Tuesday 3 August 2010

How to plan the perfect conference in Leicester

1. Book early
To avoid disappointment, it is always advisable to book any venue early. Although Leicester offers numerous conference venues they do get booked in advance and therefore many people do not obtain their first venue of choice.
Make sure you have agreed your conference date before viewing any venues. This will place you in the perfect position to be able to book as soon as you have found the venue you desire. Some people even book their Leicester venue six months in advance to the actual conference.

2. Plan an agenda
The worst conferences are those that are not well structured. If your attendees have no idea what the plan for the event is then there is no sense of order.
However, with a clear agenda, your attendees will know exactly what will be expected of them and will be able to come fully prepared i.e. business cards, testimonials, small presentations.
Also, by constructing an agenda you will be able to make the most of the time you have throughout the conference in Leicester. This will mean that no time is wasted, your guests will not get bored and it allows for a very professional and efficient conference.

3. Provide refreshments
Whether or not your event is running for 1 hour, 4 hours or a whole day it is vital that you provide tea, coffee and sugar at least. Obviously if it is a whole day event, food will also need to be offered.
Not only is this expected but it will act like the initial watering hole for when people arrive at your conference.
Leicester boasts several catering firms that will be more than happy to cater such events and are able to do so for whatever budget.

4. Allow for networking
Whether your event is for colleges within the same company or for employees representing different organisations, networking will always take place and therefore by incorporating this into your agenda you will not lose any time by people chatting.

conference Leicester

5. Relax and enjoy yourself
The main thing you need to remember is to relax. If the individual hosting the conference Leicester is not happy and comfortable then your attendees will pick up on this vibe and not enjoy themselves either.
If you plan well in advance, keep calm and fully inform your attendees with plenty of notice then you will be able to organise a fun, informative and well executed conference in Leicester.

Monday 26 July 2010

How to plan your event menu at a Venue Leicester

1. Think about your guests
Despite what type of event you are having, whether it is a wedding, party or wake, you will be having a mixture of people coming to the venue in Leicester. Therefore, you need to consider your guests ages, if anyone suffers from any allergies and cultures. As Leicester is a city full of different ethnicities and cultures you may wish to bring these differing elements into your menu.
If you are going to have small children running around your Leicester venue, it is advisable to have food that they will be able to eat without making a massive mess.
Next you need to take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue and how many people are expected to arrive. This will help you to determine how much food will need to be prepared and thus have an influence over which food you choose.

2. Sit down meal or buffet?
After you have an idea of numbers you’ll need to decide whether you are going to provide a sit down meal or a buffet? Either of these choices still allows for good food to be provided, the only difference is that they tend to create a different atmosphere.

3. Sit down meal
Organising a sit down meal will make the mood in your Leicester venue somewhat formal. It also prevents people from talking so easily to a mixture of other guests as they are more relegated to the table they are sat on. However, by creating a more serious air it also encourages attendees to take the event more seriously.
Also opting for a sit down meal enables you to serve different courses. But, do take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue. A sit down meal obviously requires tables and enough seats for every guest and there needs to be enough room. The venue facilities will also need to be checked as a meal of this kind will require onsite preparation.

4. Buffet meal
This is often a cheaper and so more favoured option. It also allows for a wider variety in choices and thus appeals to more attendees.
Also with this option you do not necessarily have to provide table space for everyone and therefore is the room in your venue Leicester is not sufficient for a sit down meal this a viable alternative. Also, as buffet food is generally cold, your venue does not require kitchen facilities and can be prepared offsite and brought to the venue afterwards.

Monday 19 July 2010

Questions to ask when booking your Leicester venue

wedding leicesterWhen searching for event venues some people can become too excitable when they find the perfect Leicester venue and forget to ask vital questions. Here is a list of 6 questions you should ask before signing on the dotted line.

1. Is my date available?
Before attending any Leicester venue viewings you need to have you event date confirmed in your mind.
There is no point in setting your heart on one particular Leicester venue if it is not available the date you need it. It is best to ask this question before you arrange a viewing to prevent wasting your time.

