PRESTIGE EVENTS WINTER 2014/15 EDITION

WINTER 2015 EDITION

COOL VENUE AWARDS 2015 NOMINEE SHORTLIST COOL VENUE ARCHITECTURE WHERE WE ATE, DRANK, AND STUMBLED OUT NETWORK LIKE A KARDASHIAN MAKING CHARITY EVENTS WORK SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONTENT COOL EVENT LIGHTING VIDEO ENGAGEMENT

PRESTIGEEVENTS

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Prestige Events team:Publisher / Founder: Wesley MendyHead of Client Relations: Dan BearparkEditor (Print & Online): Hope MendyHead of Database Administration: Allanah Brownsdon-DolanHead of Social Media: Asif MirzaDesign Director: Saroj PatelDesign Editor: Errol GriffithsContributing editors: Jacqui Partridge, Jason Scott, Stuart Groves, Ben GambleFinancial controller: Siobhan O’Dwyer

Prestige Events magazine (est.2003) is a MX4 Ltd publication.Prestige Events, 108 Clydesdale Road, Hornchurch Essex RM11 1AJ t:01708 737393 [email protected]

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

10 17 Things13 Readers Letters17 Late Night Eats18 Who’s In The Booth? With Megabooth21 Paul Neal’s Out And About24 Event Social Media26 Event Live-Tweeting27 Make Twitter Work For Your Events29 In The Trade32 Network Like A Kardashian34 Makiing Charity Events Work36 Keep Your Budget On Track37 Cost Saving Strategies38 Event Foundation39 Creating Content41 Choosing A Conference Venue42 Agencies For Your Speed-Dial45 Best Lighting46 Capitalize On Video Engagement48 5 Event Terms49 Hosting A Virtual50 Detox Your Event51 Everything Is Getting Shrtr52 Venue Focus: Egg Ldn54-59 Supplier Focus: Lick Me I’m Delicious, Demonwheelers, Efx60 8Th Annual Cool Venue Awards Nominees71 Cool Venue Architecture76 20/20 Speed Networking…On Tour Photospreads90 Upcoming Exhibitions: Confex96 Reasons To Be Thankful97 Ways Weather Can Affect Your Event98 Useful Websites

Welcome to 2015, a new year, and chance for new beginnings., that’s if you believe in new year’s resolutions. One thing is for certain, the world that surrounds corporate events continues and you either get into the slipstream of the current, or you’ll be left behind. Old venues being torn down or replaced with re-fits or new venues. This event world

doesn’t’ wait for any man. Which lends perfectly to the creation of our annual COOL Venue Awards (whose nominees shortlist can be found on pages 60-66), and our 20/20 Speed Networking events which bring you face-to-face with the latest, COOLest and most charismatic venues and events services companies around.After all, you are only as good as your last event. So you work with people you feel you can trust and have as much enthusiasm for you. Which neatly ties in with our decision to give you more editorial than ever before. You trust us to help you execute the perfect event, and I hope the recognition of this is displayed.

Happy reading.Wes

All views, opinions, and content, both text and images, expressed within this edition remain that of the individual contributor and neither MX4 Ltd or Prestige Events magazine accept responsibility for any liability.All content in this edition remains the intellectual property of MX4 Ltd and MX4 Ltd holds copyright and cannot be reproduced, replicated, lent, or publicly displayed without prior permission from MX4 Ltd.MX4 Ltd 2014

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NEW PATHS, NEW BEGINNINGSElsewhere on the London restaurant scene, chef Michael Riemenschneider has left his Chelsea restaurant Canvas

following a supposed dispute with investors. The news comes just six months after the site opened, replacing the

original Canvas site in Marylebone which itself lasted just half a year

17 THINGS

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SKY HIGHSky-high London venue The View from the Shard has announced it will officially launch its event space for private hire, making

it easily one of the best event locations in the world. Excited is not the word!

THE FORCE IS STRONGEvent marketing consultancy Evvnt has joined forces with global online self-service ticketing platform Eventbrite which could see

some potential change in how the industry advertise events.

TIME TO GET OUT THE TOMTOM?A panel of specialists from team-building agencies have revealed brands should look to interactive tools and multi-city events this

year to keep delegates interested. The change would allow for less cross country travel but the jury is still out on how feasible

it would be…

I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE2015 could see the launch of the HoloLens possibly changing the way we interact with each other forever. This confirms interaction

tech is at an all-new high.

SO GOOD IT’S STAYING PUTIt’s all change for Kurobuta in Chelsea this month, as the Japanese restaurant shuts and re-opens on 30 January at bigger

premises further down King’s Road. The site it’s leaving was originally intended only as a pop-up space but popularity led to it

sticking around

17 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW

COOL VENUE WINNER CLOSESAs of earlier this month, Paramount — the restaurant atop Centre Point by Tottenham Court Road — has closed. This suggests

that there is now nothing to stop Almcantar proceed with turning the tower into flats. Sad face.

HEY BIG SPENDER!New Bond Street auction house Bonhams deals in the seriously high end, and it now has a restaurant to match. A decadent European

menu from head chef Tom Kemble — previously at Chiswick’s Michelin-starred Hedone — will be accompanied by a wine list among

the capital’s best.

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17 THINGS

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NEW OPENINGSNew openings include this season include Chinese restaurant Chai Wu in Harrods, healthy deli and eatery Little H

has opened in Parson’s Green, and another branch of fish & chip group Kerbisher & Malt has arrived in Clerkenwell

— branded simply Kerbisher.

WIN YOUR MEALIn London, game operator PokerStars collaborated with restaurant Jones and Sons for a chance to win your meal.

We think this idea is brilliant (if you know how to play!) and either way, even if you lost, your three-course gourmet

meal was still at a discounted rate. Brilliant launch event

IT’S PERFUME, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW ITHotel Café Royal in London is launching a line of new drinks inspired by fragrances from Parisian fashion house

Givenchy. Starting Feb.1, the cocktails will have distinct colour and “unique personality and taste, reflecting the key

perfume notes which are unique, universal and distinguished” from seven Givenchy perfumes

NEW YORK, NEW TIMESWhat do you do with an outdated office building in one of the best locations in Lower Manhattan? You convert it into

a hotel of course! That’s just what Marriott has done, with the opening of Residence Inn New York Manhattan/World

Trade Center Area, just a short walk away from the 9/11 memorial.

HOTEL ROOM CRAVINGSCrave Interactive Ltd, the leading supplier of in-room tablets and mobile Apps to high quality hotels has announced

the launch of Crave Tablet, the world’s first tablet designed specifically for use in a hotel room.

BE BLEECKERThe stylish Bleecker Street Burger matt black truck has moved around town a bit - it was part of KERB, it’s been on the Southbank, in the shadow of the Gherkin and from the end of January 2015 it takes up a permanent pitch in the Old Spitalfields Market. One of London’s best loved burger brands, Bleecker serves New York style cheeseburgers and their award-winning Bleecker Black - a double aged beef patties, American cheese, Clonakilty black pudding and special burger sauce.

THERE’S A NEW DUCK IN TOWNHakkasan and Wagamama founder Alan Yau opens ‘Chinese gastropub’ Duck & Rice on the Soho street famous for its fruit and veg market, silk shops and Flat White. The restaurant, on the site where The Endurance once stood, is just around the corner from Yauatcha, another Alan Yau success story. Details are scarce, but rumours are it’s a casual restaurant serving Asian street food and Chinese-inspired cocktails

…AND UP THEY GO…One of two new hotels from the Montcalm group set to open in 2014/2015, the M by Montcalm at 151 City Road, close to Old Street roundabout and opposite the Moorfields Eye Hospital, is part of a cluster of towers beginning to form on City Road. The new build 200-room hotel is part of a 23-storey tower development which fuses large scale art, sculpture and architecture in a futurisitc looking tower.

…AND DOWN THEY COME…Finally and sadly venue and visitor attraction Vinopolis has announced that it will close on 31 December 2015. Samantha Anderson, managing director of Vinopolis, stated “We’ve come to the end of what we feel we can do with Vinopolis, and the choice was made in the interest of our shareholders,” she said. “The retail opportunity arose and it was a better proposition than a wine tour.”


READERS LETTERS

Ask Lord Jason a question and win a fantastic Montblanc Pen. Thank you to Montblanc Corporate Gifts for the fantastic prize of a timeless Meisterstuck Platinum Ballpoint Pen (www.montblanccorporategift.co.uk). Email your questions to us at [email protected] for a chance to win next time and to receive another piece of writing culture from Montblanc Corporate Gifts. A time honored tradition. See more of Lord Jason Scott’s sartorial style her – http://pinterest.com/lordscott/this-is-my-style-lord-it/

WINNING LETTER

HAVE YOU SEEN MY PAN!Q/ Hi LJS, long time reader first time question “asker” ( is that a word)! I am a fountain pen enthusiast ( Mont Blanc of course) and like carrying fountain pens with me, I am wondering if you can clip a fountain pen (or two) on the breast pocket of your jacket as an accessory item and if so, how much of the pen should / can be exposed? If not then what about those pens with military clip where the top of the pen is on the same level as the opening of the pocket so nothing is exposed except for the clip but then it would only be there for functional purposes instead of an accessory item. If nothing is good then I suppose they have to be hidden inside in the shirt pocket… Thanks in advance.Paul Penny (Venue event manager, London) Save the outer breast pocket for decorative squares. I wouldn’t recommend using a dress shirt pocket; unless you’re a physical laborer taking notes on a clipboard or a high school student on the math team you shouldn’t be clipping pens to your shirt.Nice pens are pretty neat accessories, but they work best when you keep them hidden until needed. Then when you pull them out it’s a tiny little show-stopper moment for the observant men in the room.

DOES SIZE COUNT, I WANT A 1/2 INCH!Q/ Jason, I have heard you always have your one arm up, and just like most I normally notice the timepiece first however then I can’t stop staring at your 1/2 inch. Do you have any tricks they use to keep that half inch of shirt cuff showing when wearing barrel cuffs? No matter what I do, my shirt sleeves find a way to hide in my jacket sleeves. I don’t have any problem with French cuffs but not every occasion is a French cuff occasion. I’ve even tried longer shirt sleeves and it doesn’t work.(Simon, Corporate Relations Manager, Surrey)

As funny as this one might sound I’ve used it to good effect at times like weddings when I wanted to make sure the cuffs were correct in all the photos and didn’t want to have to shoot the cuff every time I moved.

Double sided tape. It’ll stick enough to the fabrics to prevent excessive movement but won’t stick enough to cause damage. TO LAPEL OR NOT LAPEL…Q/ As its award season, this is a very important question: Are notch lapels okay?(Daniel, Agency Head, London)

George Clooney often wears a notch lapel, so it must be all right, and 2) waiters often wear a notch lapel, so it ain’t all right. Somewhere in between the two is the official line that a peak lapel is a sounder, classier bet. What I have more of an issue with is the wing collar. To classicists, a wing is the only good option, but to me, it looks kind of pompous and costumey — on anyone, including Hercule Poirot, but especially on me. An evening shirt with a normal turn-down collar (like the Brooks Brothers one) is more comfortable, physically, morally, and socially, for most of us. Looking forward to seeing all of you dapper folk at The COOL Venue Awards soon and thank you again for your questions.

LORD KNOWS!Lord Jason Scott is possibly the most connected man in the UK event industry. Also the most dapper man in the industry, who else could we appoint to answer your ‘event-fashion/grooming/style’ questions!


WHERE WE ATE

packed into tiny portions: from sliders filled with moist pulled

pork and pickled apple, to a black-edged mini pizzas topped with

cicoria (Italian dandelion). The salads are equally innovative, as

seen in a tumble of a mild turnip and apple with crumbly feta,

hazelnuts and black sesame seeds. To finish try the chocolate,

pecan and bourbon cake which manages to do the job of aperitif

and desert in a beautiful ‘two birds one stone’ combination.

THE WOLSELEY A self-proclaimed ‘café-restaurant in the grand European

tradition’, the Wolseley combines London heritage and Viennese

grandeur. Whilst the venue suggests it’s been knocking about

since the 20’s, the venue is only a decade old. Nevertheless, it’s

now firmly on many a London visitor’s checklist having gained a

reputation that places it firmly along it’s neighbours Fortnum and

Mason as a British institution. The kitchen is much-celebrated for

its breakfasts but the menu as a whole is admirable. From oysters,

steak tartare or soufflé suisse, via wiener schnitzel or grilled

halibut with wilted spinach and béarnaise to tarte au citron or

apple strudel, there’s something for everyone. The afternoon tea

is definitely a highlight for many with weekend mornings seeing in

an abundance of mini cakes and scones, all as English as the jam

that accompanies them, while crustless finger sandwiches at the

bottom are replenished by formal staff from a huge service team.

EACH EDITION, IN BRIEF WE HIGHLIGHT VENUES WHERE WE ATE LATE-NIGHT FOR YOUR BENEFIT.

