SEC announces new events space, Stansted Airport hotel unveils refurbishment and Imago adopts local supplier strategy
Scottish Event Campus launches Meeting Academy
The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow will open its £500,000 Meeting Academy for small to medium-sized events in February.
The SEC Meeting Academy features a central 300-400-capacity theatre-style room, which is connected to four breakout rooms and networking spaces overlooking the concourse.
The four smaller meeting rooms, formerly known as the Seminar Suite, are being upgraded to form part of the Meeting Academy offer.
Director of conference sales, Kathleen Warden, said: “The flexibility of the space means that we can accommodate more small to mid-sized meetings whilst offering larger events more space and more diversity in the product.
“The space is tailored to the needs of organisers and delegates and has integrated informal workstations and charging points, and the latest conferencing technology for interactive sessions. The reaction from our clients has been terrific – It’s a great enhancement inside the campus, and complements the evolution we have going on outside the campus; from the new hotels to a whisky distillery.”
Refurbished Stansted Airport hotel joins Novotel brand
Arora Hotels has completed a multi-million pound refurbishment and rebrand of its four-star Stansted Airport property.
Now under the Novotel brand, the 250-room Novotel London Stansted has seen a complete renovation to its meetings and events spaces, as well as restaurants and bars.
Paul Muscroft, general manager, Novotel London Stansted Airport, said: “The refurbishment includes a fantastic upgrade to our meetings product, which includes eight purpose-built fully equipped meetings rooms with a capacity for up to 250 people, theatre-style. In addition, our dedicated team of in-house specialists are on hand to advise, organise, and help you plan your meeting every step of the way.”
Imago Venues puts local suppliers at heart of food and beverage offer
Imago Venues, the conference, hotel and events spaces at Loughborough University, is focusing more closely on local producers as it develops its food and beverage offering.
Emma Boynton, head of sales and marketing at Imago Venues explained: “This focus on the local means our chefs truly understand the produce they are working with. They can build it into their recipes and deliver great, seasonal dishes that excite our event attendees.”
Imago Venues currently uses the Leicestershire Handmade Cheese Company to provide the only traditionally-made Red Leicester cheeses in the UK to its guests and delegates.
This is supported by and frequently paired with bread from the Hambleton Bakery, where the team have visited to build relationships with the bakers and truly understand the goods being supplied.
For a more international flavour, the Surtiswad Family Caterers are local partners capable of providing authentic Indian food when required, whilst Leicestershire-based Rossa Ice Creams round off the dessert offering.
Imago Venues includes Burleigh Court - a four-star conference centre and 225-room hotel, which has 26 meeting rooms; Holywell Park for up to 300 delegates, set in landscaped grounds; and Imago at Loughborough University - a facility for up to 2,000 delegates with access to Loughborough University's extensive sports and leisure facilities.
Article written by Mike Fletcher