PA Life guide for top UK venues

Great venues are made for great events – where will you be taking your meetings and events next? PA Life rounds up some of the very best options to help make your event the success it deserves to be. The venues are presented in alphabetical order.

Aspects at the National Memorial Arboretum

This unique conference and events building can accommodate up to 300 guests. Aspects at the National Memorial Arboretum is the Winner of Business Event Venue of the Year Award 2023 from Enjoy Staffordshire, its unparalleled setting coupled with outstanding customer service offers added value for conferencing and events. Set amongst the Arboretum, the Nation’s year-round place to remember, it is surrounded by over 25,000 trees and 400 memorials, remembering ordinary people through the most remarkable of times. Their incredible stories, sacrifices made, struggles endured, and victories won. Recognising both military and civilian service, the Arboretum commemorates people from all walks of life. This inspirational and thought-provoking place offers a rich training ground for teams, with delegate activities including Operation: Locate, guided walks and Land Train trips. Recognising both military and civilian service, it is a befitting backdrop for receptions and evening dinners especially for organisations with links to the Armed Forces, Emergency Services or the many charities represented within the grounds. All the income raised through events goes back into supporting the Arboretum’s charitable mission and helps to keep it free to enter, beautifully maintained and more importantly, here for families, friends and comrades to commemorate and remember.

Booking email: functions@thenma.org

Barbican

The iconic Barbican, located within the City of London, can be hired for conferences, AGMs, film and photo shoots, product launches, meetings, receptions, and weddings. Barbican offers 19 event spaces for hire, including contemporary hi-tech meeting rooms, large auditoriums, and tropical conservatory spaces. If you’re looking for a large conference venue in London, Barbican’s Hall ,or Theatre, is an excellent choice, with a capacity for up to 1,943. Barbican’s on-site tech team are available to assist with all technical and equipment requirements to ensure you host a successful conference. Within Barbican’s large events venue there are multiple choices for meeting rooms too. For all enquiries contact businessevents@barbican.org.uk

Camm & Hooper

Camm & Hooper is a renowned London-based events company that specialises in creating extraordinary experiences. With an impressive collection of stunning venues, including the grand Banking Hall, the opulent Victorian Bath House, the industrial chic Tanner Warehouse, and the contemporary OXO2, they offer the perfect setting for any occasion. Their team of experts ensures a seamless and magical event from start to finish. With meticulous attention to detail, Camm & Hooper’s curators, food and liquid chefs work closely with clients, bringing their vision to life and crafting immersive experiences. Camm & Hooper take pride in their culinary expertise, delivering exceptional dining experiences using only the finest ingredients. Their culinary chefs create exquisite menus, blending classic flavours with innovative twists. The dedicated liquid chef crafts unique and imaginative infusions, offering a bespoke beverage selection that perfectly complements the event. Driven by a commitment to sustainability, Camm & Hooper implement eco-conscious practices, including sustainable sourcing and zero food waste initiatives. They strive to minimise their environmental impact while surpassing guests’ expectations. www.cammhooper.com

Center Parcs Conferences and Events

Events are only as valuable as how they make people feel. We are conditioned into thinking that profitability should be measured through return on investment (ROI). Yet, for corporate events, there are many other ways of adding value and measuring success. Less tangible but equally pertinent is the Return on Relationship (ROR) your event can deliver. Yes, the conference may have the strategic objective of generating noise about the business externally or nurturing relations with investors, for instance, but events should also always be designed with employees in mind. Star by choosing a venue that aligns with the business’ core values, such as strong sustainability credentials, accommodate F&B options and activities that promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Carving out time and space within the itinerary for peers to interact with each other is a great way of generating value-add. This can be breakout spaces for smaller groups to gather and share ideas relating to any formal discussions, or more informally, enjoying games such as adventure golf or laser combat together in the great outdoors. Team members are invited to reveal and embrace new skillsets required by different terrains and obstacles, and leave feeling refreshed, reenergized and with a strengthened sense of their place and value in the company. Employees who get along on a personal level and feel valued by their co-workers are more likely to drive strong business results. The price of integrating team building into events is immeasurable.

Find out more about Center Parcs events in the forest.

Church House Westminster

Award-winning multi-purpose events venue, Church House Westminster, creates innovative and engaging digital and in[1]person event experiences with the expert support of in-situ creative event and production teams. The Grade II listed historic venue is located within leafy Dean’s Yard, in a peaceful setting along with stunning views of Westminster Abbey. You’ll find a choice of 19 versatile and modern events spaces, including a high-tech virtual studio for film, TV and other broadcasting events. The largest space is the dome-shaped Assembly Hall, with a striking 30-foot glass dome. No less than eight entrances lead into the 519-sq meter circular room, which is a popular space for bespoke events such as fashion shows, conferences and awards dinners. www.churchhouseconf. co.uk

City Cruises

City Cruises welcome you onboard as they showcase London in an exciting and unique way! The boats offer the perfect venue to remind everyone of what this wonderful city has on show. Here are some great reasons for why you should host your summer party on the Thames with City Cruises.

Scenic Views: The Thames is one of the most iconic and beautiful waterways in the world. By having a party on the river, you and your guests can enjoy stunning views of London’s skyline and historic landmarks such as the Tower Bridge, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament.

Unique Experience: A party on the Thames is a unique experience that your guests will never forget. It offers a special atmosphere that cannot be replicated by a traditional land-based venue.

