LONDON
29
vent professionals are
always looking for impressive
venues in which to host their
events, but there are only so
many to choose from. If you have run
out of ideas, why not consider using
a heritage venue?
We spoke to live communications
agency Brands at Work to explore
how heritage venues can be utilised
by event organisers and the
Westminster Venue Collection
alongside Unique Venues of London
to reveal where you can discover
these venues.
Heritage venues are often full of
rich history and culture, which makes
them “stand out from the plethora of
more traditional meeting spaces,”
says John Birger, managing partner
at Brands at Work. So, forget the dull,
grey meeting rooms and instead
picture high ceilings, nineteenth
century architecture and extravagant
statues, which you certainly wouldn’t
find in an ordinary event space.
When choosing your heritage
venue, ensure that your event fits the
venue and not the other way around.
Birger stresses that event organisers
should “let the venue do as much of
the work as possible and build on the
venue’s unique selling point.” He
continues that if you are attempting
to cover up any features you have
selected the wrong venue.
Heritage Venues
Above: A panoramic
view of Greenwich in
London
Below: Close up of
Natural History
Museum building
facade
Louisa Daley goes
through the archives to
explore some of London’s
top heritage venues
www.conference-news.co.uk
Instead, Birger advises to
“juxtapose clever scenic or technical
elements against the fabric of a
building to provide an extra layer of
intrigue”. After all, you have chosen a
heritage venue because it stands
out, so don’t try and make it blend in.
To ensure your chosen heritage
venue meets a client’s needs, Birger
suggests communicating with both
your client and the venue. Firstly,
understand your client’s narrative
and what they are trying to achieve at
their event. This way, you can engage
with the venue to “personalise and
link the spaces in a way that is
sympathetic to and befits the
location”. This will transform a
historic venue from merely a setting,
into a bespoke event space, without
the risk of losing its originality.
Most importantly, event organisers
need to consider the restrictions that
come with hiring a heritage venue, as
these buildings are often older and
therefore need extra consideration.
“Simply work extremely closely with
the heritage venue and within the
guidelines it provides to reduce any
additional cost,” comments Birger.
Consider elements such as power,
floor loadings, facilities and its
arrangements with AV or catering
providers. If you’re prepared, the
restrictions shouldn’t affect the
running’s of your client’s event, but
instead illustrate what a great event
planner you are.