Conference News March 2020 | Page 31

31 Heritage Venues Venue tip-off To find these venues, look no further than Westminster, the heart of London. Westminster is home to the most “iconic literature, transport, art and history from the past few centuries,” says Rachel Azzopardi, chair of Westminster Venue Collection. 116 Pall Mall This heritage venue is also a Grade I* Listed Building and opened in 1828. If you’re all about aesthetics, 116 Pall Mall has an eye catching 4.5m regency chandelier, which was donated by George IV in 1828. To add to its glitz and glamour, the venue has hosted royalty, heads of state and war heroes. Maximum delegate capacity: 1,000 National Gallery The National Gallery, located in Trafalgar Square, is claimed to be one of the most-visited art galleries in the world. Event organisers can hire the Grade I* Listed Building during and outside of public opening hours, which offers exclusivity for your event. You can also hire any of its 20 historic event spaces. Maximum delegate capacity: 1,200 Lincoln’s Inn Lincoln’s Inn is a member of Unique Venues of London. The gated estate is “cloaked in art and history which dates back to 1422,” Kirsten Kruls, head of sales and events, The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn reveals. The building is made of an architectural composition of Grade I* and II* Listed Buildings, which provides an event space for dinners, conferences and wedding receptions. Opened by Queen Victoria in 1845, its Great Hall is designed in a Tudor Revival style. This event space can accommodate 250 guests for dinner or 400 for a reception. Or, take a look at its newly opened Ashworth Centre which can host up to 158 guests. Maximum delegate capacity: 400 The London Library The London Library is the largest independent lending library in the world and holds over one million books across 17 miles of shelving. Despite being founded in 1841 by Thomas Carlyle, today, there is a total of 7,000 members who benefit from the Library’s resources. These members also include some of the most famous names in literature such as Charles Dickens, George Eliot and Virginia Woolf. Maximum delegate capacity: 250 “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.” www.conference-news.co.uk The London Transport Museum The London Transport Museum dates back to 1871, when it was the original Covent Garden Flower Market Building. In 1980, the original Flower Market became the London Transport Museum as we know it, which showcases an electric collection of Buses, Tubes and Trams. Maximum delegate capacity: 500 Central Hall Westminster Central Hall Westminster, also a member of Unique Venues of London, is a Grade II* Listed Building which dates back to 1912. The buildings key features include its grand staircase and domed ceiling, which is the “largest self-supporting domed ceiling in Europe,” says Anna Glazebrook, head of marketing, Central Hall Westminster. The venue has hosted a range of high-profile events and figures, from early Suffragette meetings to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Event organisers have the choice of 25 event spaces, including its Great Hall which can accommodate for over 2,200 guests. With top tips and a range of venues to choose from, host your next event at a heritage venue, and become part of its history. Maximum delegate capacity: 1,084