Published by Neil ThompsonVenues of Excellence (VOE), the UK’s leading collection of exceptional venues has welcomed 4 new venues into the consortium. As a membership organisation that represents unique, independent, and specialist venues at the top end of the meetings sector, the latest members demonstrate the diversity of venues choosing VOE as its sales and marketing representation partner.
“We are absolutely delighted with the interest we are receiving from venues across the UK who are focused on the conference and event market as a key driver and want to be part of our excellent family. We have welcomed 16 new venues in the last eighteen months and have a growing prospect list.
Mandy Jennings, CEO, on welcoming the new members into the VOE family
"Venues joining the consortium go through a rigorous onboarding process, completing an interview with the venue team on why they want to be part of our consortium and to understand their objectives, plus our pre-membership quality assessment completed by our Advisory Group Chairman, Stewart Elsmore. This ensures from day one, our VOE team are aligned with the venue teams, and we share all the great opportunities of membership including Sales, Marketing, PR, Social Media, Leadership Forums and Networking, plus access to a Learning and Development Academy and Preferred Supplier Programme. The four new members show the diversity of venues that see our offering as a great partnership to support their venue and teams.”
Yorkshire Event Centre (YEC) brings a great venue into the North of England region where Fiona Stilborn, Head of Sales said: “We are excited that the Yorkshire Event Centre is joining our sister property, Pavilions of Harrogate as a member of Venues of Excellence. The YEC is already a renowned venue, becoming part of this consortium of exceptional venues will solidify and build on our reputation as one of the leading event spaces in the country.”
Adding to the London portfolio of venues is The Central, a versatile multi-space venue located on Hallam Street, right in the heart of London’s West End, where behind its iconic façade, the venue’s neutral-palette interior provides the ideal blank canvas for all types of events. The venue is ideal for an exclusive use event, where privacy and attention to detail is key. Diane MacLennan, Event Director at The Central London: “We are thrilled to join the Venues of Excellence family, and proud to be one of three London venues in their collection. Our central location in the heart of London’s West End makes us the ideal choice for hosting a wide range of events, from intimate meetings and social gatherings to larger conferences and celebrations. This partnership represents a significant milestone for us, and we look forward to offering exceptional event experiences to clients who choose our venue through the Venues of Excellence platform.”
By contrast, VOE welcomes the of the historic Oatlands Park Hotel one of the finest 4-star hotels in Surrey, steeped in royal history. On joining the consortium, Ness Sekakmia, General Manager commented: “The opportunity for our hotel to join with Venues of Excellence, makes great commercial sense. The benefits for us are having access to sales and marketing workshops, member forums, networking opportunities and access to the Learning and Development academy. Our collaboration with VOE will enable us to become more business agile vs our competitors. Our main objective is to increase our revenues whilst we continue to offer great quality of service to our guests.”
In the final straight, VOE has welcomed a new sporting venue into the family; Royal Windsor Racecourse Conference and Exhibition Centre, offering a variety of indoor meeting rooms and conference facilities along with acres of green space, encircled by the River Thames. Julie Coates-Walker, Group Events Sales Manager, said: “It’s a fantastic testament to the highly experienced and dedicated team at Royal Windsor Racecourse that we have been accepted as a Venues of Excellence member as it provides buyers a benchmark of the highest standard. Conference planners, meeting and event organisers and agents are assured that they will be working with a dedicated and professional team at a venue that meets their expectations.”
What is evident in the VOE consortium is the excellence and quality of its membership and with sixteen new venues joining the programme in the last eighteen months it ensures that clients have a great portfolio of venues to work with to suit all their requirements, from small meetings, first class training facilities, residential conferences to large indoor and outdoor events. Venues of Excellence membership enables independent venues to network with peers, share industry trends and business challenges, whilst enjoying the vast range of benefits to position their venue at the top end of the meetings sector.
