Tag: Theming & Design

‘Get Christmas Licked!’ Venue Showcase

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Throw on your reindeer antlers and trot on down to 10-11 Carlton House Terrace this September, for festive frolics and good fun with more than 35 of Westminster’s finest venues. This year, Christmas cheer and creative, seasonal theming bring together a selection of unusual, historical, modern and exciting events destinations to inspire and entice.

Special offers, arts and crafts workshops, competitions and giveaways will all serve to introduce you to our wealth of individually unique central London properties, whether it’s late Christmas and New Year parties and drinks receptions you’re looking to organise, or forward planning for conferences, product launches, fashion shows, awards dinners, concerts and more into next year and beyond.

Meet friendly teams from luxury hotels, private members clubs, concert halls, museums and attractions, river boats, modern and traditional conference centres, historic institutes and societies. Enjoy one-on-one discussions in a dedicated and relaxed environment and fill your little black book with great new contacts, venue ideas, theming notes and confirmed diary dates for the personalised venue tours you’ve been able to organise with your new connections.

The Westminster Collection’s annual venue showcase is free to attend, subject to qualifying criteria. Register now! We look forward to seeing you in September.

Westminster Spotlight: Jaunty St James’s

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Pull on your finely tailored suit and slide your favourite Cuban cigar into your pocket before you walk your dapper self through the wealthy district of St. James’s, an exquisitely presented neighbourhood with a retained 17th century exclusiveness that sees it home to a warren of grand hotels, corporate headquarters and gentleman’s clubs.

Find moreish delis and wine merchants, bespoke tailors and leather goods suppliers in and amongst art galleries, jewellers and restaurants on Jermyn Street and St James’s Street, before ogling posters of popular productions in residence outside the famed theatres lining Haymarket.

Moments from pretty Green Park and aristocratic Pall Mall, is St James’s Palace, a busy working palace which contains the London residences of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William and Prince Harry. To its eastern side is iconic road The Mall which ceremoniously frames the route to Buckingham Palace in all its grandeur and provides entry to the tranquil, landscaped greenery of St James’s Park, the oldest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks, with its sociable wildlife and picture perfect lake.

Millions of Londoners and tourists from near and far visit the district of St James’s every year to witness such spectacular pageants as Trooping the Colour (13 June this year) and community sporting events as the London Marathon (26 April) and the lure of this destination doesn’t fail to bring in the business tourist too. It’s a heartland for global conferences and corporate get-togethers, exclusive awards ceremonies and parties.

10-11 Carlton House TerraceAmongst our favourite venues is 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, a Roman Classical styled terrace dating back to the 1820s. It was built on the order of the Prince Regent, who later became George IV, with a desire in mind for its residents to enjoy far-reaching views of St James’s Park. Both number 10 and 11 were private homes to such high profile members of society as Prime Minister Gladstone and it was at the onset of World War I that the residents of number 10 opened up their home as a hospital for injured officers.

Despite bad damage sustained to the terrace during World War II, much of the venue’s interior remains intact and today, its characterful rooms house both the British Academy and all number of conferences, meetings, dinners and receptions for up to 600. You might even recognise the venue’s façade as the Diogenes Club from the BBC’s recent Sherlock Holmes series and as a stately home to the period drama Mr Selfridge.

116 Pall MallAnother of John Nash’s architectural feats is the Grade I listed 116 Pall Mall, the Institute of Directors’ headquarters with many a story to tell to excite the event planner looking for glory and heritage under one attractive roof. The Dark Knight, Ghandi and Foyles War were all filmed at the venue and it is one of only a small number of London locations that conceals a large, private garden perfect for outdoor events. Light the 20 original cast iron flambeaux that surround the venue for atmospheric evening illumination.

Find magnificent original paintings of the Regency period on the balcony of 116, many reflecting the naval and military history of the building and include two 16-foot wide oils depicting the Battles of Waterloo and Trafalgar and portraits of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. Marvel then at the magnificent 15-foot, hand-made Regency chandelier which was presented as a gift to the club by George IV in the early 19th century to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.

