Category: Events

Central Hall Westminster awarded ECOsmart Platinum Award for outstanding green standards

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Central Hall Westminster, (CHW) part of Central Hall Venues group, recently announced it has been awarded the ECOsmart Platinum Venue Award for outstanding green credentials. CHW joins a select group of just 12 venues in the country, seven of which are in London, to receive the accolade.

The industry-standard accreditation programme is run by Greengage Travel and Event Solutions which recognises and supports eco-friendly hotels and conference venues throughout the UK that demonstrate an environmentally conscious approach and the adoption of eco-friendly measures. Awards range from entry-level Bronze to Platinum, the highest possible standard.

Central Hall Westminster has long been a sustainable venue, having previously won the Eco-Smart Gold Award and several other environmental accreditations over the last seven years. However, having gone the extra mile to reach the highest possible standards of environmental sustainability, the venue underwent a rigorous audit from Greengage Solutions to reach Platinum, an award which recognises leaders in hospitality who have considered sustainability in all aspects of their business.

Alongside the existing measures carried out over the last five years including reducing water waste, ensuring zero waste goes to landfill, introducing catering sustainable practices and installing ECO LED lights in all rooms, CHW undertook several additional measures to achieve Platinum including:

  • Providing LED lighting in all event rooms
  • Monitoring energy usage on a daily basis
  • Actively encouraging recycling in all meeting rooms
  • Donating furniture and equipment to local charities
  • Encouraging green meeting practices by providing conference organisers with a list of eco recommendations
  • In conjunction with on-site catering partner, Green & Fortune, – giving preference to local and seasonal produce with vegetarian and vegan options; providing Fair Trade coffee, tea and sugar; offering organic wine as an option; and giving excess food to those who need it
  • Filtering and bottling water on site
  • Achieving the Platinum Award for its eco approach by Westminster Council
  • Vetting suppliers to ensure they operate in line with the principles of the organisation

The venue’s dedicated green team of sustainable champions from across all staff areas helped drive these initiatives forward and implement over the last two years.

In addition, CHV’s Head of Communications, Anna Glazebrook, has been invited by Greengage to join its Platinum Inner Circle who meet regularly to discuss ideas and make recommendations to the events industry on sustainability measures.

Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage Travel and Event Solutions, comments: “We are delighted that Central Hall Westminster has worked so hard to take further measures on sustainability since they won the Gold Award and have now gone on to achieve Platinum. It is incredibly difficult to reach this outstanding top level and we were impressed with their long-term commitment to introduce green initiatives in all areas.”

Sarah Ainsworth, CEO of Central Hall Venues which runs Central Hall Westminster, adds: “As an organisation which exists to provide funds to maintain this beautiful historic building and donate to charitable works across the world, running a sustainable venue is incredibly important to us. Our Green Team and on-site partners have worked tirelessly to ensure sustainability is included in all areas of our operation and we are very proud to have achieved Platinum.”

Find out more about this sustainable venue here.

Discover Westminster; Showcase Success!

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We have long been known for our fantastic Westminster Venue Showcase events and this year was no exception!! The 26th of May 2022 marked the occasion of our Discover Westminster; Around Westminster Venues in 80 minutes, showcase event and how special for us all to be back together and what a fantastic evening it was!

Located at the Royal Society, one of our fabulous member venues, it was great to be back hosting a face-to-face event – You could feel the excitement amongst all. This elegant setting really set the scene and created the perfect backdrop for the occasion.

The showcase was attended by event professionals from London and beyond for the opportunity to celebrate and explore our unique consortium of Westminster’s finest venues. It was amazing to see them all showing off their venues and event packages to new and potential clients. Our venue collection includes a wide variety of venue types and styles, all with their own fascinating backstory and many with historic significance.

Originally home to the United Services Club, Georgian venue 116 Pall Mall was designed by John Nash, and this Grade I listed venue still contains many of the club’s original treasures. Then we move to The Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn. Their Great Hall was opened by Queen Victoria, and not to mention, Edwardian venue One Great George Street, 18th Century RSA House, and the world-famous Houses of Parliament.

The recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations taking place throughout the city have seen these spectacular venues celebrated in all their glory, which has led to more enquiries, but let’s not forget the incredible modern venues within the collection. The QEII Centre got the chance to boast their cutting-edge AV facilities, essential for delivering live and engaging hybrid and studio events. The Westminster London, Curio Collection by Hilton, showcased their stylish conference spaces and luxurious rooms for overnight stays. And if you’re looking for big screen events, Vue West End have got you covered!

We were also joined by key industry suppliers, including Frew & Co rolled ice cream. Their fun and refreshing treats are perfect for outdoor summer events. The talented chefs at the Royal Society also made an appearance to showcase some sweet offerings. Dan and the team plated up a feast for the eyes, demonstrating some impressive techniques, including dry ice!

