Conference News March 2020 | Page 45

45 30-foot glass dome which is often the focal point of the room,” says Robin Parker, general manager, Church House Westminster. So, trust your fellow event organisers who reveal that “the space is no ordinary conference room.” If you prefer something smaller, Church Houses’ online floor plan highlights alternative break out spaces which range from a 6 to 270 guest capacity. “Church House uses in-house AV which has had a £1m capital investment over 5 years,” Parker says. “The AV available to event organisers includes a 4K projection, 8 stage lighting systems and a complete d&b surround sound to impress your delegates,” he adds. If you’re an environmentally conscious event organiser, as we all should be, Church House has demonstrated positive steps towards sustainability. Church House has established a “zero-gift policy” to prevent unwanted corporate gifts from going to waste. Instead, it has opened the floor to charitable donations. It has also replaced its gas equipment in the kitchen and now uses “green electricity from 100% renewable resources” Parker explains. now been “completely transformed into an events venue” reveals Kate McGowan, sales coordinator, The Monastery Manchester. “Event organisers can hire the venue for weddings, conferences, dinner dances and Christmas parties. McGowan adds that the Monastery is a “unique space for any event, you’re not tied to any religion at all. “The Great Nave is its main event space, which has the maximum capacity of 280 cabaret or 570 theatre style,” McGowan states. The Monastery also offers eight additional friary rooms”, which are smaller syndicate rooms and consist of 6 boardrooms of 32 cabaret. Its website also offers a virtual tour of the Monastery, which allows event organisers to truly find the right space for their event. To add to its offerings, event organisers and delegates also have access to a complementary on-site car park and wireless internet connection throughout the venue. Religious Buildings Left: Church House Westminster Above: The Monastery Manchester Below: Audacious Church Audacious Church “Audacious Church is not a stereotypical church building with a steeple, pews and stained glass windows,” Rebecca Davison, venue business manager, Audacious Church reveals. In fact, it is a modern church with high ceilings, located in Northern Manchester. The church has been reinvented as an event space with associated The Monastery Manchester The Monastery Manchester is a 19th Century former Franciscan Friary and a Grade II* Listed Building which has www.conference-news.co.uk breakout spaces to cater for Sunday congregations. In these spaces, it has hosted conferences, presentations, exhibitions, concerts and dinners. Note that Audacious cannot be hired on a Sunday, due to its unique Sunday services which include a band, a full PA and lighting system and a LED wall backdrop. Although it is not licensed for alcohol, clients can hire an external bar with a TENs license, so let the fizz flow at your event. LSO St.Luke’s St.Luke’s is an Anglican church located in, Islington, London and is owned by the London Symphony Orchestra. The Grade I* Listed Building has a blend of 18th Century architecture and contemporary features,” states Kathy Rose, head of events, LSO St. Luke’s. Unlike most religious buildings, St.Luke’s has chosen to keep its “original walls and window acloves” alongside restoring its “church clock and golden dragon weathervane”, to emphasise the church’s character and history. The blend of old and new is “perfectly designed to meet the needs of a new generation of event-goers,” says Rose. With its retractable seating and a movable rostra, its event spaces can be used for education, rehearsal and recital spaces to corporate and private events.