10-11 Carlton House Terrace launches #SupportEventSuppliers campaign for Christmas

London events venue, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, has launched a campaign to promote event suppliers who offer products and services suitable as Christmas gifts. After many were required to pivot to B2C earlier in the year, the campaign is designed to give those who wish to support the industry a practical and unique way to do so.

A dedicated webpage will host a collection of 10-11’s own core suppliers, whilst all other suppliers can get involved by sharing their gift offering on social media with the hashtag #SupportEventSuppliers. Live social feeds following the hashtag will sit onsite and allow all suppliers to be featured in one place.

Catherine Owen, Head of Venue Sales and Marketing at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace said: “Throughout all the year’s disruptions, we haven’t been able to support any of our supplier friends the way we would have liked to. In a bid to try and lift some spirits and do our bit, we started racking our brains for a way to help some of the hardest hit in our industry.”

“I think we can all agree events would be nothing without the supply chain behind it and the incredible talent and passion they bring to an event. We’ve been so impressed how, in true solution-focused, eventprof style, our supplier partners and suppliers across the industry have pivoted their business to capture some direct consumer business. Be it floristry, cakes, photography or catering; many of our wonderful suppliers have done so and it is a true testament to the creativity and versatility of our industry.”

“Inspired by this, we wanted to create a Festive Gift List that would highlight these products, support our suppliers and make it easy for anyone to support the event industry this Christmas.”

The campaign has been well-received by suppliers. Anna Fenten, Head of Brand & Marketing at Searcys said: “Although Christmas might be a bit different this year, it is not cancelled! We are hoping that our clients, customers and their loved ones will enjoy the gift of Searcys hospitality. They can choose from 30+ gift vouchers from an afternoon tea to a private party in one of London’s stunning venues including of course the beautiful {10-11} Carlton House Terrace, and new for 2020 – Searcys own Cuvee delivered to your door. We are incredibly grateful to the CHT team for their support of our new festive initiative in such uncertain times for hospitality and events.”

Ruth Davies, Artistic Director at All For Love commented: “2020 has been a year of heartbreaks and disappointments but we are still here, fighting, and more determined than ever to come out the other side. The support of the Love List from 10-11 is genuinely wonderful and demonstrates to us once again how amazingly supportive the event industry as whole is. It’s through this kind of support that makes the industry what it is and why we love being a part of it.

The core list of suppliers who have joined the campaign includes:

Any suppliers interested in getting involved can share their festive offering on social platforms, add the hashtag #SupportEventSuppliers and tag 10-11 Carlton House Terrace at @10_11CHT. There’s no limit to how often this can be done, however the 10-11 team encourages people to be mindful and avoid ‘spamming’.

Those looking to support the event industry this Christmas can find the full supplier gift list at http://10-11cht.com/christmas/lovelist or search the hashtag #SupportEventSuppliers on social platforms and start gifting.

The Lansdowne Club introduces new hybrid meeting offerings

The Lansdowne Club has adapted its technology to offer a series of new hybrid meetings.

Despite the difficulties faced when it comes to events this year, many venues including the Lansdowne Club are committed to providing the highest standards of safety to everyone coming through the door.

As it isn’t always possible for people to attend business meetings in person (particularly at the moment), the Lansdowne Club is delighted to launch hybrid meeting packages. The current travel limitations and ongoing meeting restrictions don’t have to be a barrier, and the Club can provide a safe, easy solution to ‘business as usual’.

The venue’s three hybrid meeting rooms blend the best of in-person meetings and virtual participation, providing the latest wireless AV communication and broadcasting technology alongside seamless meeting hospitality – including a dedicated team member to set up Zoom meetings and assist on the day so the delegates can concentrate on the business at hand.

A range of equipment is available to facilitate hybrid meetings, including the Club Zoom account, a television, screen and projector, a PC with the Lansdowne email and MS Office for business and presentation purposes, a PA system and high-resolution camera and microphone.

Lansdowne Club was the only social club to have accepted men and women on an equal footing from its first day. It has always prided itself on being a venue of social standing and equality – a vibrant place open to all. The perfect site for discussing ideas and making progress, the Lansdowne has a range of meeting facilities to offer.

For more information, contact the team at [email protected] or phone on 0207 318 6125.

116 Pall Mall launches a new virtual studio

116 Pall Mall has just launched a brand new permanent Virtual Studio in its Trafalgar Room, allowing clients to seamlessly deliver a high-quality experience and effortlessly engage stakeholders, colleagues or delegates in the room and beyond.

Equipped with the latest technology and safety measures, the venue’s event solutions enable you to connect professionally while complying with government safety regulations at all times.  116 offers a wealth of virtual and hybrid solutions, including entertainment and hamper packages.