2. Will any other events be taking place on the same day?
If you wish to hire the entire venue for your event you will need to ensure that no other event shall be taking place on the same day.
However if you shall only be using this particular venue for half the day or will only require one specific room for the entire event then sharing the venue will not be problematic.
Ensure that you the members of staff from your Leicester venue fully understand your requirements for your event.

3. How many parking spaces do they provide?
If many of your guests are travelling by car then you will need to consider where they are going to park whilst attending your event.
If the venue does not provide adequate car parking then you shall have to research where they will be able to park.

4. Are you able to bring in external caterers?
Some venues in Leicester only deal with their in-house caterers and so you do not need to hunt for a catering company.
However, if you wish to use a particular catering service then you may need to do some negotiation with the venue or even pay a small fee. This fee is sometimes a set rate or can depend upon how many guests you have attending.

5. Do they hold an alcohol licence?
This is often a deciding factor for individuals searching for a venue in Leicester. Obviously is the venue does not hold a license then you will not be able to provide alcohol of any sort at your event.

6. Are you able to provide your own decorations?
If your venue is needed to hold a wedding reception or party you may wish to decorate the rooms/venue in a specific way, however not all Leicester venues allow you to do this.

However, if this is the case, the Leicester venue will provide their own decorations that should be very suitable.

Thursday 15 July 2010

What should be the duration of your conference in Leicester?

1 – 2 hours

When a conference drags out over a long period of time the audience generally tend to lose interest and therefore do not pay attention to what you are saying. Taking this into consideration, planning a short and concise conference in Leicester allows you to pass on your information and leave. The audience have no time to switch off and so no time is wasted on your part or theirs.
However, by having such a short conference it may be hard to fit in all the extra elements besides the presentation(s), such as networking, refreshments, a break. Also some people may see it as more of a seminar in Leicester, rather than a conference.

3 – 4 hours
This is often the typical length of a conference in Leicester. With this amount of time available, it allows you to be quite flexible when it comes to fitting in presentations and networking. It also offers you the option to fit in a guest speaker and even an interactive section.
Opting for 4 hours also enables you to offer food and therefore keep us the energy levels of the audience and encourage them to network.
However, do be careful to not completely fill the allocated time with presentations. Although it may be tempting to employ all this time to pass on information and try to sell your services to your attendees, this will simply put them off.
Aim to make the Leicester conference fun and interesting to keep your attendees interested and alert.

4 hours +
It is quite rare to find a conference in Leicester that lasts for longer than 4 hours. Not only does this mean that you will have to require food for two meals but it is also probable that your attendees with either leave before the end or become extremely bored and not pay you any attention at all.
However, choosing to host a conference in Leicester that does run over 4 hours can offer some very interesting alternatives. For example, you may be able to have a conference that runs over night and thus organise a game of laser quest, a pub quiz or a meal out. You could also apply a far more relaxed approach and have an exhibition section with intervals of presentations, question and answer sections and even a raffle of some business services.
But, if you do choose this option you will need to offer several elements to ensure your attendees will not leave early as asking for more than 4 hours of people’s time is quite ambitious.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

How to plan your event menu

1. Think about your guests

Despite what type of event you are having, whether it is a wedding, party or wake, you will be having a mixture of people coming to the venue in Leicester. Therefore, you need to consider your guests ages, if anyone suffers from any allergies and cultures. As Leicester is a city full of different ethnicities and cultures you may wish to bring these differing elements into your menu.
If you are going to have small children running around your Leicester venue, it is advisable to have food that they will be able to eat without making a massive mess.
Next you need to take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue and how many people are expected to arrive. This will help you to determine how much food will need to be prepared and thus have an influence over which food you choose.

2. Sit down meal or buffet?
After you have an idea of numbers you’ll need to decide whether you are going to provide a sit down meal or a buffet? Either of these choices still allows for good food to be provided, the only difference is that they tend to create a different atmosphere.