Thank you to all who attended, and especially to Barbara Wutte and her team at the Royal Society for helping our board and the Paje team to organise the event, it wouldn’t have been a success without all those involved. The drinks were flowing and the delicious canapes went down a treat, and it was fantastic to see members sharing their images across social media.

“We are so excited about the future, we have new members joining our collection, new initiatives planned by the enthusiastic board and Paje Team and our venues are back to business at 2019 levels again!  We look forward to working with you over the coming months and celebrating just how amazing London and our wonderful Westminster Collection are!”  –  Rachel Azzopardi, Chair of Westminster Venue Collection.

Our experienced sales marketing and PR partners are here to support with enquiries and help you find the best space for your events. If you’re looking to book last minute summer parties, our venues have some stunning, private outdoor spaces available for hire, right in the heart of the Capital. Contact us today and we’ll help you find the perfect fit for your occasion.

Dining at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn

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It takes a team of brilliant staff to execute a successful event, and the team at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn are exactly that!

Their dedicated event planners and front of house staff will look after your event from start to finish, making sure that every guest has a fantastic evening.

The venues kitchen of talented and experienced chefs use seasonal and quality produce to cook up a feast you’ll never forget. Their balanced and varied menus offer a selection of delicious canapes and beautiful bowl food for your guests to enjoy, including vegetarian and vegan options.

 

 

SPACES AVAILABLE FOR HIRE

Great Hall

As you enter the Great Hall (pictured above) your eyes are drawn to the painted fresco and beautifully detailed ceilings. This stunning setting makes a fantastic backdrop for your next dining event.

Old Court Room

This characterful room, once lively with legal activity, is now a charming event space ideal for private dinners for up to 44 guests and receptions up to 80.

Events Venue Westminster

Old Hall

This remarkable, traditional space has been used to entertain for over 500 years, witnessing many events in its long history. Hire this space for your next reception lunch or dinner, and it will be sure to leave your guests suitably impressed.

Banquet Venue Westminster

The MCR

The unique vaulted ceilings of the MCR provides a spectacular backdrop for intimate receptions and dinners. It even has its own private terrace for pre-dinner drinks!

Reception Venue Westminster

 

Find out more

116 Pall Mall opens it’s doors for Valentine’s Weekend

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116 Pall Mall opens it’s doors for Valentine’s Weekend

116 Pall Mall and Searcys are pulling out all the stops this Valentine’s Day by opening up for a special three-course Valentine’s dinner, and a Rosé Champagne afternoon tea, with four dates for you to choose from across the weekend. Enjoy the romantic setting of 116 Pall Mall, with their glittering chandeliers as your backdrop, stunning views of Central London and plenty of rosé bubbles flowing to get you feeling loved up.

Valentine’s Dinner: 11 & 14 February | From 6.30pm

Make this Valentine’s Day one to remember, with a glass of Ruinart Brut Rosé Champagne and oysters on arrival, followed by a candle-lit three-course menu in their beautiful Morning Room. Enjoy the views of the glittering 15ft chandelier hanging above the grand staircase as you head down for a post-dinner cocktail in their secret-cellar Champagne Bar.

£75 per person

Valentine’s Afternoon Tea: 12 & 13 February | 2pm – 3.30pm

Treat your loved one to a special Rosé Champagne afternoon tea at 116 Pall Mall. Indulge in a selection of love-themed sweet and savoury treats accompanied by Rosé Champagne in the beautiful surrounds of 116 Pall Mall.

£35 per person | £49 with a glass of champagne

Still need to make Valentine’s plans? Click here to book your romantic treat today!

Broadway House adds new Virtual Tour

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Broadway House in Westminster have launched a fabulous new virtual tour to make it even easier for you to look round their venue.

The technology allows you to look at all of their rooms, in multiple layouts, through the click of a button. Also, using the ‘doll’s house’ view, you can see the location of your conference room in relation to your breakout rooms and catering spaces.

It looks great, it makes your life easier and, because you don’t need to visit the property lots of times in the run up to your event, saves you time.

Do have a look and let us know what you think.

Broadway House | Central London, Westminster Venue Hire | Make UK Venues (makevenues.co.uk)

Behind the Scenes at the QEII with Stuart Drummond

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The QEII Centre pride themselves on the quality of the event experience and at the heart of that is their experienced, knowledgeable and friendly staff.  They have been kind enough to share their insight and experience on what makes a great Event Manager.

Stuart Drummond has worked at the QEII Centre for 27 years and his role is to work closely with the client once the contract has been approved, right through to the event day itself as well as any post event follow up that is required.

“My job is to successfully manage the event and build strong relationships both with the client and internal teams to achieve this.  My main priority is to ensure all logistics are in place and that the event runs smoothly on the day. It is essential that I build good relationships with clients and get to know them and how they like their events to run, especially as I run many events for repeat clients.”