With ability to cater for capacities of 10 to 400 people, 116 Pall Mall’s exquisite function rooms range from the elaborate and traditional to the understated, all revealing stunning Regency architecture and spectacular works of art. They can be hired individually or as interlinking combinations of spaces, all receiving natural light.

Army & Navy Club afternoon teaFor something altogether more leisurely, why not treat yourself or your clients to an afternoon of indulgence by escaping to the elegant surrounds of the Army & Navy Club’s Ladies’ Drawing Room for one of the most sensational, quintessentially British afternoon teas you’ll find in the area. Savoury treats and sweet delicacies entice and delight – choose from chilled, still fruit tea, strawberry dusted vanilla marshmallow, passion fruit and vanilla Catherine Wheels, lemon macaroons and British apple meringue pies – while traditional favourites, exquisite sandwiches and freshly-baked scones complete the enchanting experience. Priced at £38 per person, it’s an affordable treat for you and friends or colleagues. Just be sure to book at least 48 hours ahead by contacting Elana Kruger on [email protected].

The Westminster Collection brings together some of the finest and most unusual venues right across the City of Westminster, all located in zone one. Explore the venues we represent here, or use our interactive map to search by location.

Recruitment now open for the all new IET London: Savoy Place

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IET Venues are pleased to announce that they are now taking applications for the phased recruitment for their all-new IET London: Savoy Place following its 2-year £30m refurbishment. Starting in March and April 2015, these core roles including Operations Manager, AV Manager, Venue Administrator, Diary & Events Co-ordinator and Business Development Executive will be critical in shaping the final preparations of the building ready for its reopening in October 2015, as well as building the wider team.

IET London: Savoy Place has been home to the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) for over 100 years, as well as serving as the flagship venue within the IET Venues group. The venue plays host to over 70,000 visitors and members a year attending a wide range of conferences and events; most recently ‘Qatar House’ for the London 2012 Olympic Games and the ‘Global Grand Engineering Challenges’ summit with Bill Gates and will.i.am. Since its closure in July 2013, the building has been transformed throughout with flexibility, energy efficiency, cutting-edge IT, AV and wireless connectivity at the core.

Key improvements to the new venue include:

Cutting-edge IT, AV and wireless connectivity throughout

High-end facilities for event filming, live-streaming and production

An enlarged Riverside Suite overlooking the Thames +25% capacity

Brand new second lecture theatre in the centre of the building

Reorganisation of the rooms within the building – ensuring ‘premium space’ occupies the front and the infamous views across the Thames, with offices and secondary space towards the back

2 x state of the art boardrooms with HD video conferencing, relay screens and filming and streaming functionality

The Heritage Library – now converted into a premium meeting and dinner space with 2 private balconies overlooking the Thames

The Faraday Centre – bringing together all member / engineering services into 1 dynamic space including a digital Knowledge Centre, Kelvin Café, Brainstorming Room and large Members’ Lounge

Reconfigured reception / communal areas with 2 new passenger lift shafts to improve customer flow throughout the building

Enhanced accessibility features including a ‘sesame lift’ at the front of the building – enabling the stone steps to retract automatically for wheelchair access

A series of engineering exhibits throughout the building including a digital chandelier in reception, 100 objects which changed the world display, 2 x large video walls and ‘celebrating engineers’ sculptures down each stairwell

 

Current vacancies:

Diary & Events Co-ordinator and Business Development Executive

Interested applicants should contact Clare Davies ([email protected] / 0207 344 5708)

Closing date: 2 February

 

Operations Manager, AV Manager, Venue Administrator

Interested applicants should contact Sean Spencer [email protected]

Closing date: 2 February

New suppliers, new venues as The Westminster Collection prepares for its 2015 events programme

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The Westminster Collection (TWC), London’s venue marketing consortium, is delighted to welcome a selection of new venues and suppliers to membership.

Accomplished event photographer Karolina Krasuska specialises in music, event and editorial photography and has over 10 years’ experience in the field, with established long-term relationships with clients that include Toni & Guy, Pernod Ricard UK and IFC. Renowned for her contemporary, edgy style and ability to capture the energy of an event, she has covered London Fashion Week for seven years and she also worked with TWC at its Destination Westminster venue showcase in October 2014, which was held at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly.