2.1 Sit down meal
Organising a sit down meal will make the mood in your Leicester venue somewhat formal. It also prevents people from talking so easily to a mixture of other guests as they are more relegated to the table they are sat on. However, by creating a more serious air it also encourages attendees to take the event more seriously.
Also opting for a sit down meal enables you to serve different courses. But, do take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue. A sit down meal obviously requires tables and enough seats for every guest and there needs to be enough room. The venue facilities will also need to be checked as a meal of this kind will require onsite preparation.

2.2 Buffet meal
This is often a cheaper and so more favoured option. It also allows for a wider variety in choices and thus appeals to more attendees.
Also with this option you do not necessarily have to provide table space for everyone and therefore is the room in your Leicester venue is not sufficient for a sit down meal this a viable alternative. Also, as buffet food is generally cold, your venue does not require kitchen facilities and can be prepared offsite and brought to the venue afterwards.

Monday 12 July 2010

Five mistakes to avoid when planning a Conference in Leicester

1. Poor attendee count
When inviting people to your conference in Leicester ensure that you get an extra 10% above your capacity limit to confirm their attendance. It is a fact that up to 30% of people who say they are attending an event do not turn up, even if they pay. Therefore it is important that you over book your Leicester conference in order to ensure a good number actually show up.

2. Poor food
A huge mistake many people make when planning a conference is providing poor food. It is a fact that your attendees will be looking forward to being fed and if the food available is not to a good standard it will dampen the mood of the whole conference, as no one likes to be hungry. As with a tummy full of food they will have a boost of energy and therefore interest in what you are saying.
You may choose a sit down meal if the Leicester conference is formal, or perhaps a buffet option is more appropriate if you are trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere.

3. Poor content
No one wants to attend a conference, in Leicester or anywhere else, where you feel like falling asleep after half an hour. Therefore, no matter how dull your information is, apply different and exciting methods to express it to your audience. By jazzing up the presentation of your information you will entice your attendees to actually pay attention and not switch off.
Aim to spread out the dullest information and inject episodes of audience involvement to get the most out of your attendees. These injections of interaction can include group brainstorming, something that causes them to get out of their seats or a kind of competition.

4. Poor venue
Although you may have a very tight budget for you conference in Leicester, do not make the mistake of booking a dirty and run down venue. If anything it should be the venue that costs the most.

5. Poor host
Another major mistake made by many people is utilising someone rather dull to present at the conference. Therefore, even if the information you are trying to project is very interesting it will not come across this way and any interest the audience had will be diminished.
However, arranging someone full of energy, excitable and confident will create a very different atmosphere and encourage your attendees to take on board what is being said and get involved with any audience interaction.

Friday 9 July 2010

Things to consider when finding venues in Leicester

Choosing a venue of an important event and function can be a very stressful decision and due to the vast amount of venues in Leicester, UK, it is very important that you consider a few key factors before signing on the dotted line.

badass venue


1. Your event
It is very important to consider your event when choosing your venues leicester. Not only do you need to think about the size of your event, whether or not you will be having entertainment. If you will be requiring food you need to ensure that they provide this service. If you will be taking pictures, either personal or professional, you must check possible locations. This could either be the rooms in your venue or different locations around Leicester.

2. Your guests
The number of guests attending your event is another vital element to think about. Your venue must be able to hold all your guests, but also provide enough space so that everyone is not crammed in.
Age is another factor that needs to be considered. If elderly or disabled individuals will be attending your event, you must ensure that the venue contains features, such as lifts or handrails, which will be needed.

The City Rooms, Leicester from nick pateman on Vimeo.


3. Your time frame
The duration of your event is another key factor as you need to guarantee that you can hire your venue for the entire time. Another issue is whether you would like the whole event in one venue. If you are going to relocate it is important to consider how and when you are going to move your guests.

venue leicester


4. Parking
Once you have collated your final number of guests, you need to consider how many will need to park in the city centre. Leicester does boost an array of car parks and thus you will be able to provide for as many as possible.
If parking is not an issue for your event, you gain much more freedom when choosing your Leicester venue.