DISHOOMFilled with vintage interiors, Dishoom’s walls are adorned with

60’s magazine covers while low level lighting harks back to old

post colonial Irani Café’s. The look is distinctive and establishes

that this is not the local Indian you frequented as a kid. This

is something special. The main attraction though is of course

the menu with birianis, bhel (crunchy puffed rice with tangy

tamarind chutney) and even pau bhaji (toasted white bread

rolls with a spicy vegetable stew as a filling). Our black dal was

exemplary, and the lamb biriani suitably moist. Excellent lassi

concoctions will help with when the spice gets too much and

even the soft drinks Limca and Thums Up are imported from

Mumbai. Queuing is common but we can guarantee it’s worth

the wait

SPUNTINOA challenge to this is no wholesome 1950s-style diner, but a

dark, grungy space where dim lights dangle in cages, the

walls are cracked and battered, and the staff sport daring

tattoos under flimsy vests (and that’s just the girls). The anti-

establishment vibe seeps into the Italian/American themed

menu. Served on tin dishes, food features big bold flavours

Wh er e we ate


OUT AND ABOUT: MEGABOOTH

O UT AN D AB O UT: M EGAB O OTH


OUT AND ABOUT: MEGABOOTH

O UT AN D AB O UT: M EGAB O OTH


OUT AND ABOUT…WITH PAUL NEAL

PAPADAIBLO MEZCAL COLLECTION PAPADIABLO ESPECIAL & PAPADIABLO ESPADINPapadaiblo (Pope Devil) is a pure Mezcal made from the

relationship between Maestro Don Beto and the land of

Miahuatlan, Oaxaca. Both expressions are equally sophisticated,

complex and subtle. The bottle and branding is outstanding, true

to the quality inside the bottle. Papadailo Mezcal is a Mezcal in

its truest form, and is pushing the boundaries in its category. A

Mexican spirit full of history, culture and flavour. What makes

if COOL? Papadiablo Especial is a supreme Mezcal made in

Miahuatlan, Oaxaca. A region renown for the quality of its three

Mezcal’s - Madre Cuishe, Bicuishe and Mexicano. Held together

with 10% Espadin and the homeopathic extract of something

special. Soft, rich, gentle. Fruits, smoke and green agave.

Papadiablo Espadin, The perfect counter to his sweeter, deeper

and older cousin. Bright, light, fresh and very energizing. This is a

lifter! A high note on the first sip. It is truly electric… but in a good

way. www.spiritbearmezcals.com

DICTADOR 20 YEAR OLDDictador 20 Years Solera System Rum is made from the

fermentation of virgin sugar cane honey. Distilled partly in copper

alembic and partly in steel continuous column, to achieve a

medium body rum. It is then aged in pre-used oak barrels, using

the solera method and finally bottled under the highest quality

control to ensure all the secrets are contained in the liquids

flavour. What makes it COOL? Firstly is it a Columbian Rum,

which is really cool in itself, it is highly awarded, receiving double

gold at SFWSC and WSWA award shows.

www.dictador.com

MARTELL EXCLUSIVE 300 YR ANNIVERSARYLa Maison Martell is the oldest of the great Cognac houses and

has been making fine cognac for 300 years.

What makes it COOL? To commence this year’s Tricentenaire

celebration in style, Martell have recently released an exclusive

limited edition of the iconic Cordon Bleu. Cordon Bleu ‘Tribute to

Martell 300 year anniversary’. It is a unique blend, crafted by Cellar

ZECA CACHAÇA The first Cachaça brand to revolutionise the cocktail world

is soon to launch right here in the UK! This is the first time

ever that a Cachaca brand has launched outside of its native

country of Brazil. What makes it COOL? This is a hidden secret

of the Matos family, kept away from the world for more than a

hundred years. It is a premium Cachaça that is keeping true to

its identity and origins. A natural and earthy spirit that will truly

transform our opinions of its category and lead the way to an

exciting future.

Watch out for Zeca over 2015 as it takes the UK by storm. www.

zeca-cachaca.com

VESTAL VODKA (VINTAGES)Over the last few centuries, the Government, big businesses

and globalization have turned the vodka category into an often

tasteless spirit, suitable only for mixing with something else.

Now, thank god, the rise of artesian vodkas are now coming

back and reminding us of a spirits true delights. What makes

it COOL? I have chosen Vestal Vodka as it is a vodka of the

truest form. A homely, down to earth vodka, with real earth like

flavours.

Vestal Vodka is only distilled once, to retain its aromas and

taste. What makes it unique, much like a wine, is that each year

it has its own vintage and individual flavours. This depends on

the potatoes harvested that year. How bloody real is that?!

www.vestalvodka.com

&WHERE WE’VE BARFLYED

WHERE WE’VE DRUNK


OUT AND ABOUT…WITH PAUL NEAL

Master Benoit Fil. Beautifully showcasing the characteristically

elegant and floral attributes of eaux-de-vie from the Borderies

Terroir. This fab edition is a must for any collector or fine Cognac

fan, very much a Martell Signature.

www.martell.com

VENUES

LLC (SHOREDITCH)With a site to suit almost every drink enthusiast. The London Cocktail

Club specialises in delivering classic and unique concoctions to a

world class standard. Each creating an environment you’ll never

want to leave. I recommend you to visit each and every one of

them this year!

What makes it COOL? It’s a Motor City theme! A Hells Angels

meets Mods and Rockers mash up. That’s SUPER COOL! Once

you’ve spotted the imposing heavy-duty skull and crossbones logo,

head down the industrial staircase and delve deep into the graffiti

clad basement. Here you’ll find an impressive American Whisky

collection. I also recommend their Smoking Barrel cocktail, or take

your pick from their extensive cocktail menu.

www.londoncocktailclub.co.uk

LOWER DECK @ SPIAGGIAThe basement hideaway, downstairs from its Italian beach bar and

grill counterpart, Lower Deck offers up something totally unique to

the SW6 postcode.

What makes it COOL? It’s a den for grown-ups, serving wicked

cocktails and beach tapas!! There is plenty of games to keep you

amused, with the likes of Pac Man, Donky Kong and Foosball. It

also has sun beds, a giant projector and various events, such as,

Movie Nights, Beach Themed Parties and Live Music.

www.spiaggialondon.com

BAR SMITHFrom The Marylebone Leisure Group, this new opening is a pizza

bar and restaurant, taking service and skills to a higher level. In the

heart of Farringdon, Bar Smith is set to have a long future.

What makes it COOL? Cocktails and Pizza firstly! Who wouldn’t

love that? The concept is cool too. Bar Smith specialises in Artisan

infused cocktails and spirit infusions. They also have a killer team

of mixologists and everything is prepared daily. You’d be mad not

to give this gem a try.

www.barsmith.co.uk

ORIGINAL SINThe Happiness Forgets team have bought their blend of bears,

wines and spectacular cocktails to Stoke Newington. Stokey

Bears is upstairs, so there’s cracking burgers to factor into the

equation too.

What makes it COOL? It is the team behind Happiness Forgets!

A bench mark for many a boozy den in London. Original Sin

looks set to deliver more of the same. A bigger space serving its

own range of cocktails. Stokey’s newest cocktail cavern looks the

perfect place for killer drinks and fun times.

www.originalsin.bar

LADIES AND GENTSThis new edition to the up and coming Kentish Town area is

simply awesome! A Vibrant neighbourhood joint with star drinks,

produce and vibes. Expect unique cocktails from their daily

changing menu such as ‘Ladies Old Fashion”, ‘Guinness Flip’

and ‘Pear Collins’.

What Makes it COOL? It is a refurbished, dingy toilet next to

Kentish Town Tube! Completely transforming the disused loos

and totally transforming the area with it. Expect to see some

top bar guest appearances here too. Ladies and Gents is the

creation of William Borrell, Vestal Vodka so knows only too well

how to create a dream team and tasty cocktails.

www.twitter.com/ladyandgentsbar

Compiled and created by Paul Neal at Bespoke and Tonic


EVENT PROS SHARE 4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW

Event Pros Share

to Know

4 THINGSYou Need to

NOW


1. HOW DOES YOUR EVENT LOOK ON INSTAGRAM?In today’s social-media-obsessed world, every event attendee

has the potential to tell a brand’s story. “As designers, it’s what’s

on the outside that counts. Every touch point and detail should

speak to the brand’s identity,” said Nicky Balestrieri, managing

creative director of BMF Media. “The goal of all of this process

is to make our events not just memorable but also media-able.”

2. IF YOU’RE NOT MEASURING DATA, YOU’RE MISSING OUT.Angela Giacchetti, New York City metro marketing manager

at Eventbrite, said planners need to have statistics to show,

for instance, which social channels are the most effective at

driving ticket sales. You might think business events would

be best marketed on Facebook, but Twitter might actually be

a stronger vehicle. “You want to make sure you have a clear

timeline for building buzz and driving page views,” she said.

3. USE EVENT TECHNOLOGY FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING.The message behind the C2 Montréal conference is connection, and organizers don’t leave that to chance. Before the event, the 600 attendees can set up profile pages on a custom social network called the Hub where they can not only list their business interests but also their hobbies. They can schedule meetings, and the system will suggest sessions to attend. This way you can know what your audience is doing instead of guessing. Yes it’s a bit Big Brother but saves you adding a bunch of people on

Facebook who you don’t really want to.

4. PEOPLE CRAVE EVENTS, EVEN IN A DIGITAL WORLD.“While people spend much of their time online, it’s offline communities formed at events that they are seeking out more and more” said Ryan Begelman, C.E.O. of Bisnow Media. “Successful events are becoming part of people’s identities”, he said, pointing to Burning Man, Comic-Con, and TED “We need to make our events shorter, pithier, faster-paced. Let’s not fight A.D.D.; let’s make our events snappier. We’re producing events

like its 2001 and it’s 2014.”

EVENT PROS SHARE 4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW

Some of the most creative minds in events shared their tips for success - and avoiding disaster - during the Event Innovation Forum at BizBash Live: The Expo New York, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The two sessions of the forum covered a lot of ground, but here are some key takeaways.


HOW TO - LIVETWEET

Livetweeting is now actually part of some peoples job description. Let that sink it for just a second.

Twitter streams move fast and along with most note taking taking down quotes in real time whilst using all the wit you can muster is a skill and a half. It takes skill to juggle this with taking good photos, responding to questions and comments whilst recognising event stats your audience might find interesting.

If you’re not hiring someone or a company to do this work for you

it can seem tricky to navigate all of this at once so we’ve broken

down for you what the essentials are.

• Attend all rehearsals of the event and prepare for tweeting

conversations. Yes even just through the notepad app so you

get used to having to multitask in this way. Getting impressions

from speakers about their talk can help you pre-empt the kind

of humour you’re gonna be working with.

• Getting content beforehand from speakers such as pictures

and stats can really help you out as well. You don’t want to

rush this part.

• Look into getting volunteers from the company. That guy from

HR who is always on his phone? Yep ask him. That or the

womanconstantlytakingselfieswhilstshewaitsforthekettle

to boil. These kind of people live to network and with the new

generation of workers social media is akin to breathing.

• Make sure these people are tweeting according to what

they’re good and what they’re interested in as they’re way

more likely to make it marketable. It’s just common sense.

• Get the photographer on the account as well. Quality images

in real time are what press will be more likely to cover.

• The hashtag should be known to everyone. Aim for

#BreakTheInternet style domination. Naked Kim K optional.

H OW TO - LIVETWEET


MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOUR EVENT

• Retweetrelevantinformationandputsomeoutthereyourself!

• Lookoutforanyserioustweets.Badnewstravelsfasterthan

goodnews

POST-EVENT• Makesurenoquestionsorfeedbackare/isleftunanswered

• Thankeveryoneimportantandeveryonewhotweetsyou

• Followupanyonewhowanted toattendbutcouldn’twitha

phonecall.

• Writeablogpostthatcoversalltweetsthatcouldbeofinterest/

makeyoulookgood.

Using Twitter to scope for potential attendees is a pretty practical use of it. Hashtag sourcing, such as typing in #eventprofs and the like, can help find others interested in networking with those in a similar field. SocialBro and other similar social media tools can also help you identify similar Twitter users (but remember some services can charge for work you can DIY). Don’t overdo it and become spammy and make sure that everything you’re sending is engaging and links back to your site.

4 WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT• Makesuretofollowallattendees,mostpeoplehavetheirs

ontheirbusinesscardsorcompanywebsitesnow.Followall

eventpartners,sponsorsetc

• CreateTwitterlistsforbothofthesetosaveyoutimelater

on.Timeconsumingbutyou’llappreciateitweswear.

• Getrelevantcontentfromacrossthewebinordertomake

sure your Twitter feed is interesting more importantly

informative

• Useyourhashtagatalltimes!

