When it comes to hosting a corporate function or organising a business events, the right location and venue is everything. Whether you’re based in the UK or abroad, London should be a serious contender for any event planner wishing to take advantage of the most sophisticated facilities available, while maximise delegate attendance.
London has always been one of the most popular destinations in the world, both for business and leisure – the iconic appeal of the UK capital makes it a truly special place to visit. Operating in a fast-paced, highly developed events market geared around the diverse requirements of corporate clients, the city now offers an astonish breadth of venue choices that ranges from plain, functional and budget friendly options to opulent, unique and historic spaces that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
We’ve put together the top 9 reasons why a Central London venue may be the best decision for the success of your next conference or networking event.
Whatever your event requirements, with around 2,000 events venues all over London, you’re spoilt for choice. In addition to the sheer volume, there’s an incredible variety of locations and event spaces for every conceivable type, size and complexity of event. From relaxed hipster eateries to quirky retro spaces, historic elegance to high tech purpose built conference centres, you’re bound to find the perfect venue to fit with your business, brand or product.
The appeal of the UK capital as a global business destination is such that it attracts the most experienced and talented professionals from anywhere in the world. From specialist venue finders to dedicated technical support teams, in-house event managers to outside caterers, with so many valuable industry skills concentrated in one major city, your event will benefit from excellent customer service, making sure that your chosen venue delivers an exceptional experience for your company and your guests.
With any event organisation, it’s worth going the extra mile to make your event that little bit more memorable. London has a vast pool of specialist resources to help you make your event stand out from the rest. From professional photography to Instagram printers and Twitter walls, from state-of-the-art AV technology to jaw dropping stage installations, interior design and decorations, specialist catering and world class entertainments, it’s all there for the taking in the UK capital.
London is a major global transport hub with 5 international airports, an extensive Underground and Overground train network, buses and taxis galore. In terms of accessibility by air, rail and road, you simply can’t get better. What’s more, the infrastructure improvements for the recent 2012 Olympics along with the planned Crossrail east-west train connection makes travelling around London is better than ever before.
Holding your business conference or other event in London, a city with an exceptionally high standing as an international business centre, will give your event credibility and added authority. After all, the city is home to some of the largest organisations in the world, supported by a huge network of PR and media companies and a growing army of new media influencers. In terms of commercial networking opportunities and raising the profile of your brand, London must surely be the place to be.
As one of the world’s leading technology centres, it will come as no surprise to hear that London’s business venue are exceptionally well equipped for even the most demanding digital needs. From fast, secure WiFi, cutting edge AV equipment including video conference and live web streaming facilities and social media engagement, these are standard facilities in many Central London venues. And if you wanted to take your event even further, perhaps by incorporating wearables or VR technology, you couldn’t be in a better place.
The London tourist industry is as vast and varied as it is experienced, operating as it does in a mature market. This means that whether you’re looking for luxury or boutique hotels for your guests, affordable conference accommodation for your delegates, or budget B&Bs and guest houses for your business visitors, you will find plenty of choice, and probably with easy reach of your chosen venue.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations anywhere in the world, London plays host to nearly 20 million visitors per years. World renowned visitor attractions include historic sites such as Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and many more places that showcase the capital’s rich and varied culture and heritage. More contemporary sightseeing locations include the London Eye and the City’s iconic and humorously named office buildings such as The Shard and The Gherkin, as well as many other landmarks that your guests will love to explore.
London is huge on entertainment, and enjoying a West End Show, a major concert or world class opera may be the perfect way to complement business with pleasure. Whether your guests wish to relax with a beer in one of London’s 4,000 or so pubs, or partake in the vibrant nightlife including many world renowned night clubs, or enjoy fine dining in one of the 40,000 food service establishments in the capital, every taste and preference is catered for.
