sizes. The country house features a ballroom that can seat up to 180 theatre-style and has French doors opening on to the beautifully manicured gardens. The impressive domed Central Hall can host dinners for 150 people or intimate gatherings for 60. Cocktail parties for up to 500 can also be staged and the grounds provide a stunning setting for marquees, summer barbecues, team-building pursuits, product launches or rides on the new 4×4 track. The panelled library and eight meeting rooms, featuring oak boardroom tables and executive leather chairs, provide a great business solution.
Hire rate: From £3,000 for exclusive use of the house and grounds.
Unique selling point: Throughout its long history, this privately owned and quintessentially English venue has welcomed royalty, film stars and governments alike. Its combination of indoor and outdoor spaces means that it can cater for any event, whatever the weather.
Icetank
5-7 Grape Street, London WC2H 8DW
icetankvenue.com
Spaces available: Icetank is situated over two storeys; the ground floor, suitable for up to 80 delegates, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and is awash with natural light. Meanwhile, the lower ground floor is perfect for a break-out space, dining area or mobile office and can accommodate up to 50.
Hire rate: Prices are bespoke based on exclusive use; quotes can be provided on request.
Unique selling point: Icetank is the epitome of a blank canvas, ideal as a new and exciting venue for entertaining clients and colleagues. It makes for an innovative space for away days, small conferences and private dining events and is located in the heart of London’s Covent Garden.
Emirates Old Trafford
Talbot Road, Manchester M16 0PX
emiratesoldtrafford.co.uk
Spaces available: The Point is an award-winning sustainable venue at Lancashire County Cricket Club that can cater for a variety of events. It features an elevated glass-fronted suite with a balcony overlooking the famous Old Trafford cricket pitch. The redeveloped Pavilion and the AJ Bell Player’s & Media Centre provide a selection of meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 1,000 people.
Hire rate: Dependent on the event; quotes on request.
Unique selling point: Whether you’re planning a conference, exhibition or product launch, the team at Lancashire County Cricket Club is on hand to help you organise a successful event. With fine dining and expansive views of the pitch, the venue offers a unique experience for all your guests.
Liverpool Cathedral
St James’ Mount, Liverpool L1 7AZ
liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/venuehire
Spaces available: The main area of the cathedral provides a stunning setting for any number of events, with space for up to 3,000 people. The Well features a natural stage and can accommodate 600, while the Lady Chapel, with its private entrance and beautiful stained-glass windows, provides a more intimate setting for 250 delegates. Rooms such as the Giles Gilbert Scott Suite are ideal for private dinners and board meetings.
Hire rate: Dependent on the space. Small rooms from £180 per half day; the Well from £2,200; and the main space from £6,550.
Unique selling point: This is the largest cathedral in the UK . It has the heaviest toll of bells, as well as the highest and widest gothic arches. It also features the world’s biggest organ, with more than 10,000 pipes and is one of the few remaining venues to use naked flame to create a memorable occasion.
London Symphony Orchestra St Luke’s
161 Old Street, London EC 1V 9NG
lso.co.uk/lsostlukes
Spaces available: This stunning venue features Jerwood Hall, with space for up to 450 people; the Crypt Café for 150; and the Clore Rooms for meetings of up to 25.
Hire rate: Dependent on the space; small rooms from £310, or Jerwood Hall from £5,250.
Unique selling point: St Luke’s is a completely refurbished Grade I-listed Hawksmoor church and is the home of the London Symphony Orchestra’s ground-breaking music and community education programme, LSO Discovery. It is a non-profit venue and offers a truly unique setting for events of all types, from gala dinners and awards ceremonies to cocktail receptions and board meetings.
The London Transport Museum
Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB
ltmuseum.co.uk/about-us/venue-hire
Spaces available: The venue offers a variety of daytime and evening spaces, such as the Cubic theatre and its foyer, ideal for seminars and presentations, with room for up to 121 delegates. There is also a boardroom for meetings of up to 20, as well as the museum galleries, which provide an interesting talking point with their mix of old and new vehicles and interactive displays.
Hire rate: Dependent on the space and event; small rooms from £400 per half day, or the galleries from £5,000.
Unique selling point: The museum has undergone a £22.4 million refurbishment and offers a dramatic venue. Located in Covent Garden under the glass roof and cast-iron pillars of the Victorian Flower Market, the original features of this Grade II –listed building create an ornate backdrop for the galleries.
Longleat
Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 7NW
longleat.co.uk/corporate
Spaces available: Longleat offers a variety of options for between six and 5,000 people, enabling your event to be tailored exactly to your requirements. Whether it’s dinner at the main house, a product launch in the extensive grounds, or a board meeting in one of the venue’s small rooms, the property can accommodate virtually any function.
Hire rate: Dependent on the nature of the event; day delegate rates start from £55 per person.
Unique selling point: This Elizabethan stately home features an on-site safari park, mixing an inspirational setting with fascinating encounters. It is ideal for turning any event into a productive and memorable one. Each of its packages can be tailored to your needs and budget. Located just outside of Warminster in Wiltshire, it is easy to access from most major UK cities.
National Motorcycle Museum
Coventry Road, Solihull, West Midlands B92 0EJ
nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk
Spaces available: The museum has three spaces that vary in size from the Wardroom, seating 20 people, to the large Imperial Suite, which can host up to 1,000 delegates. All suites offer state-of-the-art AV and conferencing facilities.
Hire rate: Variable, depending on the space required.
Unique selling point: Delegates can visit the exhibitions of more than 1,000 machines, showcasing the history of the British motorcycle industry, free of charge. The museum also offers in-house services, covering all facets of event management, including catering, design and staff.