Party Atmosphere: The Thames is a great location for a summer party because it provides a fun and lively atmosphere. You can choose to have your party during the day or night, and you can also opt for a themed party to make it even more exciting for your guests.

Customisable: From small gatherings to large-scale events, there are many different types of boats and party packages available on the Thames that can be tailored to your specific event needs and budget.

Convenient: The expert private hire team take care of everything from catering and entertainment to decorations and transportation whilst you can enjoy the party without worrying about logistics.

Crieff Hydro

With eight hotels across Scotland, from Perthshire and the Scottish Borders to the West Highlands, Crieff Hydro family of hotels is the ideal destination for dynamic events, meetings and team building sessions. Set in dramatic Perthshire countryside, Crieff Hydro Hotel’s 900-acre estate is just an hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh and 30 minutes from Perth. With recent significant investment into The Melville, a flexible high-tech space that is perfect for a corporate meeting or conference, Crieff Hydro has 11 versatile meeting and event spaces for 6 to 600. With 30 different team building activities up at Action Glen, the resort also features a 38-seat cinema, 215 bedrooms, 55 lodges and a country club with pool, gym and Victorian baths. With panoramic views over the Tweed Valley, Peebles Hydro is in the heart of the Scottish Borders, only 22 miles from Edinburgh and 50 miles from Glasgow. With 6 flexible function spaces for 3 to 300, 30 acres of ground for activities, 1881 gin distillery & school, 132 newly refurbished bedrooms and team building at Glentress. Or to really get away from it all, Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Ballachulish Hotel and Kingshouse Hotel on the West Coast offer delegates views like no other, countless outdoor activities and are the perfect setting for smaller meetings and events. www.crieffhydro.com

IET London

Discover the perfect venue for your conferences, meetings, and corporate events at IET London: Savoy Place. Located in the heart of London and easily accessible by rail, tube, or river, this versatile event space offers 18 spaces that will transform your event into an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. No matter the size of your event, whether it’s an intimate meeting room to ignite creativity among peers or a grand lecture theatre equipped with cutting-edge AV technology, our dedicated events team is here to bring your vision to life. State of the art technology is provided by the in-house AV team, ensuring your event is equipped for success. With lightning-fast 500MB bandwidth, ultra-wide supernova screens, encrypted microphones, and 102 public-facing screens throughout the venue for digital branding, you can effectively engage with your delegates. When it’s time to satisfy your delegates’ appetites, catering is provided by sustainable venue caterers Searcys, offering the finest British cuisine. It’s not just the food that’s sustainable, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. From 100% renewable electricity to zero-waste policy, we strive to provide the best events not just for our clients, but for the environment too.

The Jockey Club

Planning a corporate event can be a challenging task and finding a venue that offers the right combination of quality, value, and convenience, even harder. That’s where The Jockey Club Venues come in. With 15 locations across the UK, all with excellent road and rail links, you are never far away from the ideal venue. All the racecourses are extremely versatile, offering a huge range of indoor and outdoor spaces that can be customised to suit your specific needs. Whether you’re planning a small meeting, a large-scale conference or even an outdoor team building event, The Jockey Club Venues have the space and facilities to suit your needs. With years of experience in the industry, our teams fully understand the importance of delivering a successful event. From the initial planning stages up to the day of the event, we can help you with everything, ensuring that your event runs smoothly from the get-go. By choosing The Jockey Club Venues for your next corporate event, you can be confident that it will not only be a success, but truly memorable for the whole team.

Kia Oval

Take in a ‘Meeting and Match’ at The Kia Oval. When you book your summer conference at The Kia Oval you guarantee your guests a premium live sports experience with access to the best seats in the house for Surrey County Cricket Club’s T20 fixtures. The packages, valid for all weekday T20 games, come with a space in the daytime for your event, followed by either an executive box or seats of the highly sought-after Roof Terrace. Room hire is between 7am and 4pm and comes with breakfast, lunch and a variety of snacks and refreshments throughout the day. Once you’re ready to unwind at the close of the day, hospitality opens at 4:30pm ahead of the cricket later that evening. Whether you choose to book an Executive Box or a space on the famous Corinthian Roof Terrace with our ‘Raise the Roof’ package, you will get access to a grazing buffet as well as plenty of beer, wine, Pimm’s and soft drinks to go around. The Kia Oval is one of the premier events destinations in London, closely connected to the heart of the city, and home to one of the world’s most historic cricket clubs.

South Bank Venues

South Bank is a stunning riverside stretch in central London brimming with unique venues that will make any event memorable, from meetings and conferences through summer parties and teambuilding. Since the Festival of Britain in 1951, South Bank has been at the epicentre of events and culture in London. Home to some of the UK’s most popular attractions include the London Eye, The National Theatre, Southbank Centre and BFI, England’s iconic New Year fireworks display, red carpet premieres and the 2023 BAFTAs, it’s South Bank that takes centre stage for some of the biggest events in the city. So where better to host yours? Go beyond the conventional with spaces in converted railway arches, take to the skies with stunning rooftop suites, make an impact in world[1]famous auditoria, soak up the luxury in some of London’s finest hotels, or visit one of the many attractions and fun pop-ups for some alternative social teambuilding. With everything you need in one handy location, within a walking distance in a traffic-free district, so you can keep your costs down when travelling from venue to venue. Explore Southbank Venues online directory to find your ideal space.