• Makesurepeopleareokaywithanytravel,accommodation

adviceetc

DURING YOUR EVENT• DedicatesomeonetorunningSocialMedia.Yesitwarrants

itsownjob(andsobriety)

• HavetheHashtageverywhere

• Encourageattendeestotweet(votingandQ&A’saregreat

opportunities)

Make Twitter wo r k fo r yo u r Event


IN THE TRADE

IN THE TRADE WITH...TERESA-ANNE DUNLEAVYTHE CONCERTO GROUP CEO

Harvard educated Teresa-Anne (TA) Dunleavy joined The Concerto Group as CEO in March 2013. A marketing and business school post-graduate she is interested in integrated approaches to corporate challenges and

has over 20 years’ experience across inhouse and consultancy roles for the likes of British Airways, Toyota, Nintendo and other leading global organisations. Her appointment followed an extensive search and decision by Concerto shareholders to reach beyond the events industry for fresh and innovative ways of managing a business through change.

What was the inspiration behind you getting involved in corporate events? I already came with a lot of experience in running large corporate events as part of an integrated approach to marketing communications. I’ve done everything from global car launches to staging and managing financial results. It’s a myth that only people who work exclusively in events are experienced in the whole array that falls under ‘event management’.

You have a varied client portfolio. Care to name a few? And what do you feel was the defining factor in establishing your relationships?Our client base is vast and spans pretty much every industry but most recently we’ve been excited to take on the Home Retail Group handling product launches for the Argos, Homebase and Habitat brands. As for how to build longstanding client relationships, it’s always a case of understanding exactly what is expected of you and delivering beyond those expectations. Not always as simple as it sounds I appreciate.

What’s it like working with such big-name clients?It’s always fun to work on big budget global launches – who doesn’t enjoy a bit of media frenzy and excitement? But sometimes it’s the smaller budget events that present the biggest challenge.

How important a role does ‘COOL’ play in events?If by ‘COOL’ we mean innovative, ground breaking creativity, brilliantly executed then it’s pretty important. I once handled a global product launch for Nintendo across 32 markets, fully

synchronized across multiple time-zones. The UK launch was at midnight on Oxford Street with hundreds of people queuing overnight. Managing the public, the media, suppliers, celebrities and the client to deliver an event across multiple time zones is pretty cool.

How do you prepare for a big event day?Prepare, prepare, prepare. Then prepare some more. I’ve always found that having good supplier (or partner) relationships to be key to events running smoothly.

What would you like to see happen in the corporate events industry in the next 12 months?I’d like to see greater degrees of professionalism in terms of how events businesses are run. So much focus goes on how we deliver to clients but there is more to be done around attracting and retaining great talent, succession management and building great events businesses for the future.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

MARTIN HAWTHORNHAWTHORN

Established in 1987 in Managing Director Martin’s garage, Hawthorn is one of the largest and longest established suppliers of event production services in the UK; in fact one of the production industries best kept secrets. Since 1987 the business has grown steadily with continual upsizing

of premises, and we are now at the point where the Hawthorn warehouse is measured in the size of acres! A team of 130 work to design and deliver production solutions for clients in all spheres of the industry; from awards ceremonies, parties and conferences, through to exhibitions and concerts. Based in London, Cambridge and the Midlands, Hawthorn delivered over 1,000 extraordinary events last year throughout the UK and overseas.

What’s the modus operandi of your company?We are committed to close working relationships with our clients. We deliver amazing work through incredible service, whether it’s a simple hire through to the most complex and spectacular one-off events. Our view is that we can only deliver this service if we get to know our clients and couple their ideas with our expertise and creativity.


IN THE TRADE

What are the USP’s of your company?Our “can-do attitude” – if it is physically possible to achieve something we will achieve it with our vast inventory of in-house equipment and resourceful team.

Who’s on your client list?BBC Worldwide, Smart Group, Taylor Bennett, Natural History Museum, NSPCC, and Status Quo, to name a few…

What is the COOLest event your company has been involved in?There are so many, but the delivery of the 2014 Herbalife Qualification Party over in Prague was one highlight. Our unique technical solution included a flown, LED paneled DJ booth controlled by a Kinesis system and suspended over a video dance floor. This solution meant that DJs could be seen but then content such as Herbalife branding could be displayed in a creative way. Hung strings of LED balls and elements of bespoke-built set, including industrial crates, were used to fulfil the black and gold industrial feel to the event.

Where do you see your company in 5 years?Positioned as the market leader for corporate technical production throughout the UK.

and lastly, what one word sums up your company?

Amazing

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

REBECCA O’DONOVAN MINISTRY OF SOUND

I recently joined Ministry of Sound London as their new Private Hire Events Manager. HI

My interest in events began at

a fairly young age and I have

always enjoyed working on

them, whether it was for a school

fashion show or a University ball, but it wasn’t until I

graduated 6 years prior that I decided I would make a whole career

out of it! I didn’t sit daydreaming about layout setups, seating plans

and corporate dining menus, but when I left University many of my

memorable highlights involved working on some sort of event or

activity and it was the perfect way to satisfy my need to be active

and busy. Therefore I made it my mission to make a living out of

doing something I enjoy and that I’m passionate about. I’ve spent

the past 6 years working in events and I haven’t looked back!

What was the inspiration behind you getting involved in corporate events?Since leaving University I have worked in both venue and agency environments, which not only broadened my knowledge and understanding of the industry from various perspectives, but also made me realise how important events are to the corporate market, not only to showcase their products and services but to reward and incentivize their staff. It was also a growing market when I started out in events, so I guess it was an amalgamation of all these factors that inspired my involvement in corporate events, and ultimately lead me to Ministry of Sound, which I believe is a strong rising player in the corporate world

You have a varied client portfolio. Care to name a few? And what do you feel was the defining factor in establishing your relationships?During my short time at MoS we have brought in phenomenal series of corporate events from ASOS.com to BAE Systems. Our focus at Ministry is not only sourcing new business, but looking after the clients we already have. I guess the success of any endeavour depends on the quality of the relationships between those involved. A good working relationship, just like a good friendship, builds rapport and understanding between the parties. To achieve such a relationship takes more than clear and regular communication, although this certainly makes a contribution. It requires investing time and effort into understanding the client and his or her event needs. But above all, I think it comes down to maintaining a friendly, personable and approachable nature and make clients want to work with you again.

What’s it like working with such big-name clients?There’s always that pressure to produce a successful event for a major client, but I believe that every event, whether it be a big-name client or a small business, should be treated exactly the same. Our reputation is extremely important and we always strive for amazing results, whoever the client is

What preparation goes into your service?A good flow of constant communication is definitely key, not only with my clients but also with my internal events team. Firstly I would meet with the client and get to know them and their event needs. It would then be my mission to strive to produce exactly what they want, and more. After carrying out all my clients’ requirements and keeping up with any changes they make along the way, I would ensure both my operations and technical teams are made fully aware of the event details and everything that’s required on the day. We always have a meeting just before the event takes place to ensure that everyone is completely up-to-date with everything and that no problems have arisen. Nothing is too small to mention and as long as everyone is on the same


IN THE TRADE

page, we will be sure to have a brilliant end result!

How important a role does ‘COOL’ play in events?

Being part of such a well-known brand, ‘COOL’ plays a huge part

in how we at Ministry of Sound portray ourselves as a corporate

events venue. ‘COOL’ recognises the COOL factor in venues

and here at MoS we always strive to be ahead of the game and

keep up with any hip and cool developments in the events world.

How do you prepare for a big event day?

Ensuring I have.. a good night’s rest, an excellent team on the

day, comfortable shoes, my ‘spec sheet’, a cool head and a big

smile!

What have you experienced at any event in the past

12 months that has really got you excited?

There are many things that have got me excited over the past

year, however I think it is the development of technology utilised

at events that particularly stands out. With event entertainers

now incorporating elements such as video mapping and LED

lighting into their acts, it can transform a blank canvas into

something spectacular, therefore allowing for more vision and

possibilities. The International Special Events Society (ISES)’s

Mistletoe event held here at Ministry of Sound stands out for me

as they really made the most of all the new technology we have

to offer and the entertainment was notably incredible.

What would you like to see happen in the corporate events industry in the next 12 months?I would love to see more companies holding their events at unique venues such as Ministry of Sound. We have a variety of incredible spaces with unparalleled sound and lighting systems equipped to host anything from receptions and banqueting to conferences and awards ceremonies. It’s great to see more and more oraganisers taking that step outside of the norm and I hope

to see even more over the next year.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ANTONIA FAGANIDENTILAM PLC

Antonia Fagan is a business

development executive at

IDentilam plc who has been

providing badging solutions to

many high profile organisations

for coming up to 30 years. As

well as offering their own range

of badging and delegate tracking software and printers, IDentilam

has provided badging services for conferences and events

worldwide.

You have a varied client portfolio. Care to name a few?

We have lots of interesting and well known clients we would love

to shout about, however as we are providing them with a security

service we tend to be somewhat discreet. It’s fair to say though

that if you have been to a major sporting event or high profile

conference in the UK in recent years, there is a good chance you

might have worn one of IDentilam’s badges.

What’s it like working with such big-name clients?

A lot of the hard work goes on before we go onsite to the event.

As well as sorting and testing our systems ready to take onsite, we

tend to print as many badges as possible before the event begins

to reduce the load onsite and improve the delegate experience.

What preparation goes into your service?

I already came with a lot of experience in running large

corporate events as part of an integrated approach to marketing

communications. I’ve done everything from global car launches to

staging and managing financial results. It’s a myth that only people

who work exclusively in events are experienced in the whole array

that falls under ‘event management’.

How do you prepare for a big event day?

Usually by working late into the night! Badging is often one of the

functions that are left to the last and minute by the organisers and

as there is invariably a rush of late registrations we are more often

than not printing badges right up to the last minute.

What are the latest trends in the badging world?

We have noticed a big increase in demand for larger sizes of

badges in recent times, particularly for sporting events. Also

technologies such as RFID and NFC are now much more widely

used for access control, data collection, networking or social media

integration.

Do you see a time when badges will be completely

replaced by technology?

Although technology will play an increasing part in events I think

there will always still be a place for the traditional name badges as

a quick and easy way of identification. It is still the quickest way to

find out who you are talking to!


NETWORK LIKE A KARDASHIAN

Why you should

Whilst the ethics of the family may be under constant scrutiny from the press, you can’t deny that their skills in acquiring deals that years ago would’ve been laughable (hello Vogue cover) are on point. Here’s what we can learn from Kim K and co

1. YOUR MANAGER ISN’T YOUR ONLY SOURCE OF WORK –

Yes going to a bar once you’re off the clock gives you permission

to have that vodka tonic, but stay on guard because your

downtime is often one of the best opportunities to make contacts

in the kind of laid back setting an event organiser can only dream

of creating. Don’t rely solely on the momager in your life.

2. AIM HIGH – Kendall Jenner was labelled with the reality tv

brand before she hit puberty, now she’s walking every major

label’s fall line. Yes that rival company exec looks scary but think

of the campaigns you could end up working on

3. BUT DON’T FORGET THE SMALLER COMPANIES –

Despite the Kardashian brand having successfully managed

to enter the luxury fashion field the sisters still collab with high

street heroes Lipsy and Kim has guest starred on American Dad

(Family Guy’s smaller, less successful brother show).

4. KEEP YOUR PRESENTATION FLAWLESS –

not just you appearance, which people will always judge

anyway, but your general decorum when something

unexpected happens. When attending the opera

with her mother a reporter made a joke about

‘N*ggas in Paris’ to Kim. Angry, rather than cause

a scene and make herself look bad she reacted

by staring at him in cold silence confirming him the

imbecile. Kim 1 Reporter 0.

5. BE THANKFUL – and not through thank you

notes but through SDA’s (that’s social displays

of affection). You get a gift bag that’s particularly

cool? Post about it! Tag brands and the company

will appreciate the free press more than they ever

would a jokey email.

Kardashian network like a


NETWORK LIKE A KARDASHIAN


A B R E A K D O W NCharity Events


1. PLAN OF ACTIONYour event needs a plan of action that begins 6 months before

your event and goes right through the few months following it.

Who you are targeting and how you are going to reach them?

Make sure to include a marketing budget and ROI plan.

2. COMPILE AN EMAIL LIST OF DONORSIf you’ve got a list/database brilliant! You’re a step ahead! Treat

your list with respect and target your messaging to make sure

you get the most out of your donations.

If you don’t have a list, it’s time to start building one! Collect

emails when you sell tickets, take donations, at your event,

and on your website.

3. MAKE LANDING PAGESLanding pages are a brilliant way to attract potential attendees

and grow your email list. You can use lots of different services

to create segmented multiple landing pages factoring in

geographical area, and even income levels. Make sure

everything on the page links back to them giving you

information on how to contact them and why they should be

glad to know about this charity.

4. SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENTIf the no make-up selfies and ALS bucket challenge taught us

anything it’s that people love to tell people they’re giving to charity.

Encourage this by offering discounts or even free tickets to people

who share the event online or something along those lines!