Stuart believes that one of the great strengths of the Centre is that everything is about the client and ensuring the success of their event.  Staff are a vital part of this from the warm welcome at the reception and security team through to the client care provided by the AV, Catering, Event Management and Sales teams. Professionalism, knowledge and friendliness shines through.

Stuart says “the buzz of the job comes from helping the client to deliver a successful event and achieve their objectives. There is nothing more satisfying than having a client come up to you at the end of the event and thanking you for helping to make it possible.”

And what does an Event Manager do to relax when not looking after customers?  Stuart says “developing my cooking repertoire and trying out new recipes, as I really enjoy it!” Perhaps you can ask him about his favourites when you next visit the QEII Centre.

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Get excited for London events again with a virtual tour of Westminster venues

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Westminster venues are getting ready to invite people back on site for in-person show-rounds and events. In the meantime, there is plenty of inspiration to help you get ahead in your planning and remind you of the wonderful venues on your doorstep. We’ve pulled together all the virtual tours of event venues in the area in one handy list.

10-11 Carlton House Terrace

116 Pall Mall

Central Hall Westminster

Church House Westminster

Houses of Parliament

IET London: Savoy Place

Lincoln’s Inn

One Great George Street

RIBA

RSA House

The London Library

The QEII Centre

The Royal Society

There are plenty of other venues in Westminster just waiting to be discovered. View the full list here.

The gift of space: summer parties at Regent’s Conferences & Events

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Regent’s Conferences & Events reports an uplift in enquiries for summer parties as outside space becomes increasingly appealing and confidence grows among vaccine progress and new of the reopening roadmap.

The London venue, named ‘Best Outdoor Space’ at the 2019 Academic Venue Awards, is seeing enquiries coming in for outdoor events for as many as 1,500 guests. Throughout the turbulence of the changing regulations, the outdoors has consistently been given precedence for both social gatherings and business events, and naturally, demand for expansive outside space appears to be on the rise.

Offering four acres of landscaped private grounds in Regent’s Park, the venue presents a solution for large-scale events unlike any other in London. Regent’s embodies a country feel in the centre of the city, comprising of pristine lawns and lush foliage with an elegant, ivory-lined marquee in the summer months for parties of up to 1,200 guests.

The venue’s show-stopping York Lawns have hosted an array of unique summer events, as well as classically British garden parties, either in the main gardens, or tucked away in a more intimate Secret Garden. Innovative catering, first-class customer service and impeccably kept grounds have all helped attract a wide variety of creative events to the York Lawns, from wellness retreats and petting zoos to bootcamps and funfairs. Entertainment spans from garden games like croquet, giant Jenga and boules; to new activities including archery and a 25-metre inflatable assault course for an unforgettable experience.

To create fresh and exciting experiences for guests, the venue’s award-winning caterers offers street food stalls catering for choices ranging from a New York dirty mac bar and an outdoor pizza oven bar, to a traditional hog roast. With innovative BBQ options, organisers can choose from Caribbean, American, Moroccan or British cuisines, including fun extras like a pick ‘n’ mix sweet shop, gin bar and an ice cream trike.

Find out more about hosting your summer party at Regent’s.

Lincoln’s Inn offers hybrid event facilities from £90 per hour as of April

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Lincoln’s Inn is preparing to welcome back guests from 12 April for safe hybrid events. The venue’s Ashworth Centre now offers hybrid meeting solutions in a COVID-secure environment.

To help you re-connect with clients, colleagues and peers, the venue is offering use of its meeting rooms with hybrid facilities from just £90 + VAT per hour.

Subject to conditions and availability, the offer is available to book as of now, for events taking place after 12 April. Please get in touch with the team for more information at [email protected].

8 Northumberland Avenue’s five top tips for a secure event

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This month 8 Northumberland Avenue shares its top tips to ensure the safety of both private and public events and how to stay diligent:

  1. Work with dedicated security firms

Choosing a low budget firm could cost you later if they mishandle an incident and someone is hurt as a result

  1. Determine your event’s security needs

A security expert can advise you on how many security staff you need for the number of attendees

  1. Advise guests of event security policy

If your speakers or guests include high-profile personnel, you may want to implement a no-phone policy at the venue to prevent attendees from snapping unauthorised photos

  1. Screen guests and staff

Ensure that all attendees and staff have their IDs ready and that their names are on the guest list. Your security staff should be prepared to turn away anyone who has not been invited

  1. Have medical staff onsite

Proper event planning in London calls for onsite medical staff at higher-capacity events. They can immediately attend to unexpected medical emergencies and the higher-profile your event, the greater the risk of an incident. If you’re working with a budget, allocate generously towards event security

For more information about 8 Northumberland Avenue’s events, contact the team here or on 0203 263 1011