Mobile bar specialist The Bar Bazaar provides high quality event bars, reception desks, food service stations and all manner of stylish event bar solutions to venues and clients including The Brit Awards, the V&A and Jimmy Choo. The bars are custom built offering bespoke finishes and layouts and they can be branded thanks to the company’s exceptional in-house production facilities.

The Event Hire Company provides exclusive furniture, kitchen equipment and accessories for hire to both the private and public sectors and has experience of a wide variety of events, including corporate hospitality, weddings, exhibitions and conferences. The team is expert in providing a wealth of knowledge and seamless pre- to post-event service to a client portfolio that includes Team GB, The City of London, John Lewis, BBC and ITV. The Event Hire Company was also a supplier to Destination Westminster at BAFTA and enjoys established relationships with a number of venues within TWC membership.

New to the collection’s portfolio of venues is St James Theatre, the first newly-built theatre complex in Central London in 30 years. Located just around the corner from Buckingham Palace, it plays host to cabaret, comedy, music and theatre with current shows including the critically acclaimed Bad Jews.

The theatre is a perfect venue for product launches, private screenings and for more intimate creative workshops. It’s only a few minutes from Victoria station and boasts an intimate 312-seat theatre available for daytime events and a flexible 100-seat studio, a wonderful live entertainment space that lends itself to becoming a flexible and self-contained corporate events venue. The St. James Bar and Brasserie and the Carrara Restaurant offer a range of stylish, informal dining options.

Another recent re-joiner of TWC, after a break from membership, is the award-winning QEII Centre, newly refurbished as part of a £12 million rebranding and renovation project. The iconic venue, which sits opposite Westminster Abbey, is boldly re-establishing its wow factor within the global events industry, now offering a more modern and stylish environment for the 400+ national and international events that are hosted there each year. It provides the ideal central London location for high profile conferences, conventions, exhibitions and corporate events with impressive capacity for up to 2,500 delegates.

Karin Parkinson, TWC board director and Central Hall Westminster’s facilities and administration manager, said: “We wish a very warm welcome to our new venues and partners, who have already shown real eagerness and commitment to becoming active members of The Westminster Collection’s network of venues and suppliers. Through our energetic 2015 marketing communications programme, we look forward to assisting in bringing their services to the attention of prospective new clients.”

TWC will shortly look forward to the opportunity to promote its member venues to events professionals at International Confex in London on 18-19 February 2015. Sales and marketing representatives from more than 20 of its 41 venues will be present at TWC stand CF57 to meet and greet show visitors across the two days of the event, ready to talk event planners through the collection’s eclectic portfolio of central London venues.

TWC’s 2015 events programme includes International Confex (18-19 Feb), Embassy Event Expo and The Meetings Show (7-9 July) together with its own annual venue showcase (Sept 2015) and a newly-revamped series of venue familiarisation trips for buyers.

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The first TWC fam trip of the year takes place at St James Theatre on Weds 25th February, 08:30-10:30am. Any event planner wishing to attend this exclusive event can email [email protected] to request a place.

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QEII Centre unveils spectacular new look at launch event

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The QEII Centre opened its doors to clients, event agencies, buyers and media at its official, invitation-only launch party on Thursday 13th November.

With walls flooded in icy blue lighting, candle-lit lanterns buried in mounds of fluffy white snow and an ice sculpture etched with an iconic Big Ben scene, guests to the QEII Centre were welcomed into a winter wonderland inspired foyer for champagne, served from a twinkling pop-up bar. It was a wow-factor moment for those who hadn’t yet experienced the new-look entrance, now bright and spacious, with raised ceilings, sleek airport style check-in desks, multiple ultra-wide 29-inch screens, a concierge desk, a video wall made up of nine ultra-slim bezel 55-inch screens and the new Sanctuary executive lounge.

True to the wintery theme, two friendly huskies stole much of the limelight, until QEII Centre chief executive Mark Taylor took to the podium to introduce the official launch of a rebranding project 18 months in the making.