5. SELL TICKETS & TAKE DONATIONSWhen people are already spending money they often prefer to

do most transactions in one go. With this in mind offer people the

chance to donate early. Once people are at the event chances

are they’ll donate again anyway.

6. TAKE DONATIONS EVERYWHEREPromote this everywhere over all of your social networks and

sites. It’s what they’re there for!

7. FOLLOW-UP!Message to thank everyone! It’s only polite and be sure to further

down the line give a demonstration of where their money went

and the positive effect they’ve had. Then start gently reminding

them of your next event but be sure not to nag and don’t just ask

for money.

CHARITY EVENTS – A BREAKDOWN

Whilst doing pro-bono work can look brilliant for you company it can also be some of the most satisfying work you do in your career. When we talk to the greats about the best moments they’ve had professionally it’s the work that they do for others that truly brings a smile to their faces. We asked our charitable partners about how they’ve managed to succeed when organising events in the hope these tips will inspire you and help your charity event raise more money.


HOW TO KEEP YOUR BUDGET ON TRACK

Without a budget you’re essentially planning with tunnel vision. Yes that venue you saw was perfect but when it costs more than your entire staff’s salary to rent, you may need to reconsider. Here’s our checklist of what you need to think of before planning anything.

1. REVIEW ANY AND ALL EXPENSESReview all areas of your event starting from the venue contract

to speaker fees to entertainment and giveaways. All elements of

your event require a checklist to make sure they’re accounted for.

It’s a huge benefit to have worked with the same vendors over

and over again, as you know how they require payments to be

handled, and how your company or business prefers to manage

payments. Remember every supplier is different, so having a

master list of every person you work with is a great idea to help

keep track and manage your budget at the end of the event.

2. SET GOALS Once you have an overall idea of what your budget should

realistically be, plus a master list of all of your vendor contacts,

take a step back and measure attendance goals.

Registration pages are practically a necessity in this day and age.

Monitor how many attendees are coming from the moment they

RSVP. Any sponsors should also have detailed packages for

the planning and execution of the event. No all two are equal

and neither should be treated the same.

If you are looking to profit financially from the event be sure to

make a note of where and when (your accounts department

will be grateful.

Have weekly meetings to discuss what new and unexpected

expenditures you may have to stay on top of things and create

new Goals lists.

3. MAKE A PLAN OF ACTIONYou always need a plan B. It’s a rule instilled in all of us thanks

to Scooby Doo and it’s a worthwhile rule if there ever was one.

It’s a great idea to have a small back-up budget as a go-to,

must-have, hand in the piggy jar moment. This budget should

only be used for absolute event emergencies. Make a list

of what those emergencies could be, and hand it out to the

event staff as well (you never know who’ll need to run to get an

emergency latte)

3 WAYS TO KEEP

AN EVENT BUDGET ON

TRACK


COST SAVING STRATEGIES FOR MEETINGS

Cost-Savi n g Strateg i es fo r M eeti n gs

for a face-to-face meeting when planning begins, and then host

regular conference calls or virtual meetings to touch base in the

months leading up to the event.

REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION.Pasquale Semeraro, general manager of PTE Productions, says

modern equipment such as battery-powered lighting and energy-

optimized audio systems can potentially cut electricity charges by

thousands of pounds.

THINK LONG-TERM TO GET THE MOST OUT OF WHAT YOU’RE BUYING. Develop graphics that can be reused from meeting to meeting,

year after year. Invest in a stage set that is adaptable, with

elements that can be moved around. “For example, lighting and

imagery can be used in different ways to make the same stage

always feel fresh and interesting,” says David Solsbery, executive

director of design for Hargrove.

Pinching pennies has never been fashionable (2008 is so out) but sometimes it’s simply a necessity. Here’s tips from event professionals on how to make your accountant happy and colour your boss impressed

BE FLEXIBLE. “The market has turned to a seller’s market, which means

hotels can pick and choose their business,” says Marcy Rodner,

national account manager at Experient. Organisers can create

budget options by considering multiple locations and dates and

alterations to the event schedule can also save money. Maybe

try starting a multiday event after lunch to eliminate the need to

provide an extra meal.

PLAN AHEAD. Rob O’Brien, sales and operations manager for PTE

Productions “Early planning provides suppliers with more

options, which will always save the client money. It allows us to

ensure the equipment and labor needed for the job is confirmed

and available,” If the supplier has to jump through hoops and

disrupt his operations to get the client what he wants, there’s

a price for that.”

MAINTAIN OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

“So many planners work with each vendor directly and don’t

encourage or allow cross-communication,” says Ron Bracco,

executive director of Hargrove. One strategy: Gather everyone


EVENT FOUNDATION AND CREATION

STEP 1. GET CLEAR ON YOUR EVENT

You’ll have three main questions for this stage,

What is your event type?

What is the “content” of your event?

What is your event’s goal?

Also how will you market your event? Got a sales team? Media

coverage? Consumer awareness?

Write down the most important things you want to accomplish

with your event. These notes will make other crucial decisions

down the line a bit simpler and create a skeleton for you event

STEP 2. FIGURE OUT FUNDING

Look into sponsors and event partners. Who makes sense as

a sponsor or partner? Who might increase the event value and

experience for your guests? What can you offer them?

Also think about the longevity of the potential relationship

formed with these brands. If you want something in particular

at your event be crafty and find someone who can offer you it

and show them a template with the details of your event, your

business history, your prediction for the event’s numbers, what

you would like, and what you can promise in return.

STEP 3. VENUE!

Does it suit your audience?

Does it add value to your event?

Is it within your budget?

Also think about the space, location and as boring as it seems

car park facilities.

STEP 4. CHOOSE A DATE AND TIME

What does a typical day/week look like for your potential

guests? Are there any times or dates you know they’re likely

to be busy? And for God’s sake don’t forget to check your

calendar for holidays!

THE FOUNDATIONOF AN EVENT


CREATING CONTENT AT YOUR EVENT

HOW TO CREATE

Showing content at events is sometimes difficult. You want to do something different to your last event but certain ideas are just too good. Here’s our top twenty ideas to turn your company’s event into marketing devices

1. Assemble live tweets into presentation recaps.

2. Video attendees at the event talking about why they decided

to attend the event.

3. Video attendees on what they are learning and the value they

are getting from the event.

4. Video attendees about why people not at the conference

should attend next year.

5. Get all kinds of digital photos – presenters, content, party

pics, etc.

6. Video exhibitors on what their companies can do for

attendees.

7. Get presenters to share additional details, insights, or

thoughts about their presentations.

8. Write articles from the content that you have captured on

video.

9. Create lists of the best tweets from the event.

10. Invite attendees to write blog posts or share other content

they have created.

11. Grab images from videos you have shot.

12. Turn photos and video snippets into a closing video for the

event.

13. Turn audio from video interviews into podcasts.

14. Create a presentation highlights Slideshare with three high

impact slides from each presentation.

15. Recruit a social media team to generate content from more

perspectives within the event.

16. Ask open-ended questions on the pre- and post-conference

surveys about the issues, opportunities, and learning needs

attendees see. Turn the results into articles.

17. Ask attendees what questions were not answered and answer

these in future blog posts.

18. Invite presenters to submit blog posts or articles for the

conference website.

19. Solicit attendees for guest blog posts they prepare after the

conference and give a prize to everyone who creates content.

20. While it is tempting to upload 50 pictures to a Facebook album

because it is easy to do all at once, distribute the content over

time so you do not inundate your audience.

AT EVENTSCONTENT


CHOOSING A CONFERENCE VENUE

Choosing a Property for Your Business Conference

What audio-visual equipment is provided? It’s 2014. Enough

said.

Is there sufficient wireless Internet access? Go to the Venue

and check this beforehand. Often there are dead spots

Does the venue support our ideals? It is important to find a

venue that promotes your company’s values. For example If you

strive to maintain an eco-friendly business, you should choose a

venue that can host an eco-friendly conference

Are fun activities available? Team building is the unspoken goal

of a conference and a good activity before or after can add a huge

morale boost.

Can guests park onsite? Also public transport links and local

cab numbers are a good thing to have on hand

In an age where most communication is done online a successful business conference can often bring to light problems you previously thought were dealt with. The first step in orchestrating such a conference is finding the right property to accommodate you and your guests but you’ll also need to know what you should actually be asking for. Here are a few pointers;

How many people can we fit? Also is there any chance for

add ons at the last minute?

Is the space versatile? Can you move about any of the

equipment and possibly move into another room if needs be?

Are meeting packages available? Often these include lunch

and coffee but make sure to weigh up whether it’ll mean you

sending the temp to Pret.


20/20 SPEED NETWORKING….THE STORY SO FAR

20/20 Speed Networking: 52 events in 3 years!The most effective way to meet the right suppliers and buyers in just a ½ day

26th February 2015

26th March 2015

8th April 2015

23rd April 2015

14th May 2015

21st May 2015

4th June 2015

19th June 2015

2nd July 2015

16th July 2015

17th September 2015

COOL Venues

Meetings, Training and Seminar Venues

Venues with 500+ Capacities

Corporate Dining & Caterers

COOL Events

Teambuilding/Outdoor Events

East London vs West London

Heritage & Quirky Venues

Parties & Events@Night

Sporting Venues

Christmas Parties

Shaka Zulu

CCT Venues Canary Wharf

Bloomsbury Ballroom

Venue: tbc

Top Golf Chigwell

Venue: tbc

Venue: tbc

116 Pall Mall

Venue: tbc

Venue: tbc

East Wintergarden


20/20 SPEED NETWORKING….THE STORY SO FAR

TESTIMONIALS – SUPPLIERS“The quality of buyer at 20/20 Speed Networking event’s is

better than at any event we’ve been to.” - Mike Kershaw, MD

of Concerto Group

‘I am always guaranteed qualified and decision making buyers

at the 20/20 Speed Networking events and am consistently

happy with the outcome of the meetings, which are with people

who genuinely have an interest in our product and want to

do business with us’. - Jackie Boughton, Head of Events,

Barbican

“The event has been amazing. Met some great new customers

and great new leads”. - Sarah McQueen, Head of Events,

40/30 at The Gherkin

I have being involved with 20/20 for the past 2 year. In total

we have signed over £200K worth of new business with the

companies like IGD , Direct line , Owen James and IMG. I

would recommend this product to anyone wanting direct contact

with decision makers in the events industry. - Andy Johnston,

Business Development Manager, Blitz

We have been both delegates and host venue for 20/20

Networking events and have always found them to be very

worthwhile. Great use of time to meet some very relevant buyers

as well as quick catch up on what is happening in the industry.

The organising team are a pleasure to work with.

– Andrew Birnie, Head of Events, Café de Paris

“It’s been a good event and good value. It’s about the quality of

the meetings, not the quantity” - Isla Mckenzie, Head of Events,

Ministry of Sound

“High quality structured meetings + plenty of networking

opportunities = a very successful and enjoyable day” - Antonia

Fagan, Sales Manager, Identilam

‘OVER £100,000,000 (THAT’S £100 MILLION) IN COLLECTIVE EVENT BUYER BUDGETS WAS REPRESENTED AT 20/20 SPEED NETWORKING EVENTS IN 2014’

...WE LET OTHERS DO THE TALKING FOR USTESTIMONIALS – BUYERS“20/20 is a great event, wide choice of different suppliers at all

20/20 events I’ve attended. A really efficient use of my time. I’ve

recommended it to the dozens of other event organisers and PA’s

I know” - Liz Smith, Coca Cola Enterprises

“I thought the event was really worthwhile, and

I’ve now got so many people I want to meet and follow up with.

Thank you so much for letting me be part of a successful event.”

- Hayley Saunders, Deloitte

20/20 networking events are always so useful great suppliers and

venues all under one roof. The added bonus is that you get to meet

all 20 suppliers in back to back meetings all in one morning. I’ve

made great contacts at these events and business relationship

have been formed, it’s the perfect combination for a networking

event. - Ryan Curtis, DRP Group

“Well presented. I have taken away many positives.’ - Jackie

Witter, HSBC

“Would definitely recommend it to many people in my company.

Really useful.” -Valerie Bamford, Barclays

Attending 20/20 networking events, provides me with a deeper

insight on suppliers associated with the 20/20 event theme.

Whether the event is focused on sport stadiums, Christmas party

venues or unusual spaces, the creditable contacts and information

I retrieve from those events, is hugely beneficial to share with my

peers. - Rob Morgan, Banks Sadler

TO BE A PART OF 20/20 AND FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: WWW.PRESTIGEEVENTSMAGAZINE.COMCALL 01708 737393


BEST EVENT LIGHTING IDEAS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

If you are asking yourself if you need lasers at your event forevent lighting, there are many reasons that the answer

should always be “YES!” Lasers have the ability to sync with your playlist, be programmed to draw shapes and photos on

surfaces, and span across your entire audience whatever the size.

YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

B estEVENT LIGHTING IDEAS

1. MOTORIZED LIGHTING STRUCTURESSomething blow your attendees minds, a motorized lighting structure is a lighting engineer’s dream and can simulate

movements and is guaranteed to captivate the imaginations of everyone seeing them. It involves a framework and

controlled motors where an event lighting engineer can program the movements. If you are having trouble picturing it

watch the video below (its pretty insane)

2. LED BEAM/SPOTSBeams and Spots are moving lights that are the ones you’re probably most familiar with as theyre often used outside

of the event world at cinemas and even nightclubs. They are programmed with cues, positions, colors, and patterned

movements to add an intuitive feel to event lighting.

3. LASERS


CAPITALIZE ON VIDEO ENGAGEMENT


Enticing an audience to get them to attend an event will always have its go to’s. Whilst a great website, an event app and competitions are still an essential, video marketing can often fall to the back burners. Media theorist John Berger said that “Seeing comes before words” and video is the preferred communication style for a lot of today’s tech-savvy event attendees. Seeing a visual update in a fun way, is more appealing than a text-heavy email and video creates a strong impact with connection for any viewer.

Here are the top ways event planners can capitalize on the power

of video engagement,

1. REPORT UPDATES AS THE HAPPEN

Instagram and Vine allow you to reach your audience on a far

more personal level than email has previously afforded whilst

giving you the chance to reach new clients, and 15 or 30 second

shots can keep attendees up-to-date and socially aware about

what’s trending at an event. Through video, you’re allowing a

visual representation of the event to be shown, so make it count.

2. LIGHTS. CAMERA. PERSONALIZE.

Make sure your content is valuable and if you’re selling a

product in your booth, create fun, informative short-form videos

that walk people through your product and brand. These are

meant to be shorter than a product demo so be snappy and

make sure to drive home what you’re selling.

3. VIDEO IS KING

Video content rules all when it comes to social media today.

Why not use video to promote contests and giveaways taking

place at events? Seeing the prizes given away at events and

also the winners makes the use of video so much more fun with

lots of brands using video to promote their company at events.

4. TELL A STORY!

Any video should have two goals – engage with the viewer,

and tell a story. Be creative – use music, animation, anything

that makes the story compelling and thoughtful. Or create

a Hyperlapse video of your day at an event? There’s a story

behind every brand!

4 Ways to Capitalize on the Power of Video Engagement

CAPITALIZE ON VIDEO ENGAGEMENT


5 EVENT TECH TERMS EVERY PLANNER SHOULD KNOW

5 EVENT TECH TER MS EVERY PLAN N ER SH O U LD KN OW

BANDWIDTHIn the context of the Internet, bandwidth refers to the volume of

information per unit of time that a connection can handle.

LINE-ARRAY SYSTEMMultiple speakers hung in vertical rows. This audio technology

provides accurate sound to all attendees throughout a large

space such as a ballroom.

MIXERMixes all the sources of audio (including microphones, DVD, CD

and video) into a signal that can be run through speakers.

REAR PROJECTIONWhen a projector sits behind the screen, so all the equipment is

hidden from the audience. This works best when a speaker wants

to walk in front of the presentation.

STINGA short burst of music or fanfare that is often used when someone

takes the stage or approaches the podium.

Talking to the AV guy can often make us feel inadequate. We may not be able to talk to teenagers anymore but goddamit we’ll try our hardest to make it seem like we know what we mean beyond “make the lights swirl and be red”. Here are a few terms you can drop into light conversation


HOSTING A VIRTUAL EVENT

CONSIDER A FULLY VIRTUAL MEETING WHEN:

• The in-person audience would be small. If the number of

people attending your event in person would be much less

than those tuning in online, consider eliminating the face-to-

face event.

• Cost is an issue. Hosting a physical event comes with a

variety of potential costs, and by eliminating the physical event,

resources can focus on creating a high-quality online

experience.

• There are logistical issues. For example if you need to inform

multipleofficesaboutacompanyupdate,ratherthansending

a team around the country delivering a presentation the same

team could contribute to infographic or a video series.

• To produce an effective virtual event:

• Model it on TV programs, prep your speakers, try to engage

with your online audience and structure content in segments.

Also keep it short! Less than 20 minutes ideally

When potential business partners aren’t in the same city, or even country, a skype call is often a great alternative to a meeting that’ll see you lose valuable hours travelling. But what about when it comes to hosting an entire event virtually?

Live-streaming events has become popular as technology has improved, costs have come down, and planners tap into the opportunity to reach a much bigger audience. But when does it make sense to produce an event solely for online participation? Kevin Larstone of Create If, an event production company that predominantly works with corporate clients throughout Canada states “There’s always value in doing a live meeting, but the return on investment is something that can only be measured by how deep a client’s pockets are. If you are plotting your course based on what your audience needs, that will tell you whether you should do a live presentation or a virtual presentation,“ he says. “With either one, the outcome you are looking for is some level of engagement. Just passively providing a feed to an audience without engaging them is a waste of money.” Here are some of his suggestions for when a virtual meeting may be the appropriate strategy and tips on how to execute

it effectively.

When and How to Host a Fully Virtual Event


DETOX YOUR EVENT

Last year saw Kale become a trend. Herbalife is on every street corner and frankly it’s just weird if you don’t have a gym membership in this day and age. It can be easy to drop the health kick when you get to the office and not only stress takes over but the catering options require lying to your personal trainer. Creating healthier menus and breaks is a great start, and here are some additional activities we’ve seen at events with much success:

Short fitness breaks between sessions to help stimulate

blood flow and reenergizing meeting attendees. Also a great

teambuilding exercise!

Incorporate yoga and breathing exercises as part of the itinerary

so attendees go home not only feeling relaxed but equipped

to better manage daily stresses at work. (These exercises are

especially popular with our sales and internal meetings.)

Create electronic versions of key takeaways – the less paper

attendees take home, the less clutter in their workspaces. By

creating clean, clutter-free work spaces, workers are more

productive and less overwhelmed. Email roundups are a great

idea and something we use regularly at our 20/20s.

Take the meeting outdoors (if weather allows) – fresh air and

sensory stimuli can reawaken a group, resulting in fresh ideas,

inspiration and relaxation.

Include nutrition information on menus and food labels to raise

awareness of healthy eating.

West Wing it and hold walking meetings. Plus fresh air is a

great stimulant.

Place health magazines and journals around the common

break spaces.

detox your event


EVRYTNG GETTG SHOTR

EVERYTHING IS GETTINGSHORTER…Or should that be Evrythng is gtting shrter? Or Everything Shorter? Or even just ‘Shorter?’ We’ve known this was coming since twitter first blew up and sites demanded that whilst they wanted us to make our point we must do so in haste.

So what does this mean for marketing? Rather than viewing it as restricting many sites are using it to drive traffic through use of GIFS, Shorter clips and graphs that rely on visually compelling features over in depth analysis.

What does this mean for you?1. ABBREVIATE People don’t have time to hear your waffle. Keep it short.

2. RELY ON HUMOURGIFs are at their best when funny. Source accordingly.

3. DON’T RUSH You still want to be memorable. Focus on that image and prepare to make an impact.


VENUE FOCUS: EGG LDN


Always keeping design and aesthetics at the forefront, Egg LDN’s

recent makeover of the venues garden has allowed for a heated

and covered space to be reinvented into a warm and homely,

winter ski lodge; an area for guests to socialise and have a drink

during the colder months in a welcoming, seasonal environment.

The ability to adapt at this scale is something only a limited

number of venues can boast, easily making the transition from

the summer to winter months. The ski lodge will officially launch

on the 9th December at the annual Christmas Industry party, one

of many parties throughout the year when friends and supporters

of the venue are treated to the Egg Events hospitality and wowed

by the creativity involved.

The rebranding and renovation of Egg LDN’s loft and roof terrace,

VR5, and this year’s newly extended 2nd outside terrace, are

other examples of the venues continuous strive to stay ahead

in such a competitive market place. Seeking to draw in a wider

audience offering the most current musical entertainment,

catering trends and themes is of the upmost importance and Egg

Events in association with Egg LDN have nailed this to a fine art.

It’s time to step out of the box and work with a versatile venue

with a twist. Let the team lead you into a land of fantasy and fun.

A venue perfect for summer and winter events and designed to

cater for your event whatever it may be. www.egglondon.net

For enquiries contact [email protected]

VENUE FOCUS: EGG LDN

“One of the most quirky and flexible venues in central London. Every room offers a unique experience” - Wesley Mendy, Founder, Prestige Events Magazine, and COOL Venue Awards.

Egg LDN’s recent nomination in DJ magazine’s ‘Best of British’ is of no surprise to those affiliated with the dance music world but 2015 also sees the re-emergence of Egg LDN as a respected venue within the corporate sector and amongst the events industry.

The long term success of Egg LDN is down to the ongoing reinvention of its design and look, with the venues versatility enabling it to embrace many types of creative events, easily adaptable to the clients needs. And this is all complimented with expertise held by the entire field of the venue and events management team. In the past 12 months the venue has proved itself a trendsetter in today’s constantly evolving event market by continuously hosting both large and small events for the public and corporate sectors alongside the ISES UK annual AGM and a majorly successful showcase.

Recent Industry analysis shows the nightclub industry has taken a 4.7% annual decrease and with the legislation that has extended licensing hours and banned smoking indoors, businesses need to continuously adjust to stay ahead.

THE GREATRe-inventor


SUPPLIER FOCUS: LICK ME

LI CK M E I’m Delicious


Q/ WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOU GETTING INVOLVED IN CORPORATE EVENTS?

I sort of fell into it to be honest, I grew up on an ice cream farm

and I was trying to invent a machine which could make any

flavour of ice cream - which was where the nitro ice cream

parlour was born - and the business has just grown from there

really and we’re constantly adding new things into the mix -

we’re working on a portable chocolate factory at the moment

and a jellybean waterfall.

Q/ YOU HAVE A VARIED CLIENT PORTFOLIO. CARE TO NAME A FEW? AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL WAS THE DEFINING FACTOR IN ESTABLISHING YOUR RELATIONSHIPS? Google,

Sony, Barclays, 3M, John Lewis, London Zoo, all sorts really.

Innovation is key for us, clients are always on the look out for

something new for their events

Q/ WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH SUCH BIG-NAME CLIENTS? Great, we get to do some pretty

awesome events.

Q/ WHAT PREPARATION GOES INTO YOUR SERVICE? We offer a no-stress service for our clients - we take

care of everything, so they can just leave us to it and get on with

their event.

Q/ HOW IMPORTANT A ROLE DOES ‘COOL’ PLAY IN EVENTS? Haha, no idea. Innovation is key for us though,

all our machines and designed and built in house and our edibles

(be it chocolate, cream, mist or pops) are made using only the

finest ingredients

Q/ HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A BIG EVENT DAY? With lots and lots of very boring planning - timesheets,

logistic papers, checklists, backups, everything to make sure it

all runs smoothly

Q/ WHAT HAVE EXPERIENCED AT ANY EVENT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS THAT HAS REALLY GOT YOU EXCITED? I’ve been doing a lot of work with levitation recently,

developing machines that can levitate alcohol. That’s been pretty

exciting

Q/ WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE CORPORATE EVENTS INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? Well for us, I just can’t wait to have our

chocolate factory built and out there working at events. And the

jellybean waterfall of course. Then we can start working on the

2016 ideas...

SUPPLIER FOCUS: LICK ME

Charlie Harry Francis is the founder of experimental events company Lick Me I’m Delicious. The company specialise in food installations for events centered around their range of fantastical contraptions including the nitro ice cream parlour, edible mist machines and instant logopop machine

I’m Delicious


This Summer has seen the nation gripped by sport! We watched on as England were knocked out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, witnessed Djokovic claim victory at Wimbledon, cheered on the Tour De France and welcomed the Commonwealth Games to the UK for Glasgow 2014.

As specialists in team building and corporate events, we’ve

certainly felt the effects of sports fever! Our sports-themed

events have been in high demand, proving to be a fantastic way

to inspire team spirit, as well as being great fun.

We recently organised a football themed event at Sopwell House

in St Albans for KP Snacks. Inspired by the World Cup, the 80

guests were brimming with enthusiasm and enjoyed an action

packed day of activities; from hovercrafts and archery to ‘Shoot

for Goal’ and a Back of the Net Finale. The sporting fun continued

into the evening, as guests had the chance to unwind with pub

games that included table football, air hockey and giant Jenga.

Involving the whole family in your corporate event is a great

way to boost morale by showing your appreciation to staff and

their loved ones. Children and parents (including those who

are big kids at heart!) are bound to enjoy a sports day. United

Biscuits recently treated 500 employees and family members to

a family fun day that included Inflatable Assault Courses, Laser

Tag, Coconut Climbing Trees, Fun Side Stalls and even Donkey

Rides. The event went down a treat with everyone involved!