Jeremy Warrillow, Head of Hospitality said “With government restrictions meaning social events or business events above 30 can no longer run, our virtual and hybrid event offering provides the perfect solution for clients who don’t want to postpone or cancel their event due to the pandemic.

“It’s an incredibly frustrating time for the events industry and we want to do everything we can to provide an alternative to cancelling events which is of course having huge financial knock-on effects throughout the event supply chain.

“For bigger companies, there is also the issue of maintaining employee wellbeing. whether it’s an all-staff meeting, an awards ceremony or a Christmas party, engaging with your employees is vital in a time where staff morale is at an all-time low and our Virtual Studio allows clients to maintain that level of communication that is imperative during this period.”

For meetings or corporate events, the hybrid option allows for up to 30 people in the room as well as live streaming to thousands.

116 Pall Mall is still open for business meetings for up to 30 people during Lockdown 2, as well as filming and photoshoots. The team are still working and taking enquiries so get in touch for any more information.

Find out more about the Virtual Studio at 116 Pall Mall.

BAFTA Piccadilly offers new bespoke virtual experiences

With traditional events and celebrations currently on hold and the quintessential Christmas party under threat, BAFTA Piccadilly is offering a range of bespoke virtual events and experiences created within the home of BAFTA for colleagues, friends and family.

BAFTA Piccadilly is offering the opportunity to hold live and interactive virtual masterclasses, imaginatively curated screenings and full scale events with entertainment and DJs broadcast directly from BAFTA’s headquarters in Piccadilly straight to screens at homes or offices.

Designed for groups of 25 to 300+, this is a truly unique way to create both high engagement and lasting memories in a fun and entertaining manner.

Hosted by the expert team who each year devise and prepare the food and drinks for the EE British Academy Film Awards and deliver a multitude of gold standards events, these exciting experiences will bring you a taste of BAFTA and a little of that red carpet magic.

If you would like to find out more or have other event requirements, contact either Tissem Lansac or Julian Shaw at:[email protected][email protected], 020 7292 5849

Building confidence in hybrid events with IET London: Savoy Place

The term ‘hybrid events’, combining elements of a live event with a virtual audience, is one we’re hearing more frequently than ever right now. As with anything new and largely unfamiliar, many event organisers will likely have some reservations about running a hybrid event for the first time, but tech-oriented venue IET London: Savoy Place has responded to these potential concerns with some reassuring insights and top tips.

What if technology lets me down?
We’ve all been accustomed to failed Zoom calls and frozen computer screens mid conversation this year, but working with a venue that offers the very best technology for events, selected by experienced AV professionals, can help alleviate this concern. Investing in proper production means not having to worry about sound or technical difficulties.

To settle nerves further, there are ways of minimising risk even more, for example using a combination of pre-recorded footage and live Q&As. With the right team of professionals behind the camera, this can be a seamless production, giving the illusion of a fully live event, but taking huge amounts of pressure off both the speakers and the organiser, having a large amount of the event content prepared in advance. This also allows time for editing and smartening up the footage or adding relevant holding screens between sessions.

 

I have no experience in running hybrid events
That’s why you work with people who have! The advantage of working with a venue that can offer its own AV and filming crew is that it isn’t just a sporadic group of experienced individuals that come together to run your event, but an integrated team of experts  familiar with every inch and angle of the venue.

Working with a venue gives a hybrid event a lot more credibility, with an impressive backdrop and lighting that can’t easily be replaced by using a basic online platform. You’d be surprised by how much of an event organiser’s previous experience in running live events is transferable in terms of strategy, organisation and attention to detail, therefore joining forces with an AV team and in-house coordinator means that all bases will be covered for a seamless delivery.

 

It all sounds quite expensive to operate
The cost of a hybrid event covers the expertise and experience of a team of venue professionals, as well as all the technical equipment for a quality production and streaming platform. There are, however, ways of saving money and keeping costs down. Where the majority of a budget for larger events might have had to go towards sourcing a venue that could hold 500 people, for example, a much smaller event space could now be hired with most delegates joining virtually, hugely reducing the hire fee. Similarly, reducing catering is probably the biggest money-saver and frees up additional budget to cover the cost of technology, AV and broadcasting solutions.

Depending on the size and type of event, it should be very plausible to spend less on a hybrid event than a fully live event.

 

Technology isn’t my strong point
It doesn’t need to be. An organiser does, however, need to choose a platform that suits the objectives of their event. For example, is it a key priority to have integrated online branding for sponsors, or for easy cross-audience engagement during seminars? There are so many free demos to trial online, and organisers should experiment with joining online events themselves to see different platforms in action.