The National Railway Museum
Leeman Road, York YO 26 4XJ
nrm.org.uk/venuehire
Spaces available: The recently refurbished Station Hall can host up to 700 for dinner, while the museum’s Great Hall, housing a range of locomotives, including the Mallard, Eurostar and Bullet, provides a unique location for pre-dinner drinks, receptions and small dinners. The venue also offers six conference suites, which can seat between two and 140 guests.
Hire rate: Day delegate rates start from £29.95.
Unique selling point: With more than 300 locomotives, the National Railway Museum has the largest collection of railway objects in the world, giving guests the opportunity to dine among the spectacular carriages in Station Hall, including legends such as Queen Victoria’s Palace on Wheels.
RIBA Venues
66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD
ribavenues.com
Spaces available: RIBA Venues is the conference and events arm of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Its 23 event facilities, including a tiered auditorium and roof terraces, can host meetings, conferences, receptions and dinners for up to 400 delegates. It can play host to a vast range of functions for corporate clients, associations and charities.
Hire rate: From £220 per room; special offers and rates are available on request.
Unique selling point: The venue is set in an architecturally significant property, built in 1934 following an intense competition among leading architects, in which 280 people vied to submit the winning design. The entry chosen was by the UK ‘s own Grey Wornum. His design won due to the ease of flow between rooms and because it was the first building without corridors. RIBA regularly hosts architecture exhibitions available free of charge for delegates to view when attending events at the venue.
Royal Festiva l Hall
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
southbankcentre.co.uk/venues/royal-festival-hall
Spaces available: Located at the heart of London’s famous Southbank Centre, the Royal Festival Hall is a magnificent theatre with seats for 2,500 people, making it ideal for entertaining your clients with a music event, or hosting conferences and seminars. There is also a number of additional reception rooms and foyers that can be used for break-out areas and catering locations.
Hire rate: Dependent on the event and space required.
Unique selling point: The auditorium was the main focus of a recent two-year refurbishment project and now benefits from a state-of-the-art stage and AV equipment, while maintaining many of the original 1950s features. Venue hire includes two technicians and a production manager to oversee your needs, someone in charge of the front-of-house aspect of your function and an event manager to assist with the organisation of the event.
RSA House
8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ
thersa.org/venue-hire
Spaces available: RSA House comprises 11 event spaces, including the Great Room, which offers a versatile space for up to 200 guests, and the Benjamin Franklin Room, ideal for 150 people. The Vaults can be used individually or combined to create one large area accommodating 220 delegates. The Durham Street Auditorium is perfect for seminars, with other spaces available for intimate events of between 10 and 50.
Hire rate: Day delegate rates start from £60 per person and summer packages from £70 (minimum numbers apply).
Unique selling point: The venue is the home of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. Located in London’s West End, RSA House combines Georgian grandeur with high-quality contemporary design. Organisers can use the period features as a blank canvas for events alongside technologically advanced AV solutions.
Stationers’ Hall
Ave Maria Lane, London EC 4M 7DD
chesterboyd.com/venues/stationers-hall/
Spaces available: Exclusive hire of the London property includes use of the livery hall, one of the few remaining of these historic venues, as well as the stock room, courtroom, garden, crushed velvet landing and a permanently installed cloakroom. The hall can accommodate up to 400 people.
Hire rate: From £3,000, depending on the event.
Unique selling point: Stationers’ Hall, with its beautiful stained-glass windows, is ideally located in St Paul’s, making it easily accessible by a number of transport links. The private garden offers a unique area for summer parties and is the home of the oldest plane tree in the capital.
Trinity House
Trinity Square, Tower Hill, London EC 3N 4DH
trinityhouse.co.uk/events
Spaces available: The historic building comprises two main reception rooms that can accommodate up to 180 and 130 people respectively, plus three smaller adjoining spaces that are ideal for board meetings and private dining.
Hire rate: From £1,100 to £6,500, depending on the event.
Unique selling point: With spectacular views overlooking the Tower of London, Trinity House is home to the General Lighthouse Authority and features a large collection of fascinating and valuable maritime treasures, including the brass bell from the Royal Yacht Britannia. Conveniently located near Tower Hill underground station, the venue is ideally situated for corporate events. Exclusive use of the house is standard.
Victoria Warehouse
Trafford Wharf Road, Stetford, Manchester M17 1AB
victoriawarehouse.com
Spaces available: The early 20th-century warehouse features three rooms of varying sizes, from the largest with space for up to 3,800 people, to the smallest for 300. Each maintains its original factory decor, with exposed bricks and stone floors. There’s also a VIP mezzanine and an attached hotel, making it ideal for corporate events.
Hire rate: Varies dependent on the space; quotes can be provided on request.
Unique selling point: This vast space stands as a symbol of Manchester’s industrial heritage and still has many of its original features. The large loading doors enable vehicles to enter and drive through the venue, allowing easy access to bring in fixtures. Located in a popular part of the city, it is conveniently situated between two tram stations and provides ample parking for those who are driving.
Zinc Arts Centre
High Street, Chipping Ongar, Essex CM5 0AD
zincarts.org.uk/venue-hire
Spaces available: Zinc Arts Centre offers a wealth of space to suit any event. There are 11 multi-purpose rooms that are perfect for meetings, training events or team-building activities, with on-site catering that is tailored to your needs. With a large, fully equipped studio theatre, featuring fold-away ranked seating and high-quality projection facilities, it can provide visitors with the ideal space for conferences or presentations.
Hire rate: Quotes can be provided on request.
Unique selling point: As a registered charity, Zinc Arts Centre specialises in working with disabled and disadvantaged young people and adults, providing them with inclusive creative opportunities that encourage personal development and give them a sense of achievement. Proceeds from venue hire at the centre actively support the programmes that it runs, giving it a unique, socially responsible approach to corporate events that sets it apart from your everyday property.