With the hot weather set to continue, there’s still plenty of time

left to book Summer team building activities or corporate event.

Whether you fancy your very own sports day or something

completely different we have over 100 activities to choose from!

Visit our website at www.demonwheelers.co.uk to find out more

or contact us on 0114 2700330 / [email protected].

DEMON WHEELERSGOES FOR GOLD!

SUPPLIER FOCUS: DEMON WHEELERS


SUPPLIER FOCUS: EFX

The presentation in public of exclusively designed, dazzling awards is the glory moment of many a prestigious event. Renowned for creating inspired and memorable trophies for clients around the world, Special EFX reflects on some of those unique and treasured moments from 2014.

SPECIAL EFX’S GLORY MOMENTS FROM 2014

Top exhibitors celebrate at the Elite Recruitment Event, Estoril Congress Centre, Lisbon

Festival of Media LatAm 2014 Awards held at Fontainebleau, Miami Beach, US

The Good Spa Guide Awards was held at Centre Parcs, Woburn Forest

Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards held at the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly


SUPPLIER FOCUS: EFX

2014 Hertz MotoGP British Grand Prix held at Silverstone

Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA), presented at the Accra International Conference Centre

The first ever World Branding Awards, held at One Whitehall – Robert Opie is honoured

The International Wine Challenge giant trophy, created for 2014’s presentation ceremony at The Grosvenor Hotel

The Miller Music Tour Soundclash DJ battle, held at one of Vegas’s iconic EDM super clubs

Glasgow City were winners of The Scottish Women’s Premier League football trophy

COOL VENUE AWARDS 2015 NOMINEES

(previous winner: Dorchester Collection)

Dorchester CollectionMaybourne Hotel GroupW HotelsRosewoodFirmdaleCrazy Bear GroupElite HotelsRed Carnation HotelsMillennium HotelsMorgans Hotel Group

COOLest Venue Portfolio (previous winner: ITA Venues)

Late Night London Concerto Group Lime Venue Portfolio ETC Venues ITA Venues Searcys Q Hotels Inception group Hoxton Hotels De Vere Venues

(previous winner: Blenheim Palace) Ashdown Park

The BinghamBlenheim PalaceSomerset HouseTower BridgeGleneaglesWeston ParkLuton HooClivedenTower of LondonChurchill War Rooms

COOLest Hotel Chain

COOLest Venue Portfolio

COOLest Country House / Historic Venue

COOLest Boutique Hotel

(previous winner: The May Fair)

The Milestone HotelHotel Café RoyalHam Yard HotelThe AmpersandThe Hoxton Hotel, HolbornME LondonThe AthaneumAce HotelMalmaison LondonThe Zetter

COOLest 'On Water' Venue

(previous winner: Spitbank Fort)

Spitbank FortHMS PresidentTower BridgePig on the Beach, DorsetPontoon, St katherine DockSilver SturgeonHMS BelfastThe YachtBateaux London The Elizabethan

COOLest Sporting Venue

(previous winner: Twickenham)

Emirates StadiumWembley StadiumTop GolfGoodwoodAscotTwickenhamCopperBox, StratfordChelsea FCLords Bounce Ping Pong

Welcome to the nominees shortlist for the 8th annual COOL Venue Awards.Trying to work out ‘who’s COOL?’ is a hard task. It’s a demonstration of which venues are hot, or Michael Jackson would have said ‘Who’s Bad?’It doesn’t matter how your cloth is cut, the reality is that COOL is the greatest currency any one person or thing can possess. How original, stylish, authentic,, innovative, aspirational is your appeal? So enjoy the list, and remember this list is not just the collective choices of our editorial team on Prestige Events magazine, it is a panel of judges from leading and vibrant agencies such as Zibrant, DRP, Chew Events, Shoutabout London, and Caxton Manor, as well as corporates such as Channel 4 and Pret A Manger. So here is the COOL list….(..and don’t forget to follow the #coolvenueawards on twitter and other social media)

COOLest Museum / Gallery

(previous winner: Science Museum) Science MuseumThe V&ABritish MuseumImperial War MuseumNatural History MuseumMuseum of BrandsNational Portrait GalleryLondon Transport MuseumSaatchi GalleryMuseum of LondonWhite Cube

COOLest Conference / Exhibition Centre

(previous winner: The O2) Barbican Congress Centre The Crystal The O2 ACC Liverpool QEII Centre Alexandra Palace Business Design Centre SECC Royal College of SurgeonsImperial College

COOLest for Film Premiere After-Parties

(previous winner: The Roof Gardens) Café de Paris Cirque le Soir The Roof Gardens The Playboy Club 195 Bafta Aqua Radio Bar at ME London Ace Hotel Indigo 2 One Embankment

(previous winner: Mercedes Benz World)

COOLest for Corporate Fun

Harry Potter Studios Alton Towers Go Ape Hot Tub Cinema Center Parcs - Woburn Forest Mercedes Benz World Abbey Road Studios Namco Bounce Ping Pong Top Golf London Zoo

COOLest for Awards Ceremonies

(previous winner: Café de Paris)

The Hurlingham Club East Wintergarden Roundhouse Warner Bros Studio Tour London Troxy V&A Museum Bafta 195 Piccadilly Royal Albert Hall Café de Paris The O2 The Roof Gardens

COOLest for Gala’s

(previous winner: Vinopolis)

Vinopolis Middle Temple Hall Banking Hall Searcys at The Gherkin Rushton Hall The Brewery OXO 2 The Ivory Vaults Royal Naval College LSO St Lukes Dutch Hall

(previous winner: Mercedes Benz World)

COOLest for Corporate Fun

Harry Potter Studios Alton Towers Go Ape Hot Tub Cinema Center Parcs - Woburn Forest Mercedes Benz World Abbey Road Studios Namco Bounce Ping Pong Top Golf London Zoo

COOLest for Awards Ceremonies

(previous winner: Café de Paris) The Hurlingham Club East Wintergarden Roundhouse Warner Bros Studio Tour London Troxy V&A Museum Bafta 195 Piccadilly Royal Albert Hall Café de Paris The O2 The Roof Gardens


(previous winner: Vinopolis) Vinopolis Middle Temple Hall Banking Hall Searcys at The Gherkin Rushton Hall The Brewery OXO 2 The Ivory Vaults Royal Naval College LSO St Lukes Dutch Hall

COOLest for Small Meetings

(previous winner: De Vere Venues Holborn Bars) Ice Tank De Vere Venues Holborn Bars Library Blue Fin The Arch (Marble Arch) The Connaught White Rabbit Studios ETC Venues Wallacespace RICS Wellcome Collection

COOLest for AGM’s

(previous winner: Freemasons Hall) The Royal Exchange 155 Bishopgate QEII Centre Mermaid Theatre Tate Modern Painters Hall Central Hall Westminster London’s Living Room Magna Science Centre Freemasons HallRoyal Horticultural Halls

COOLest for Product Launches

(previous winner: Saatchi Gallery) Sky Garden Arcelor Mittal Orbit Tower The Sorting Office Old Billingsgate Saatchi Gallery White Space Altitude 360 The Orangery at Kensington Palace The Roof Gardens The Dairy Arts Centre

COOLest for Receptions

(previous winner: The Orangery at Kensington Palace) The Deck Dandelyan, Mondrian Searcy at The Gherkin 195 Bafta The Roof Gardens Hurlingham Club Cutty Sark Sky Garden Mr Foggs Steam & Rye

COOLest for Outdoor Events

(previous winner: Top Golf)

COOLest Members Club

Japanese Garden The Roof Gardens Top Golf Borough Market The HAC Cannon Bridge Roof Gardens Somerset House Mercedes Benz World Center Parcs St Pauls Cathedral

(previous winner: The Playboy Club) The Playboy Club Mortons Club The Groucho Club The Roof Gardens No.5 Cavendish Square Soho House 41 Mayfair Home House Adam Street The Ivy

COOLest Venue Launch in 2014

COOLest Temporary Structure

COOLest Overseas Venue

(previous winner: The Shard Building)

The Sky Garden Arcelor Mittal Orbit Tower Royal Liver Building Ham Yard Mondrian Banking Hall The Loft Swingers LDN Crazy Garden Chiltern Firehouse Dutch Hall

(previous winner: The Pavilion at the Tower of London)

Serpentine Pavilion The Deck The Fountain Room - Bloomsbury Big Top Selfridges Roof Garden The Pavilion at the Tower Of London Battersea Evolution HAC Artillery Gardens Syon Park Tom’s Terrace Cannon Bridge Roof Gardens

(Grand Excelsior Malta) Sagrada Familia Sheraton Huhzou Hot Spring Resort Burj Khalifa W Verbier Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai The Rockefeller Building, New York The Highline, New York Grand Excelsior Malta

COOLest Venue Architecture

(previous winner: V&A Museum)

Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard Royal Opera House The Crystal Royal Albert Hall V&A Museum Blenheim Palace Syon House / Syon Park Banqueting House Somerset House Old Royal Naval College

COOLest Bar / Club

(previous winer: Ministry of Sound)

Shaka Zulu Gilgamesh Dirty Martini Whisky Mist Ministry of Sound Radio Rooftop Bar Egg LDN Café de Paris Mr Foggs DSTRKT

COOLest Restaurant, per se

(previous winer: Ministry of Sound)

Holborn Dining Room Duck + Waffle House of Wolf Tramshed Beach Blanket Babylon Hawksmoor stk at ME by Melia The Chiltern Firehouse Heddon Street Mint Leaf meat liquor

The Arthur Somerset Award

for exampling event charisma

COOLest indian Restaurant


(previous winner: Sir Richard Branson) Winner to be revealed on the night

(new category) Dishoom Mint Leaf Veerashwamy Cinnamon Kitchen

(new category) KenzaHakkasanBonedaddiessushisambaGilgamesh

(Grand Excelsior Malta) Sagrada Familia Sheraton Huhzou Hot Spring Resort Burj Khalifa W Verbier Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai The Rockefeller Building, New York The Highline, New York Grand Excelsior Malta

Holborn Dining Room Duck + Waffle House of Wolf Tramshed Beach Blanket Babylon Hawksmoor stk at ME by Melia The Chiltern Firehouse Heddon Street Mint Leaf meat liquor

(new category) KenzaHakkasanBonedaddiessushisambaGilgamesh

COOLest Middle-Eastern

restaurant

COOLest Italian Restaurant

(new category) KenzaYalla YallaMoma’s

(new category) Verdi Italian Kitchen - Royal Albert Hall Bunga Bunga Theo Randall Café Concerto Jamies italian Restaurants

COOLest French Restaurant

(new category) Brasserie Zedel Balthazar Dining Room Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester Sketch Galvin at The Windows L’escargot Les Trois Garcons

COOLest Mediterranean

Restaurant

(new category) Sarastro Iberica Beach Blanket Babylon Copa de cava Mem & Lez, Islington

COOLest British restaurant

(new category) Hinds Head Bray Lanes of London Bumpkin Roast Thackereys The Guinea The Folly The Parlour Kettners

(new category)

COOLest American Restaurant

Christopher’s Avenue (D&D) Bodeans Smiths of Spitafields Steam & Rye Meat Liqour The Big Easy Red Dog Saloon

COOLest Afro-Caribbean

Restaurant

(new category) Shaka Zulu Cottons Caribbean Scene Glistening Waters Mango Room The Rum Kitchen Mango Shack

COOLest Latin American

Restaurant

COOLest South American

Restaurant

(new category) CevichePeyoteWahacaGauchoFloriditaBarrio East

(new category) SushisambaCabanaCervicheRodizo RicoGuanabara

(new category) Brasserie Zedel Balthazar Dining Room Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester Sketch Galvin at The Windows L’escargot Les Trois Garcons

(new category) Christopher’s Avenue (D&D) Bodeans Smiths of Spitafields Steam & Rye Meat Liqour The Big Easy Red Dog Saloon

(new category)


COOL VENUE ARCHITECTURE

By Stuart Groves of Shoutabout London

Architecture

CO O LVENUE



(alright, slightly biased on that one).

So when we were asked to give a list of venues with the coolest

architecture in London, we thought long and hard about how

to approach it. Do we just list the above venues, which you all

know? And let’s face it, do a pretty ‘C Grade’ GCSE write up on

places that have had a thousand more educated men than us

waxing lyrical about the designs/decor and structure. I’ve got

a friend who is a direct descendant of Sir Christopher Wren.

She’s his great, great (x however many) granddaughter. No,

really! She’s a metal worker. Trust me, you don’t want to p*ss

her off.

So what we decided was to stick to our strengths. Here’s our list

of some of our favourite spaces in London. Not because of the

location, not because of the staff and certainly not because of

how stunning they look on the horizon. Simply, (and in the true

Prestige Events fashion) because of how cool the rooms are.

After all, beauty is on the inside.

