MEETINGS & EVENTS REBOOT: Strong demand for summer parties at 116 Pall Mall

In our on-going series speaking to venues and event companies about the return of live events, we catch up with Kate Dean, Marketing Manager at 116 Pall Mall…

When are you expecting your venue to open for events?
We are currently already open for socially distanced meetings and intimate weddings, (as well as our lovely secluded terrace for food and drinks) in line with government guidelines. We will be opening for larger events on June 21st if all goes to plan with the roadmap.

What sort of demand are you seeing currently for events and meetings to be held at the venue once restrictions are lifted?
We’ve already seen a huge amount of interest in events post-June 21^st. Because of our terrace, we’ve seen lots of companies, PAs and EAs interested in summer parties which is great. And we’ve just launched our Christmas packages, so there has also been a lot of interest and bookings in Christmas parties. Q4 is going to be extremely busy for us.

Do you think there’s a big ‘latent demand’ for events and meetings?
Yes 100%. I think that, although there is some trepidation around face-to-face events and meetings, ultimately companies are craving that in-person interaction which makes working and socialising so much more productive and enjoyable. I also think the fact we were unable to celebrate Christmas properly has meant organisations are very keen to reward and motivate employees with some kind of celebration event as soon as possible.

What are the biggest concerns from venue bookers – and how are you alleviating their fears?
I think the main concern is ensuring the safety of delegates on the day, as well the potential that the government could announce new restrictions which may impact events being able to take place. We are an mia accredited, COVID-secure venue with extensive safety measures in place throughout our building – which you can read here. We’re also reassuring our clients that we will do everything we can to ensure they can still hold their event with us, whether that’s postponing and rescheduling events to a later date, or offering a full refund.