2025 has been an exceptional year for Venues of Excellence (VOE), the UKโs leading sales and marketing consortium for independent venues…
Since purchasing the consortium in 2021, CEO Mandy Jennings has driven an ambitious strategic vision. She has expanded membership, strengthened the organisationโs position as the โbest in classโ partner for corporate and event planners, and built a robust long-term business model to propel VOE into a new era.
Venues of Excellence celebrates a successful 2025
The year began with the VOE Annual Conference, themed โPositive Evolutionโ, which welcomed over 130 industry leaders, professionals, and suppliers from across the UK. Delegates gathered to share insights, explore future trends, and forge meaningful connections, creating an atmosphere filled with energy, innovation, and collective momentum.
Another major highlight was the much-anticipated Cook and Serve Challenge in April, featuring 14 talented teams from across the membership. The competition was followed by a celebratory Awards Dinner recognising the exceptional culinary and service standards within VOE venues.
Venues of Excellence Brand refresh revealed in June
June marked a significant milestone as the consortium unveiled refreshed branding at The Meetings Show 2025 launching VX Find, the bold evolution of VOEโs renowned venue-finding service. Event planners responded with overwhelming enthusiasm, further strengthened by the introduction of VX Deliver in partnerships with association experts Brightelm followed by an event production and team building partnership with Bright Vision Events.
2025 saw impressive increase in membership
Membership growth has been equally impressive. Six outstanding venues successfully completed VOEโs stringent Quality Audit in 2025 and were welcomed into the consortium family: Drayton Manor Resort, Prestwold Hall, Doncaster Racecourse, Uttoxeter Racecourse, Wotton House Hotel and The Royal Armouries. Looking ahead, VOE will unveil VX Belong in early 2026โa refreshed and future-focused approach to membership that reinforces VOE as the consortium of choice for the UKโs most distinctive, high-performing independent venues.
This year also marked the launch of โThe Big Opportunityโ, an ambitious collaborative national sales initiative designed to unlock shared revenue opportunity across the network. From joint marketing campaigns to new national sales pathways, member venues will embrace fresh thinking and collective innovation, directed from the vast years of expertise within the VOE team, laying the foundations in 2025 for an accelerated, united drive forward in 2026.
Connecting leaders
As an independent consortium, VOE continues to champion leadership connection. At this yearโs Annual Leadership Dinner, hosted at Venue Cranfield, senior leaders came together for an evening of insight, inspiration and strategic conversationโreinforcing the belief that collective strength flourishes when leaders share a clear, aligned vision.
Commenting on the dinner and the success of VOE in 2025, Chair of the Advisory Group Stewart Elsmore commented: โThe annual leadership dinner opens conversations highlighting the true value of sharing through the power of trust and close relationships that is flourishing within the senior leadersโ group and throughout the healthy culture of VOE.ย Venues of Excellence has had a triumphant year and will continue to significantly elevate into 2026 with the groundbreaking new initiatives for further growth and collaboration.โ
People remain at the heart of VOEโs success. VX Learn, the VOE Learning and Development Academy, expanded significantly in 2025 with an enriched programme of masterclasses, skills workshops and leadership pathways. From emerging talent to seasoned experts, the Academy empowers individuals across the network to grow, innovate and excelโcementing VOEโs commitment to developing the next generation of hospitality professionals.
What does 2026 look like for Venues of Excellence
Looking to 2026, momentum continues to build. The year will launch with the conneX Annual Conference โ โShaping Excellence Through Connectionโ at Horwood House Hotel & Spa, open to both members and the wider hospitality sector. Delegates can expect world-class speakers, outstanding industry content, and invaluable opportunities to connect, collaborate, and grow. A dynamic programme of 12 networking events throughout the year will further showcase VOE venues and demonstrate the power and impact of VX Find, alongside VOEโs diverse portfolio of exceptional member properties.
Reflecting on 2025 and the exciting journey ahead, Mandy Jennings, CEO, said: โThis year has been nothing short of transformational. Our members, our partners, and our team have embraced evolution with passion and purpose, proving that when we collaborate, we can achieve extraordinary things. Venues of Excellence is more than a consortiumโwe are a community built on quality, innovation, and shared ambition. As we move into 2026, we are not just growing; we are shaping the future of independent venues together.โ