THE CRYPT Walking into a medieval church is always going to be alluring

to the child in me. Even if I’m not religious in any way and am

People always us ask ‘What’s your favourite venue in London?’ But that’s like asking: What’s your favourite song? What’s your favourite bar? What’s your favourite position? Amongst other things, it all depends on: Who you’re with, what mood you’re in and what you’re doing at the time.

In terms of stunning architecture: the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal

Opera House, St. Pauls Cathedral, the Royal Naval College and

the V&A. All, literally, jaw dropping when you first enter them.

This affects everyone, not just people with a PHD in Architecture.

Why?

Well, one thing they all have in common is size. The width

and height of the ceilings help create such capacious rooms,

you can’t help but get that overwhelming feeling of your own

humanity. It’s like the first time you go to a football match and see

50,000 people together. Of course, even knowing very little about

the history of a building, you can still sense it in some places.

Certain venues have an aura: St Paul’s, The Tower of London,

Westminster Abbey *coughs* the Emirates stadium



sprinting to my thirties faster than Linford Christie after a fresh

shot of Nandrolone. It helped that I was told going in that Henry

VIII held his three day wedding feast here in 1531. Someone

who loves history like me will always get that tingly feeling on the

back of the neck, when I close my eyes and try and picture the

past in front of me. The revealed brick work, stain glass windows

and stone floor helps immerse you in this history. The lack of

daylight and beamed ceiling gives it a Da Vinci code mysticism.

We’ve been pushing this place for 18 months now and held three

fantastic events.

ONE EMBANKMENT When we start to operate our own venues again, this would be

the type of space we’d want in our portfolio. Exactly what you

expect from the ‘ONE group’: different, top end and as cool

as it gets. This latest ‘One’ venture is sequestered under the

Embankment, an exemplification of chic decadence. There’s

a 360° balcony overlooking the main space downstairs and an

elaborate staircase for you to do your Kate Winslet in Titanic bit.

There’s a great area for live bands and music, with little pockets

of extra space for privacy. The best thing about this venue is its

flexibility. You’d be quite at home dressing down in jeans with

your tattoos out for a gig, or wearing a tux and having a 3 course

meal with the unsinkable Molly Brown.

THE IVORY VAULTS From this list you’ll be able to tell we’re suckers for revealed

brickwork. This venue is well known for the Medieval Banquet and

themed nights it hosts, to both the general public and corporates

- by the way it’s a cracking night out if you haven’t been. Who

doesn’t want to scream for more beer and shout ‘WENCH’ whilst

simultaneously banging their goblet on the table. I must admit I did

flinch for the first hour or so, expecting my mum to slap me round

the back of the head (she used to hate me doing that) - The main

space of the venue is met by several alcoves on each side, making

the focal point for each table of guests slightly different. Perfect for

immersive entertainment.

THE MAGAZINE RESTAURANT One of the things that make this the greatest city in the world is the

juxtaposition between old and new - the Shard popping up on the

landscape behind the Tower of London for instance.

That being said: there is a massive lack of contemporary venues

in the capital. That’s why the Magazine restaurant offers something



so different to other spaces. Almost futuristic in its design, flooded

with light, with a tiny bit of that brickwork we love so much. It’s

kind of like walking into an extremely expensive kitchen design

store; it’s so clean and slick. With slightly more provocative

furniture it wouldn’t look out of place to have ‘Moloko Vellocet’

written on the wall.

THE WALDORF PALM COURT We keep banging on about this space, but - unapologetically - I’m

going to mention it again. The first time I entered Palm Court, it

really took my breath away. Magisterial in its elegance, it’s one of

those times you feel really lucky to be in events. You get that “how

else would a gal like me, end up in a place like this” moment of self-

deprecation. We finally managed to get an event secured in here

last October and that definitely ticked off a top ten on our London

events ‘bucket list’.

It’s bright and airy, with not an inch wasted, from its glass ceiling,

via its stunning pillars down to its marble floor. I feel like every time I

do a site visit here, I should be wearing a toga and carrying a scroll

talking about mathematics. In fact, watch this space.

THE TUDOR BARN (ELTHAM) This write up is all about the inside of venues, so I won’t mention

the stunning grounds and medieval moat surrounding the Barn

(In fact I’m not going to mention that it’s got a Moat twice).

It’s all that remains of a country mansion built for Thomas More’s

daughter. Another fascinating historical building that London is so

lucky to have. I love the beamed ceilings that are synonymous

with these types of buildings. With such a beautiful and flexible

space, you can see why so many events here are perfectly

executed (oops, bad choice of words).

LOFT STUDIOS This studio in Willesden offers something cool and a little different

(not many venues overlook a graveyard). The oak floors, high

vaulted ceilings and white walls, combined with an abundance

of natural daylight make it a sought-after location for daytime

events. Its warehouse look gives it the kind of ‘Manor house

shared accommodation’ feel, so popular with the ‘20 something’

young professionals of today. Hopefully, there’s a few less bongs

smoked here in the early hours.



20/20 ‘VENUES WITH 500+ CAPACITY SPEED NETWORKINGTHEME: VENUES WITH 500+ CAPACITYDATE: 10.4.14HOST VENUE: ALTITUDE 360www.altitudelondon.com

SYNOPSIS: 20 corporate event buyers requiring event venues that have a hold capacities of over 500 people, meeting 20 likeminded venue suppliers in the settings of the ultra-charismatic Altitude 360, an ideal setting for this themed event and a multi-category winner in the COOL Venue Awards.

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: Concerto Group, Indigo2 / Eventim Apollo, Edgbaston, One Moorgate PlaceAwesome Events / Bloomsbury Big Top, Warwick Conferences, Ministry Of Sound, Altitude 360, Chelsea Fc, Egg LondonCafé De Paris, Imperial College, The Brewery, Lancaster London, Old Billingsgate, Demon Wheelers, Saatchi Gallery

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Legalease Ltd, Fisher Productions, Travel Weekly, Energy Uk, Mckinsey & CompanyPearl, Rock & Raven, Flare Communications, 1 Stone Buildings, Hillgate Solutions, Horizon, Drive Productions, Smart LiveEden Essential Events, Concerto Live, Cwt Uk, Crazy Cow Events, Sennheiser Uk Ltd, Chew Events

20/20 ‘CORPORATE DINING AND CATERERS’ SPEED NETWORKING

THEME: CORPORATE DINING AND CATERERSDATE: 24.4.14HOST VENUE: DUTCH HALL www.limone.co./dutch-hall-event-venue/

SYNOPSIS: 20 corporate event buyers demanding par excellence and charisma for their corporate dining occasions, speed networking with 20 suppliers with the ability to meet the demands head-on.

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: Dutch Hall, Stationers Hall, Mint Leaf, Steam And Rye, Tastour, Ita*, Clockjack OvenHedsor House, St Pancras Marriott, One Moorgate Place, Chamberlains, One Great George St, The London KitchenLifes Kitchen, De Vere Venues, Zafferano, Champagne Welcome

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Crazy Cow Events, Panacea Publishing International, Caxton Manor, Flare CommunicationsEden Essential Events, The Guardian, Blue Ice Management, Wellbeing Of Women, E2e Events, Conzortea TradeairChannel 4, Unilever, Pure Events, Mazars, Newsquest Specialist Media, Directline Insurance, Fisher ProductionsWaitrose Ltd, The Guardian, Willmott Associates, Smith & Williamson

20/20 ‘COOL EVENTS’ SPEED NETWORKING

THEME: COOL EVENTSDATE: 14.5.14HOST VENUE: : UNDER THE BRIDGE, AT CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUBwww.underthebridge.co.uk

SYNOPSIS: 20 corporate event buyers requiring the COOLest event venues and services, meeting 20 matched-suppliers in the settings of an amazing live music events venue located under the main stand at the world-famous Chelsea FC. An ideal setting for this themed event.

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: Top Golf, Megabooth, Demonwheelers, Blenheim Palace, Chelsea Fc, Concerto, Late Night London, Hurlingham Club, Dean Taylor, Vanity Van, Vega Entertainers, Blitz, Steam And Rye, London Zoo, Partridge Events, Dutch Hall, Egg London, Efx, Optix Events

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Beau Production, Silver And White Occasions, Infiniti Events Management Ltd,Thinkers Live, Hearst Magazines, 4Ward Communications, E2e Events, Nestle, Caxton Manor, Diageo, Eastville Associates, Department Of International Development, Future Plc, Channel 4, C Soul Media, Tba Plc, Shiv Events, Lynch-Pin Communications, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, The Guardian, Unilever, Esynergy Solutions, The City Uk, Mazars

20/20 ‘EAST VS. WEST ’ SPEED NETWORKING

THEME: EAST LONDON VENUES VS. WEST LONDON VENUESDATE: 5.6.14HOST VENUE: EAST WINTERGARDENwww. canarywharf.com/east-wintergarden/

SYNOPSIS: An extra unique 20/20 Speed Networking event: 20 corporate event buyers requiring event venues meeting 10 venues from East London, and 10 venues from West London. And no better place to kick it off than the diverse East Wintergarden, famed for it’s incredible flood of light. Enough sunshine to brighten up any event organisers morning.

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: East Wintergarden, Top Golf, Lso Building, De Vere Venues, Crowne Plaza DocklandsThe Hoxton, Cct Venues, Runnymede, Congress Centre, The Roof Gardens, The Drum, Saatchi Gallery, Gallery SohoEgg London, Old Billingsgate, Earlham Street Clubhouse

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Barclays, Knowledge To Action Foundation, Sweett Group, New World, Rssb, Bpm ConsultingShiv Events Ltd, Grass Roots Group, Grass Roots Group, E2e Events, Mazars, Chameleon Pr, Caxton Manor,Grass Roots GroupImperial College (Offsite Events Division), Flare Communications, Banks Sadler, Shout About London, Chew EventsChannel 4, Pearl, Rock & Raven, Unilever

20/20 ‘HERITAGE & QUIRKY VENUES SPEED NETWORKINGTHEME: HERITAGE & QUIRKY VENUESDATE: 19.6.14HOST VENUE: : PAINTERS HALLwww.lifeskitchen.com/venues/painters-hall/

SYNOPSIS: 20 corporate event buyers who stated a need for culture and quirk in the event setting, speed networking with 20 accordingly-matched event venues. And where better to host than at one of the square mile’s most incredible livery halls, Painters Hall, courtesy of Life’s Kitchen.

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: St Pauls Cathedral, Lifes Kitchen/Painters Hall, Royal Hospital Chelsea, Ashridge HouseDe Vere Venues London, Leeds Castle, Historic Royal Palaces, Imperial College, Top Golf, Demon WheelersOne Great George Street, Hurlingham Club, Ita*, Mont Blanc, Banking Hall, Village Underground, The London Winery

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Designers Eye Events, Tonia Inc Pa Services, Cadence Pr, Eventful Ltd, Eastville AssociatesDirectline Insurance, Unilever, E2e Events, Kuoni Group, Caxton Manor, Shout About London, Atlas Travel SolutionsSilver And White Occasions, Crazy Cow Events, Blue Ice Management, Standard Chartered, Mawsonia Ltd.Evolve Events, Wellbeing Of Women, Via Events, Banks Sadler, Grassroots Group, Moelis, Sincura Group, Imperial College (Offsite), Factory Media

20/20 ‘PARTIES & EVENTS@NIGHT SPEED NETWORKING

THEME: PARTIES & EVENTS@NIGHTDATE: 3.7.14HOST VENUE: EGG LDNwww.egglondon.co.uk

SYNOPSIS: 20 corporate event buyers requiring THE MOST charismatic and aspirational party and hospitality venues for their events, speed networking with 20 carefully selected suppliers in the settings of EGG LDN, the absolute ideal setting for this themed event. A venue which is as diverse as the buyers on the day.

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: Ministry Of Sound, Egg London, East Wintergarden, Senate House, Concerto Group, Indigo2Demonwheelers, 30 Euston Square, Warner Bros Studios, Café De Paris, Megabooth, Zaps Magic, Royal Horticultutral HallsThe Roof Gardens, Saatchi Gallery, Blenheim Palace, Blitz, Village Underground, Top Golf, Hawthorn TheatricalImperial College

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Cambridge Associates, Blue Ice Management, Caxton Manor, Sapphire SystemsLegalease, Reward Gateway, Reed Business Information, Prp Architects, Universal City Conferences, Casbah LondonDrp Group, The Guardian, Newsquest Specialist Media, Shout About London, Silver & White Occassions, Jam EventsUnilever, Bt Sport, Slingshot Sponsorship, Exterion Media, Banks Sadler, Xclusive Touch

20/20 ‘SPORTING VENUES’ SPEED NETWORKINGTHEME: SPORTING VENUESDATE: 16.7.14HOST VENUE: EMIRATES STADIUMwww.events.arsenal.com

SYNOPSIS: 20 corporate event buyers seeking to add that aura of greatness to their event, speed networking with 20 sporting venues…and what better setting than a club and stadium recognized for the style, class, efficiency , and aura they possess, The Arsenal, and Emirates Stadium. The occasion was hosted in the halls of the beautiful WM club (not named after our publisher, incidentally, despite what he says).