A lot of the ownership of understanding technology is transferred to the venue and once again alleviates the pressure on an organiser. A venue’s events team should be well-versed in breaking down the technical terminology into digestible chunks of information that gives an organiser enough detail without overwhelming them with unnecessary jargon.

 

How do I keep delegates engaged?
Arguably, there are even more opportunities for engagement during hybrid events than live events, especially for those lacking confidence to speak up in person. Certain platforms are built specifically to encourage interaction and offer chatboxes for networking and Q&As. Others like Slido and online poll features allow data and opinions to be captured in real time. This technology has often been seen utilised at fully live conferences and trade show educational sessions and is as effective for virtual attendees.

A great deal of engagement at live events has turned virtual already. People might Tweet throughout a conference or share opinions online to start a virtual conversation while physically at an event, and we’d advise organisers to encourage delegates to do the same during hybrid events.

 

Five top tips for running a successful hybrid event:

  1. Choose a suitable streaming platform to meet your needs
  2. Be openminded about the format of the event and number of in-person delegates so it can be adapted at short notice in line with any new government updates
  3. Consider integrating a combination of pre-recorded content and live streaming
  4. Use an experienced venue for their expertise and event credibility
  5. Engage with both your live and virtual audience

One Great George Street shares three reasons to hold a hybrid or virtual event

One Great George Street has shared their top reasons for holding a hybrid or virtual event.

Many organisations are leaning towards a hybrid model where they hold events in a physical space, but also virtually, enabling those that cannot attend in person to take part. Completely virtual events are also becoming a mainstay in the events programmes of companies that may not have explored the concept pre-pandemic.

Flexibility
Let your attendees join you wherever they are in the world, you are no longer bound by geographical restrictions. This is also a key strategy to mitigating possible attendance decline due to an ever-changing world scene.

Sustainability
If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your environmental impact, virtual is the way to go. Waste is drastically reduced with less/no food, and carbon emissions are reduced as attendees are not travelling to the event location.

Massive networking potential
Hosting an online event is a great way to capture data. A pre-requisite to entering the online event could be a number of details unique to each attendee, which can come in very handy when conducting post-event analysis.

Click here to view virtual package options and to get in touch with the team for more information.

Lincoln’s Inn offers discounted DDR packages from £50pp

Lincoln’s Inn is offering a discounted meeting room day delegate rate starting from £50pp +VAT for meetings of up to 30 guests.

The offer is for meetings in the venue’s new Ashworth Centre and is valid on bookings in November and December 2020.

From the traditional to the modern, Lincoln’s Inn offers versatile meeting spaces within a tranquil estate in central London.

The health and wellbeing of visitors is a top priority. In line with the venue’s ‘Good to Go’ status awarded by Visit Britain, safety measures are in place to deliver secure bespoke meeting and hybrid event solutions as well as first-class hospitality.

For more information, contact the team on 0207 405 5969, [email protected].

RSA House hosts The Royal Society of Arts’ hybrid AGM

The Royal Society of Arts hosted their own hybrid AGM in the Great Room at RSA House.

On Tuesday 6 October, The RSA delivered their first hybrid AGM within the surroundings of the beautiful Great Room at RSA House. The team at Radiance Production took care of all technical requirements, successfully delivering the RSA’s content to hundreds of participants worldwide. The hour-long broadcast included live talks from the RSA’s CEO and Chairman against the rooms stunning mural as the backdrop, amongst pre-recorded videos from guest speakers as well as a live poll and Q&A.

The RSA AGM has been an annual event for over 250 years but has never been taken shape in this form before now. Matthew Taylor, CEO at The RSA said: “Although only a few Fellows could join at RSA House we held a highly successful and very interactive event. There were high levels of Fellow engagement and really positive feedback. Although we all hope to be together again in the Great Room in 2021 we have learned valuable and positive lessons about how to run an effective hybrid event”.

Award-winning RSA House comprises of 11 unique and versatile event spaces, including seven smaller meeting rooms suitable for meetings for 1+, a large conference room with a beautiful historic backdrop, an auditorium and the Vaults. The venue has the capability to accommodate hybrid events in all rooms and is safely open to welcome business events for up to 30, micro weddings for up to 15 and filming bookings. The RSA House team has put together a Covid-19 pre-event guide to help equip and guide their clients through the new processes they have in place.

For more information please contact Laura Pearce, Head of Sales, [email protected], 020 7451 6855.

Hamblin Imagery shoots short film project at RIBA

RIBA hosted Hamblin Imagery for a short film project in August with approximately 150 people including the crew and actors.

We chose RIBA for a number of reasons – firstly it eludes the grand atmosphere we were looking for in our scene and equally it has a magnificent staircase that was perfect for both look and filming capabilities. The staff were also on board with everything we wanted to achieve and were amazing throughout.