5. Style
If your event is themed, either simply by colour, dress code or decoration, this may affect your choice of venue. For a Midlands city, Leicester is able to offer a vast array of modern, Georgian and gothic buildings.
Choosing a complimentary venue in Leicester will increase the ‘wow’ factor of your event, the pleasure your attendees take in coming to your event and enhance the photographs taken throughout your event.

Thursday 8 July 2010

5 Simple tips on how to organise a conference in Leicester on a budget

1. Join with another company
As conferences can be really expensive one major way of cutting costs is to combine your conference with at least one or two other firms in the same industry.
Leicester contains many business head offices and so is the perfect place for this idea to be successful.
By halving this part of the budget, you may be able to spend more on extra features, such as catering and refreshments.

2. Venue
The cheapest option would be to hold your conference within your own office building. However, if you do need to hire a venue ensure that you book it well in advance if your conference date, as this will allow you to obtain the cheapest rate possible.
Also choosing a venue that is easily accessible for all your delegates is another way of cutting costs. This will reduce the travel expenses of your delegates and therefore save on fuel charges and transport costs.

3. Recycle
In order to save money further, try and recycle as much material as from previous conferences, this can include gifts, speeches and information. Although this will probably need adjusting to become current and relevant it will be far cheaper that investing in brand new materials.
It is also better to not offer your attendees paper hand outs. Not only does this help towards saving the environment but also saves money and time in resources. Instead upload the criteria and agenda on to the conference website.

4. Volunteers
Paying for staff for your conference is one of the most expensive choices for an event.
If you are going to offer refreshments and photography at your conference it is a much cheaper option to try and involve a local volunteer company or charity. As an incentive you could offer a cut of conference ticket sales if you have charged for attendees, or offer to raise awareness of their cause.

5. Refreshments/Catering
Decide what will be the best option for providing food and drinks at your conference.
If your conference will only be a few hours long, provide jugs of iced water, containing lemon slices, rather than choosing the more expensive option of bottled water.
If you need to provide food during your conference choose a buffet option rather than a sit down meal. This is save money regarding the food but will also save you paying out for waiting staff.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Beautiful venue in Leicester

The other day a friend of mine hosted her wedding at a venue in Leicester's city centre. She was absolutely thrilled with the venue and said she couldn't of enjoyed her special day any more! 'The canopies were fantastic!'

She sent me this short video of some HD images from the venue. I have to say it does look rather impressive! Check out more of their images at services at their website - TheCityRooms.co.uk

Tuesday 6 July 2010

What venue suits you?

Due to the small nature of the city of Leicester, many people assume that it would provide unsatisfactory venues for numerous types of event. However, these people are very wrong. Although Leicester is a somewhat compact city, it boasts a wide variety of architectural styles. Venues in Leicester range from contemporary modern buildings to old Georgian grade listed structures. Therefore, no matter what type of event you are looking to host, it is guaranteed that Leicester will be able to provide.

leicester venues

The advantages of a modern venue

Because Leicester is an ever developing city, always aiming to improve, there are several modern builds. Due to the nature of contemporary buildings, it eliminates any concern about facilities, for example the toilets, sound systems or lighting. This is a huge advantage as it allows for relatively stress-free decisions about your event such as how to create a specific mood. A modern venue also allows you to ensure that there will be no problems with disabled or elderly guests as this will have been considered during the design stage of the build.
Therefore, by opting for one of Leicester’s contemporary venues you eliminate many of the stresses that come with an older building.

The advantages of an old venue

Leicester contains several stunning historical venues, whereby simply the architecture will impress your guests before they even walk through the door. Whereas, a modern venue allows for easier planning, the older venue will naturally create the perfect ambiance for any event, whether it is a conference, wedding or anniversary party. Also, many of Leicester’s older venues have been enhanced so to be able to deal with large parties, ensuring that they are able to provide for elderly or disabled guests.
Photographs are always far more beautiful when taken inside an old building. Their structures leave no detail forgotten and so whether you are in a ballroom or the corridor there will always be a nice backdrop for you to take a photo.

