NOTTS WHAT YOU THINK
Martin Fullard travels to Nottingham for a whistle-stop tour .
erhaps I am a bit different to most others , but I ’ ve never been much of a big traveller . Oh , sure , I lived in the Middle East for most of a decade and I ’ ve been all over , but I ’ ve always believed world travel is something that can only be truly appreciated once you ’ ve explored your own country first . If the last 16 months has taught me one thing , it is that we in Britain really are an island , and there is so much of it to see . All throughout lockdown I have maintained dialogue with as many destinations around the UK as possible because I strongly believe the events industry is one of the most important tools in any destination ’ s economic arsenal . And , between reporting on the machinations of Government and smashing my head on the keyboard , I ’ ve been making a list of all the UK destinations I want to visit this year . As you would expect , I was delighted to go on my first away-day work trip in nearly a year-and-a-half in May , and it was made all the better as it was to somewhere I ’ ve never really explored : Nottingham .
Passing the test Nottingham is one of those places that may not jump off the page at you , yet when you visit in an events context , you are instantly struck by a certain je ne se quoi : it ’ s one of those places that ‘ works ’ as an events destination . A compact city centre , great public transport , and no shortage of venues .
Above all else , it has what every regional conference destination needs : a university . It matters because not only can a university ’ s academic expertise play a vital role in bringing specialist conferences to the area , but it adds excellent venue space collateral , which more often than not have seen healthy investment , as you will read on page 22 .
Fighting fit Overleaf you will find a more in-depth look at the area ’ s leading conference and event space , but there are a couple of worthy mentions that you may find of interest .
De Vere Jubilee Conference Centre is an airy building to the north of the city centre . Built around two well ventilated atriums , it features several smaller meeting spaces and a larger room with complete AV offering . To top it off , the self-contained space also has numerous bedrooms , making it ideal for all manner of event types .
Next , if fitness and teambuilding are on your list of must-haves , then the University of Nottingham ’ s gigantic David Ross Sports Village will – almost certainly – have what you need .
There is no sport that the centre doesn ’ t offer , and the investment must have been eye watering . A huge rock-climbing wall , gym and FA-specification 3G pitch is complemented by a sports hall the size of an entire football pitch which , incidentally , can also be hired as an events space . www . conference-news . co . uk