The centre then turned up the heat as guests shimmied upstairs into the tropical themed Pickwick Suite to the sizzling sounds of Cuban band Kandela mi Son and the energetic moves of ultra-glam, feather-clad Samba dancers from Brazilian Fantasy.

Cocktails, canapés, delicious bowl food and a dessert station by Leith’s fuelled guests for some action on the sparkly gold dancefloor. Hot dishes served included ‘tequila and lime confit salmon, black bean, coriander rice’ and ‘pumpkin tortellini and roast artichoke velouté’, while desserts included ‘mojito macarons’ and ‘pineapple cake with vanilla buttercream’.

Speaking of The QEII Centre’s re-launch event and the process of evolving this iconic brand, Taylor said:

“It’s a proud moment as we officially launch the spectacular new look we’ve achieved through the first two phases of our £12 million capital investment programme at the QEII Centre. We’ve been ‘quietly evolving’ over the past 18 months and beneath our new look we have been building and strengthening our business to bring to you a centre of excellence. This re-launch event is just one of many milestones in the delivery of our new vision.

“Following a strategic audit we developed our comprehensive building master plan; one that expressly complements the original finishes and strengths of the building’s architecture and provides practical and innovative solutions to improve our visitors’ total experience.

“We’re sexier, trendier and more confident than we’ve ever been before thanks to the installation of cutting-edge technology and luxury fixtures and fittings. The welcome has been reenergised too, with a new concierge team, a bright and spacious new foyer and a more discrete day-to-day security presence. We wanted to break down the barriers to the welcome.

“In branding terms, we have not only rebranded in a contemporary design to reflect our vision going forward, but we have also altered our name to simply ‘QEII Centre’ to reflect the diversity of our event portfolio and capabilities. We’re always a centre for conferences, but also for exhibitions, fashion shows, product launches, banquets, awards presentations and more. A focal point for knowledge and for fine service.

“The QEII was built as a beacon of British excellence, craftsmanship and technology and we are determined to return the centre to its former standing as London’s finest multi-purpose events facility.”

The bold new brand identity is reflective of the change that has taken place within The QEII Centre. Colin Green, creative director at Wildfire, the integrated creative agency responsible for the centre’s new branding, said:

“We wanted to establish the venue as a go-to destination, where clients are continually delighted and expectations are always exceeded; a place to be bold, to challenge perceptions, in the boundless pursuit of perfection. Moving forward the QEII Centre will firmly establish itself as London’s finest specialist events venue, becoming renowned for delivering professional, award-winning events that put the needs of the client at the heart of their philosophy.

“Wildfire are particularly proud of watching this iconic venue begin to realise its true potential. There is further change on the horizon, so watch this space.”

Suppliers to the re-launch event included in-house caterer Leith’s, event management company Wonderland Events, creative communications consultancy Custard Communications, Instagram photobooth creator Social Playground and talented band Kandela mi Son.

Follow news of the venue’s new look on twitter @QEIICentre using hashtag #QEIILookAtMe and on Instagram @qeiicentre

Explore the hireable events spaces available at the centre by visiting www.qeiicentre.london.

 

You’re invited! REGISTER NOW

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TWC showcase - register now

 

 

RSVP now to secure your attendance at London’s finest event venue showcase, The Westminster Collection’s ‘Destination Westminster 2014’, this year being held at the iconic BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. Famously the home of British film, BAFTA 195 Piccadilly is looking forward to opening its doors to event planners from all across London and beyond for a productive morning of networking, event planning and conversation with 43 of the city’s most celebrated venues, available for corporate or private hire.

Exclusively promoting venues within central London’s City of Westminster – which encompasses Pimlico in the south, to Regent’s Park in the north and from the borders of Kensington in the west, to Covent Garden in the east – guests of this enjoyable breakfast networking event can look forward to discovering luxury hotels, world-renowned conference centres, training facilities, historic institutes and societies, celebrated attractions, galleries, museums and private members clubs.

It’s free to attend. All you need to do is click here to register!

TWC showcase - register now

 

 

For updates follow @Venues_Wminster #DestinationWestminster

QEIICC commences £12m refurbishment on a high with revenue 143% ahead of target

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As extensive refurbishment works gain pace at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC), the iconic meetings and events venue is demonstrating its dependability as an events destination with enquiries tracking 26% up in quarters one and two of 2014 compared with the same period last year. Operating surplus is 143% ahead of the year-to-date target.