The advantages of a large venue

Obviously you need to take into consideration how many people shall be attending your event, but when booking a large venue it does allow for you to choose several options to enhance your event. Even if you do not need all the room for guests, you could set up a guests book if it is a wedding or party, a child’s section if small children will need to be entertained, a buffet table if you are providing nibbles, or a dance floor section.

The advantages of a small venue

You do not need to feel pressured to book a large venue for your event in Leicester. If you are having more of a small gathering there are numerous small venues for you to choose from. The main benefit of a smaller venue is that you can easily create a more personal and cosy atmosphere.

Monday 5 July 2010

Different types of conferences in Leicester

conference interior

1. Traditional

There are many venues which allow for a traditional conference in Leicester. This is a conference where there is a sole speaker and everyone else sits and listens quietly. There is often no interaction between speaker and audience and the agenda is adhered to with the utmost precision.

2. Contemporary

On the other hand there are also numerous venues that allow for a more contemporary conference in Leicester. This style of conference is much more animated and allows for audience participation. It is often the case that these conferences are broken up into presentations, activities and networking.

3. Full day conferences

When planning a full day conference in Leicester it is important to consider how you will keep your audience engaged for the full duration. Full day conferences are often carried out in a much more contemporary style. Food and refreshments will need to be provided and toilet facilities are also a must.

4. Half day conference

Half day conferences are often in a much more traditional style as there is not much chance for the audience to switch off. In Leicester, half day conferences tend to be conducted in far more corporate venues.

Friday 2 July 2010

How to make your conference different in Leicester

1. Venue

Go crazy and book a venue totally different to those typical of a conference. Leicester is home to numerous interesting and unconventional buildings for your conference. Leicester’s buildings range from hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, music stores, craft shops, leisure facilities and outdoor parks all of which could be suitable for a conference.

2. Activity

Why not incorporate an activity into your conference Leicester. This could be a game of some sort or a craft task; this will encourage your attendees to become involved in the conference topic. These could be carried out on an individual or a team level encouraging competitiveness or individuality.

3. Style
conference leicester


Many conferences are boring and attendees spend more energy trying to keep their eyes open than paying attention to what is being presented. To avoid this base your conference around a style or theme. Due to Leicester’s variety of buildings, costume shops and decoration stores, it would be very easy to incorporate this idea into your conference. Not only will this intrigue your attendees but also entice them into listening what you have to say

Thursday 1 July 2010

Choosing a venue in Leicester

1. Visit
Before you make any decision about your venue in Leicester make sure that you go and visit it several times. This will ensure that you are completely happy with it. It will also allow you to take measurements of the different rooms, imagine how different elements of your event will pan out and how you shall arrive at the venue in Leicester.

venue leicester


2. Ask questions
Always ask the venue manager any questions you may have regardless of how silly you may think they are. As all the venues in Leicester are different and offer different advantages it is always best to put your mind at complete ease by knowing everything you need to know.
It may also be that you have some requests you may wish the venue to fulfil and so these will need to be asked well ahead of the event.

3. Book
Because most of the venues in Leicester are stunning they get booked up very quickly, especially around peak seasons such as summer, Christmas and Easter. To ensure that you get your first choice of venue Leicester it is advisable to book 8-12 months in advance of the event date.

Wednesday 30 June 2010

Three different types of venues in Leicester

Three different types of venues in Leicester

1. Georgian

Because of Leicester’s affluent history, there are numerous buildings in the have survived from the Georgian period. Many have needed restoration but this has been carried out to the highest standard allowing these venues to ooze style and sophistication into Leicester city centre.
Many of these buildings are now hotels and are additionally suitable for a venue due to the overnight facilities

venues leicester


2. Modern

Leicester city council is always looking for ways in which the city can develop and this has lead to a variety of sleek modern venues being built. These include hotels, libraries and retail facilities. Although these are not all traditional venue choices, choosing a venue a little out of the ordinary could add to the success of your event.