SUPPLIERS INCLUDED: Stadium Experience, Emirates Stadium, Warwick Conferences, Top Golf, Capital Fm ArenaKia Oval, Lords, Royal Berkshire / Madjeski Stadium, Man City Fc, Chelsea Fc,Roastmaster / The London Bbq,Demon Wheelers, Lancashire Ccc, Leicester Racecourse, Lime Venues, Donnington, Bounce Ping Pong,TwickenhamHawthorn Theatrical, Imperial College

THE 20 BUYERS INCLUDED: Uk Power Networks, Reward Gateway, Rssb, Caxton Manor, Unilever, Thinkers HqKnights Of London, Full Circle, Cambridge Associates, The Stroke Assocation, Shoutabout London, Drp GroupShiv Events, Incom Tours And Events, Vanilla Bespoke, News Uk, Banks Sadler, Casbah, Remote Pa ServicesChew Events, Eastville Associates, Jam Events, Bt Sport


UPCOMING EVENT EXHIBITIONS: CONFEX

STOKE ROCHFORD HALL


Are you responsible for meetings, conferences or events of any size? If so, you need to be at International Confex the UK’s leading event for organisers of both national and international events.

Taking place on 18-19 February 2015 at Olympia London, Confex

is an essential diary date for thousands of professionals looking to

source new spaces and places for their next event, with hundreds

of venues and destinations to compare.

Since 1983 Confex has been a focal point for thousands of event

buyers seeking venues, destination and supplier inspiration.

2015 is no different with hundreds of venues, destinations and

suppliers already signed up to exhibit, view the exhibitor list here.

SO, WHAT’S NEW?Up in the ‘cloud’ you will find over 30 technology stands exhibiting

a wide range of products and services including apps, ipads for

hire, registration systems, audience response systems, smart

walls, badging systems and event planning software to name a

few as well as the new Technovation Station.

The Technovation Station sponsored by Lumi Insight and

Rewind FX is a hands-on area, giving visitors the chance to test

new and emerging event technologies.

Also in the ‘cloud’ you will find the Technology Theatre

that will feature educational sessions on new and emerging

technologies such as iBeacons, Googleglass and other

wearable technologies, holographics and projection mapping.

There will also be hands-on session providing you with latest

tips and tools to incorporate technology into your events more

effectively as well as the new Tech Tables session at the end of

Day 1. View the technology programme here.

Tech Tables, sponsored by Mexia Communications, will give you

the opportunity to hear from and ask our experts for advice, and

guidance the wide variety of event technologies now available.


Responsible?Are you

CHEWTON GLEN



The Tech Tables will include: smart walls, wearable tech, Radio-

frequency identification (RFID) & Near-field communication (NFC)

technologies, registration Systems, Wifi, gamification, holographic

tech, recharging stations as well as hybrid & virtual events. It will

be a fantastic opportunity to find out if, when and how you should

adopt the latest or greatest technology for your events.

For more and all of the latest show news, visit:

www.international-confex.com

SO, WHICH COOL VENUES WILL BE FEATURING AT THIS YEAR’S CONFEX?UNIQUE VENUES OF LONDON

Unique Venues of London is a membership association of 81

specialist properties within the capital. With a wide selection

of heritage and unusual spaces, the organisation caters for

everything, from conferences and receptions to fashion shows and

exciting live experiences.

CHEWTON GLEN

Quintessentially English, 5-star luxury country house hotels

Chewton Glen and Cliveden House are ideal venues for high-

level meetings, incentives and corporate hospitality. Balancing

heritage and evolution they offer superb facilities combined with

unsurpassed levels of effortlessly gracious hospitality.

STOKE ROCHFORD HALL

Stoke Rochford Hall, near Grantham in Lincolnshire is a unique

hotel, conference and banqueting centre with a world class

reputation. A superb Victorian country mansion, set within formal

landscaped gardens and 28 acres of parkland, Stoke Rochford

Hall offers an exceptional standard of hospitality, cuisine and

location.

LENSBURY

The Lensbury is a 4 star hotel, conference centre and premium

leisure club located in 25 acres on the banks of the Thames at

Teddington in south west London. 171 bedrooms, 35 meeting

rooms, extensive leisure, free parking and Wifi.

NÜRBURGRING

With a combination of motorsports events, attractions and

venues, the world-famous Nürburgring racetrack is the place to

host exclusive corporate events or hospitality. The Nürburgring

presents a huge range of options – we have a solution for almost

every personal preference.

LENSBURY



CHEWTON GLEN

NÜRBURGRING



BOWOOD

WHITTLEBURY HALL CONFERENCE, TRAINING CENTRE & HOTEL



BOWOOD

Bowood, set in 2,000 acres of beautiful Wiltshire countryside

has space for a wide range of corporate meetings, events and

teambuilding activities. There is a large conference/banqueting

suite with private terrace, championship golf course, tranquil spa,

boutique hotel and 4 bedroom lodge.

ONE MOORGATE PLACE

One Moorgate Place, a beautiful Grade II listed building in the

heart of London is the perfect venue for your next event. Our

range of versatile rooms showcases the venues stunning

architecture and can cater for up to 600.

WHITTLEBURY HALL CONFERENCE, TRAINING CENTRE

& HOTEL

When it comes to Meetings and Events, we understand how

much individuality matters. Our range of benefits are designed to

meet your needs, from award winning service and flexible event

spaces to our refreshed facilities.

ARDENCOTE MANOR

Ardencote Manor is a four star, privately owned and

independent Hotel in the heart of the Warwickshire with direct

links from London. With 19 state of the art meeting rooms

including superfast broadband and LCD screens with Apple

TV technology. Other facilities include, car parking, 110 4 star

bedrooms, leisure facilities and 83 acres of land including golf

course. Team building activities are available.

ARDENCOTE MANOR


1. FACE-TO-FACE IS STILL THE FRONT-RUNNER.

Whilst meetings over Skype can be of benefit to international

businesses within most industries face to face is still recognised

as having the most impact. American Express recently did a

survey concluding that 74% of attendees believe in-person

meetings hold more value than virtual ones. However the same

survey also found that over 30% would still like the option of

a virtual meeting. I’m sure it has absolutely nothing to do with

wanting to conduct a business meeting in your pyjama bottoms…

nothing at all

2. NEW HOTELS ARE ON THE HORIZON.

The mess 2008 left has shown more signs of improvement with

a CitizenM Tower of London Hotel and a Tobacco Dock Hotel

opening next year. Brighter times are a comin!

3. CONVENTION CENTERS ARE ASKING FOR YOUR INPUT.

With properties hoping to make more bang for their buck

(particularly in East London were venues are incredibly

multipurpose built) it looks like we have entered the era of a

more creative convention center. As existing venues expand

and cities invest more it Centre’s are really beginning to take

shape and compliment the areas they’re in. BizBash recently

highlighted new properties that are relying on meeting planner

perspectives to design more effective spaces.

4. TECHNOLOGY IS MAKING YOUR LIFE EASIER.

Yep it’s everywhere and often out of battery but it is making

things better, quicker, and more easily accessible to your clients

allowing you to not have your time wasted. Even simple apps

like Pocket Planner and other organising tools can allow you

to not have to consult a notebook or Filofax whenever you

need to sort things but rather your always with you Mobile.

Pocket planner in particular lets planners easily determine

recommended F&B quantities, safety requirements and

staffing needs (a must have for us)

Reasons Event PLANNERS SHOULD BE

ThankfuL This Year

REASONS TO BE THANKFUL


WAYS WEATHER CAN AFFECT YOUR EVENT

WAYS WEATHER CAN AFFECT YOUR EVENT

Make sure they don’t feel hurried and know where they can clean

themselves up on arrival.

STAGING

The sun can get in your audience’s eyes and completely ruin a

good third of the day which is a major waste of money. Solution

- If outside make sure the wind direction is in you favour and that

your stage doesn’t have the sun set behind it.

DROWNING DANGER IN CAMPSITES

You can drown in only a couple of inches of water and overnight

tented events often include alcohol. Solution - so keep staff aware

of people should the heavens open up.

DRINKING WATER

People will always drink more water than you expect. Always.

Solution – Overstock. Worst comes to worst you can always stock

up the office for a while longer than expected. It will get used!

STAFF MORALE

When Staff morale hits a low so can your event, and as frustrating

as it may be as a planner it is understandable. Solution – make

sure to have regular meetings and a treat at some point for them

(no matter how small)

In Britain talking about the weather isn’t just small talk but a national pastime, and in our experience these are the forgotten aspects of rubbish weather that can affect your event.

QUEUE PRESSURE

A crowd outside your doors waiting for them to open can very

quickly turn sour should the heavens open and rain down upon

them. Solution – Keep at least three golf umbrellas on standby

and an intern happy to run to the nearest Primark.

SLIPPY FLOORS

Wet outside means wet inside and slippy floors very soon

afterwards. Solution - Management and control measures

should have been identified in the risk assessment and you can

roll them out when you need to.

EXTRA PRESSURE ON MEDICAL

Weather can affect people badly, be it extreme cold or heat

Solution – As much as they’re doing their jobs give them a

helping hand even if it’s just in a cup of tea.

AUDIENCE ARRIVAL PROFILE

Rain can make people look rubbish and arrive late. Solution -


USEFUL WEBSITESUSEFUL WEBSITES

122 PrestigeEventsGuide.com

USEFUL WEBSITESFOOD AND DRINK

Caterers and Party Foodwww.eden-caters.co.ukwww.zafferano.co.ukwww.officediner.co.ukwww.purplegrapecatering.co.ukwww.foodshowltd.comwww.liquidchefs.co.ukwww.munchlunch.com

General Food Retailerswww.caleyco.comwww.regionalfoodanddrink.co.ukwww.freshfood.co.uk

Meat and Charcuterie Specialistswww.realmeatco.sageweb.co.ukwww.bleikers.co.ukwww.blackface.co.uk

Fish Specialistswww.islandseafare.co.ukwww.caleyco.com

Wine, Champagne & Spirits www.bbr.comwww.oddbins.com

Cheese/Dairy Specialists www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.ukwww.colstonbassettdairy.comOrganics/Special Dietswww.freshfood.co.ukwww.somersetorganics.co.uk

Beverage Specialistswww.fortnumandmason.com

Hampers/Giftswww.presentsofmind.co.ukwww.chocolatestore.comwww.fortnumandmason.comwww.aquascutumgifts.com

Deliveries/Takeaways www.deliverance.co.ukwww.officediner.co.uk

Chocolate and Cake Specialistswww.chocolatestore.comwww.theorigionalchocolatefountain.comwww.jane-asher.co.uk

FLOWERS

www.designerflowersuk.com

TRANSPORT

Limousines www.hcdchauffeurdrive.com

Rail

www.trainline.co.ukwww.orient-express.comwww.eurostar.com

HOSPITALITY

Event staffingwww.rcpromo.co.uk

Team building www.leapplc.comwww.bluehat-teambuilding.co.ukwww.www.sundialteamscapes.comwww2.mercedes-benz.co.ukwww.topgolf.comwww.beargryllssurvivalacademy.comwww.swordfightinginternational.comwww.demonwheelers.co.uk

Outdoor

www.owen-brown.co.ukwww.parnhamfunfairs.co.ukwww.igloos.co.uk (luxury loos)www.merlin-fireworks.co.uk

Entertainmentwww.megabooth.com www.krulive.com/krutalentwww.tenorsunlimited.comwww.partypianos.comwww.urbansoulorchestra.co.ukwww.zapmagic.comwww.swordfightinginternational.com

EVENT MANAGEMENT

Creative Event Management www.leapplc.comwww.shoutaboutlondon.comwww.blitzeventsolutions.comwww.optixevents.comwww.tastour.comwww.caxtonmanor.com

Social Mediawww.smileysocialmedia.com

Incentive Giftswww.montblanccorprategift.co.uk

Venue Finderswww.jpeventsltd.comwww.shoutaboutlondon.com

Event Speakerswww.londonspeakerbureau.comwww.speakersforbuisness.com

Event Photography www.mattchungphoto.comwww.hollywren.com

Badges, Wristbands, Lanyards

www.identilam.com

Trophieswww.awardefx.co.uk

Securitywww.redcarpetsecurity.com Printingwww.c3imaging.comwww.gprintsolutions.co.uk

Published by MX4108 Clydesdale RoadHornchurch, Essex, RM11 1AJT:+44 (0)1708 737393F:+44 (0)1708 737389

[email protected]

Copyright of all editorial copy remains the sole propertyof Mx4 Ltd and may not be repro-duced without the prior permissionof Mx4 Ltd. All opinions expressed within this publication remainthose opinions of the feature writer, and neither Prestige Events or Mx4 Ltd hold and liability or responsibility for those opinions,views expressed or photography supplied.

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