Conferences incorporating catering and exhibition space are generating the highest number of enquiries, followed closely by requests for receptions, awards dinners and meetings. A stellar performance across all departments in June 2014 has seen the QEIICC exceed target by 143%, a figure reflective of 98% occupancy. Room hire generated revenue higher than ever achieved in a single month in the venue’s 28-year history.

Similar success is visible with the QEIICC’s in-house audio-visual service ‘Interface’, which has surpassed its budgetary forecast for June, achieving its highest ever revenue in a single month. This reflects an integrated approach to meeting event organisers’ needs, with clients opting to invest in the expert audio-visual consultancy and facilities available on-site.

The QEIICC’s catering partner Leith’s continues to demonstrate excellence in its delivery of on-trend, bespoke food and beverage solutions to discerning clients, seeing concessionary catering revenue increase by 83% in June compared with the same period in 2013. It’s the best performing food and beverage sales month in Leith’s 28-year partnership with the QEIICC. Clients can now look forward to the September launch of the brand new Executive Lounge within the Sanctuary Foyer, a stylish café lounge serving delicious cakes and snacks, light lunches, barista-made coffee and bar service.

Speaking of the QEIICC’s strong performance, chief executive Mark Taylor said: “This excellent team and business performance continues to suggest that the market is maintaining its recovery and we’re feeling very positive. Our client feedback continues to be exceedingly impressive with many positive comments and high satisfaction ratings. Overall client satisfaction for the last quarter was 98%, so I’m delighted not only with the volume of business we’re enjoying, but with the exceptional quality of our delivery too.

“We’re recognising our diversity and our capabilities and our capital investment programme is a clear indication of our move to re-energise and future-proof this iconic meetings and events destination.”

Works commenced on site on 19th July, with the centre set to reopen on 1st September.

QEIICC to close late July for refurb ready for September relaunch

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The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) is embarking on an extensive refurbishment programme in July to re-establish the centre’s ‘wow factor’. The ambitious programme of capital works will provide aesthetic and visual improvements and enhanced facilities to the building and facility environment.

The works will enhance the customer experience and create a more modern, quality and stylish environment attractive to new and existing clients.

Mark Taylor, chief executive officer, said: “The QEIICC was constructed to an exceedingly high standard, as a beacon of British excellence, design, ingenuity and craftsmanship. All jewels need constant polishing and the QEIICC is no exception. We have worked with specialists to create a master plan focusing on the customer experience to improve the delegate journey through the centre. Client feedback has already been extremely positive and I look forward to welcoming the industry to see the ‘new’ centre in the autumn.”

The refurbishment programme will include:

Sanctuary Foyer: comprehensive refurbishment of the main entrance foyer, reception and registration areas to deliver a modern, high quality and welcoming environment that will wow delegates. Works will cover ceilings, lighting, furniture, floor surfaces, layout and configuration, business centre and the establishment of an executive lounge/cafe.

Connectivity: improved connectivity between the ground floor and 1st floor for Churchill Auditorium focused events, which will involve replacing the staircase and improving the route to the Pickwick Suite (the principle break out area) as well as expanding its overall area and delegate capacity.

Floor surfaces: replacement of all carpeted floor surfaces across the Centre.

Furniture: replacement of the Centre’s conference chairs and conference tables.

The Centre will close during late July and August, with all works being completed by early September 2014.

The name’s Bond. Bond in Motion.

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By Susan Heaton-Wright, managing director at Viva Live Music

Recently I was fortunate enough to be invited to an event hosted by The Westminster Collection at the wonderful London Film Museum in Covent Garden. The museum was hosting an exhibition of James Bond film artefacts, well mainly cars! The space had a number of iconic cars from the James Bond series of films. We weren’t allowed to sit on the bonnets for photos but the way they were lit up meant that you could really appreciate the design of the cars. What made it even more exciting was that there were short clips of the cars in the films behind each exhibit, so you were able to have a visual reminder of where the car appears in each film.