Please describe the brief, when did it take place? What was it for? Core goals and objectives
We were shooting a short film that is due to enter film festivals in the upcoming season. The scene itself was set at an awards ceremony, for which our protagonists had just received an award for their latest movie and were met by rounds of applause as they walked down the red carpet. Filming took place on a Saturday in August. The goal was to replicate the likes of Cannes film festival and other such grand awards ceremonies.

Which spaces at the venue did you use and why?
We used the front lobby, the staircase and majority of the first floor. We covered the flooring with red carpet and filled the areas with extras dressed in evening attire. A giant camera crane was positioned in the gallery which pushed through the wide set doors and out over the staircase. We pumped huge lighting through Florence Hall’s window which filled the staircase and surrounding area.

What happened during the shoot? Please give details of the logistics.
The protagonists made their way down the staircase and were met by huge applause by the surrounding extras. We did an array of shots using both cranes and Steadicam which circles the actors. We also flew a huge airlifted light above the actors – out of all the buildings we recced no other had the capability to achieve this.

Was anything bespoke created for the shoot or bought in specifically, e.g. props, AV?
We had a red carpet which was cut specifically to RIBA’s staircase. Also, as previously mentioned the buildings size allowed us to operate both a crane and airlifted light indoors. The scene itself relied on a huge amount of lighting which no other building could accommodate for us.

Was catering required for the crew/actors? If so, give details
Catering was required, however we used our usual company as we have particular deals with them. RIBA was very accommodating allowing them to use their kitchen space. 

Any aspects of the shoot that proved challenging? If so, how were they overcome?
We did initially worry about how we were going to move all our equipment up the flights of stairs, however RIBA allowed us access to their service elevator which simplified the process.

Client testimonial:
“The RIBA staff were hugely accommodating and adaptable to our every need. Finding a space that would allow us to achieve what we set out to do was extremely difficult and not many buildings hold the capacity to allow for such filming. We wouldn’t hesitate to go to RIBA for future projects, no matter the size or complications that we might face.”

10-11 Carlton House Terrace hosts the Leverhulme Trust for its first event since the spring lockdown

In the summer, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace hosted an interview panel for the Leverhulme Trust at the first event the London venue was able to host since reopening after the spring lockdown.

They were looking to appoint a new Director and recognised it was a process best carried out face to face. The Leverhulme Trust is a large, UK grant-making organisation that has been funding research, fellowships, bursaries and more for nearly 100 years.

The Trust had a number of criteria their choice of venue needed to meet and 10-11 Carlton House Terrace was just the right fit. It was important to them that the panel was hosted somewhere familiar; it needed to be in a convenient, central location; the venue had to have large enough spaces to host their group and they needed to know they could rely on the team to run the day smoothly and professionally. Their enquiry came in mid-May and planning promptly got underway.

With lockdown still in full swing throughout the planning process, the team ensured regular communication with the Trust about any news or changes to current regulation. The client appreciated this: “Communication in the run up to the event was good. They gave us no reason to be concerned and all of our queries were responded to positively and promptly.” The 10-11 team also ensured attendees were aware of the procedures they’d need to follow at the venue.

In total, seven people attended the day. This small group was perfect for getting everyone at the venue quickly back in the swing of things and made it easy to make sure everyone was adhering to the new safety measures in place.

The day began with staggered arrival times between 9:00 and 9:30 to remove the risk of guests gathering at the entrance. They were also required to sanitise their hands and confirm their arrival for the Track and Trace system in place. Whilst all staff at the venue are required to wear masks, guests are not – provided they can keep a safe physical distance. A one-way system throughout the building helps ensure this is possible at all times.

The team worked hard in the run-up to the event to make sure these extra processes wouldn’t infringe on the day, and as testament the client shared: “We didn’t feel the COVID processes hindered our day at all. Safety was the prime concern and we were all made to feel safe throughout.” After arriving, each guest was escorted upstairs to the Music Room and served tea and coffee by catering staff, helping to minimise any touch points.

Adjacent to the Music Room, the Council Room was the space of choice for holding the interviews. While the room would usually fit up to 32 delegates in boardroom style for an event like this, the client agreed to have a hollow-square layout for eight in order to ensure a safe distance of 2m between attendees. Bottled mineral water was included on the table and an extra serving of tea and coffee was prepared for guests on request.

The in-house caterer at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, Searcys, developed a specially-designed touch-free menu for events, and re-trained their staff to serve food in new, safer way. Individual bento boxes were prepared for each guest which contained re-imagined classic sandwiches, salad, sides and a dessert. The boxes were well-received by attendees and service was carried out safely and successfully.

Get in touch with the 10-11 team on 020 7969 5224 or at [email protected].