3. Roman

Leicester’s history dates back to the Roman era and therefore some of the venues Leicester foundations can be dated back to these times, including some of the museums. Although a museum is not a popular venue choice it would allow for beautiful photographs and add that extra ‘wow’ factor.

Things to remember when planning your wedding in Leicester

wedding leicester


1 Do not forget to book your venue

Leicester is a very popular location to get married and therefore venues get booked up very quickly. When planning your wedding in Leicester do not forget to book your venue several months in advance of the wedding day.

2. Do not forget to arrange a schedule

Many couples believe that their wedding day in Leicester will run smoothly with no hiccups or troubles, but this is often not the case. It is very important to plan an agenda so every guest knows exactly how the day will carry out.

However, do not plan everything down to the last detail. Events such as photographs and speeches always go on for longer than originally planned.

3. Do not forget to trial test your caterers

Although you may have a clear idea of who you want to cater your wedding in Leicester, do not forget to taste the food they will be serving. It may be that your chosen caterers are not able to sufficiently cook the foods that you have chosen to serve.

Why Leicester is perfect for weddings

1. Location

Leicester is situated in the middle of the country, making it perfect for your guests, no matter where they be, to commute to your wedding. Whether they are travelling by car or train their journey will be straightforward and stress free.

Leicester is also a fantastic location because it allows weddings be either a city centre or a more rurally located event, due to the numerous areas surrounding the city

2. Venue

Weddings Leicester boasts the most amazing venues for weddings. Ranging from grade listed Georgian buildings to modern and sleek venues and bridal desire can be catered for.

Not only do they range in style but also in size. Weddings which are small and intimate can be provided for in Leicester, as well as weddings which are far more extravagant in size.

3. Florists

All weddings must have the most amazing flowers and Leicester is home to numerous talented florists. Although flowers can be very expensive, weddings are not the same without them and this is why florists in Leicester are able to adapt any design to fit your budget.

5 Ideas to have a glamorous wedding in Leicester

1. Venue

Although the Midlands contains many spectacular buildings many of the most impressive and unexpected ones are located in Leicester. These stylish UK venues can be decorated to suit any wedding theme and its city centre location allows for various specifications to be catered for.

2. Flowers

Choosing your wedding flowers is a crucial element of any wedding plan and Leicester’s wide array of florists will enable you to face this decision with some ease. They are able to adapt any idea, theme or specification you may have so that it is suitable for your big day. Here in the UK some couples tend to go crazy with their flowers and opt for a vast rainbow of colours in their bouquets and table decorations. To avoid an over flower of colour, stick to one colour and vary tone or even one type of flower. This will ooze glamour and elegance both as you walk down the aisle and eat your meal.

3. Colour theme

When choosing a colour theme is it important to consider your venue. Leicester’s wedding venues are typically decorated in neutral pale tones and so allow you substantial freedom when picking your colours. Many UK weddings adhere to the generic cream and gold colourings, but to enhance the glamour of your wedding why not opt for something slightly more adventurous? White or cream with quite a bold colour, like black, fuchsia or aqua, allows for hints of your accent colour to be incorporated into the decorations and flowers. This creates a very elegant, sophisticated and stylish outcome.

4. Music and Entertainment

You do not want to conform to the UK stereotype and have a crude, unruly, tacky DJ as your wedding entertainment. Within Leicester, or even the Midlands, you are able to find several alternatives, such as a solo singer, band or a quartet. These options will not only add to the luxurious mood of your wedding but also create a calm, serene ambiance for your big day. Gone will be the typical cheesy soundtracks, replaced with personal songs, acoustic sounds and live music.

5. Photos

With a wedding in Leicester, the unreliable UK weather is not a problem. The interior of these Midlands venue are too stunning will allow for fun, stylish and glamorous photos with all your guests. Their various rooms and stunning corridors will create a wedding photo album that you’ll never want to put down. You can also experiment with wedding photos taken by the town hall and several other understated locations throughout the city.