A background sound loop of the main James Bond theme played throughout the museum, but it wasn’t too loud. It just provided the visitors with an audio reminder.

The gentlemen at the event were SO excited about the cars. A number of them had their own Matchbox models (yes really!) but to see the full sized cars was very exciting. The exhibition also had some smaller props, such as a James Bond watch and his British Passport. There was also a gift shop where James Bond gifts were available to purchase. I had to drag my husband away from this!

The space was great. The area is a blank canvas and the curator had used the space so effectively. The event included some great drinks and canapés by KAI Catering and these were served in a bar area, although the waiters could serve it thoughout the space.

So, as we are an entertainment company who provides theming, what would we do to enhance the event? Well, with the theming in the museum, you need to do little more! However, the waiters could be dressed in formal wear and there could be “meet and greet” Bond Girls, Villains (Jaws is always good) and a James Bond. Everyone has a phone now, so to have photo opportunities is always great! If you wanted a featured entertainment spot, you could have a Bond Girl singing a couple of Bond themes or a 5-minute Octopussy Dance with Bond Girls. In my opinion, I would have a short featured entertainment spot as the venue does a lot of the work!

Season’s threads: S/S uniform trends

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What colours, prints and cuts are influencing uniform fashions this season and next? Will McCann reveals his tips

The event and fashion industries have been and will always be synonymous with extravagance. Both push boundaries, whether it’s the new must-have colour or print, or the latest delicacy to grace the canapé tray.

When it comes to how we dress our staff in the industry, uniform fashion should always remain a focus of an evening, but perfecting that look can be quite an investment. The visual presentation of staff is regularly overlooked, with standard all-black uniforms, or the white shirt, black tie combo rolled out en masse. How very drab, you might say, but actually, 75% of the time the white shirt, black tie ensemble is perfectly appropriate for an awards dinner, for example, or for a drinks and canapé reception.

Why shouldn’t the industry try and adopt more of the trends falling off our catwalks in the booming British fashion industry, though? One of our clients adopted a new style for all of their staff combining a waistcoat (black or tweed) with a pink knitted tie and a tailored white shirt – it’s on-trend and looks fantastic!

While this has meant giving out new uniform at an event and then monitoring stock, it does look truly brilliant and unique and it distinguishes this client’s staff from other event caterers.

A big trend in the Autumn/Winter 2013/14 season has been the use of checks, squares and my personal favourite, tartan. In fact I’ve just recently purchased the most splendid navy tartan suit for myself. As with all winning trends, tartan’s popularity shows no signs of waning and we can expect to see this edgy fabric continue on into the spring/summer season. Its widespread availability makes it a smart and relevant look for special events.

Forget garish red tartan; think of a more toned down, sartorial version. Navy, burgundy and green tartan fabrics are very smart and they look particularly striking in the form of a waistcoat teamed with a tailored white shirt, or as a tie paired with a tailored shirt. That sort of look exudes class.

Floral is another trend with legs for the summer months – a look we’ll see bloom in hospitality uniform fashions this coming spring season. For a summer wedding or other summer event, use the floral uniform trend to bring an event theme to life. Imagine female waiting staff in fitted white shirts or blouses paired with flowing, floral skirts or more figure-hugging pencil skirts adorned with floral prints. It’s professional, yet has a whimsical air of informality, in contrast with the severe look of a black shirt and black trousers.

And for the die-hard monochrome crew, you’re in luck, because this uniform fashion trend is a keeper, but you should make an active effort to keep it updated. A little alteration here and there to the custom event wardrobe can transform the look and feel of a brigade of event staff and the effectiveness of an event theme.

For a trendier event, consider a cropped or turned up trouser with a sockless shoe in the summer. Tailoring is a must – a fitted shirt and trousers always look splendid and exude elegance. Team with simple accessories, such as a monochrome flower tied around the wrist, a plain cravat or a different coloured tie or trousers, and you have easy and affordable techniques for elevating the look and feel of your all-important staff. Never underestimate their ability to make an event experience memorable.

Will McCann is operations manager for leading events industry staffing agency and training academy Off to Work.