WEST MIDLANDS
Buyer’s Eye
Stephen Morton Prior, CEO of Clearwater Events Since the lifting of Covid restrictions, Birmingham’s hotels and event spaces are back in action, with
some cracking options to consider when planning your next major function. We have recently used Cineworld in Broad Street for an exclusive venue buy out. It’s one of the largest city cinemas in the UK, with theatre style seating up to 300. The venue comes fully loaded with audio visual packages and the IMAX is a brilliant backdrop for presentations and TED talk style events. There’s also at least four hotels within five minutes’ walking distance. Another of my favourite venues is The Council House in Victoria Square, near Birmingham New Street station. It’s right next to the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and the combined spaces work really well for drinks receptions or gala dinners.
West Midlands venues are seeing delegate numbers bouncing back
Emma Wellstead, founding partner, Warwick Events As a Certified B Corporation, sustainability is important when choosing locations.
in October. Like many other destinations, business tourism in the West Midlands was flattened by the pandemic. But despite a tumultuous two years, delegate numbers look set to bounce back to 10.1 million by 2023, rivalling those recorded in 2019. The West Midlands isn’t just Birmingham either. Paul Jones,
museums, such as Hoar Cross Hall in Staffordshire for retreats, the unique Black Country Living Museum in Dudley for an incentive option and the Belfry Hotel & Resort (pictured below), which has three golf courses, a spa and 20 meeting spaces.
There are currently two large sustainable studios in the Midlands, both exciting blank canvases. These include the 80,000 sq ft Campden Street Studios in Birmingham and the 500,000 sq ft Sky Blue Studios in Coventry. Both buildings were originally retail spaces, so repurposing them adds to their sustainable credentials. For those seeking something traditional, the West Midlands has retained a high number of its stately homes. For example, we recently managed a team away day at Ragley Hall, a venue that combines meetings with incentive activities for that true country retreat feel. Dining through the centuries is a popular choice for events here, starting with a Roman evening at Lunt Fort and finishing the night with a party in an industrial warehouse party in Digbeth.
managing director of the newly launched Destination Coventry, points to a hugely increased appetite for events in Warwickshire.
“We have great infrastructure and have really benefited from our City of Culture status, as well as being a host city to big events like the Rugby League World Cup in October and Radio One’s Big Weekend in May,” he says. “We will be building on this momentum and continuing to drive business into visitor economies.” The West Midlands is also home to countryside resorts and small town
Who to contact Birmingham and the West Midlands
Convention Bureau Tel: 0121 202 5100 Email: bcb.conferencesales@wmgrowth.com
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