4
Academic Venues
What the
agents say
How do academic venues score
when advantages and disadvantages
are weighed up?
here are always going to
be advantages and
disadvantages when
booking a venue that
primarily serves another purpose,
although increasing numbers of
universities and colleges have
their own dedicated facilities for
non-academic events. Conference
Care team manager, Jayne Turnor
points out some of the clear
advantages of using academic
venues for a conference or
meeting. She says: “Academic
venues are often chosen for
educational events: training,
workshops or assessment days.
Tiered auditoriums, built in AV
equipment and high number of
syndicate rooms are purpose built
to form an ideal learning
environment, and can often be
negotiated to be included within
rates, making it easier for event
planners to budget.
“Charities and associations also
typically favour academic venues;
We fi nd they are also increasingly
popular with corporate clients;
good transport links, plenty of free
onsite parking and
accommodation for large numbers
benefi t a variety of events.”
All that considered, there are
disadvantages. Turnor points to
“We don’t
believe
that event
bookers
are more
interested
in
‘prestige’.
All
academic
venues
have a
unique
selling
point”
availability during term time as
being one of the most common
stumbling blocks. She says:
“Although academic venues have
a lot to offer, availability can be
restricted by the time of year,
particularly if your event is
residential.”
She adds: “Accommodation
standards are generally good, but
not luxurious, so if you have a few
VIPs you are looking to impress
this can be a drawback. While a
self-contained campus is useful
for not ‘losing’ your delegates, it
can be a disadvantage if you are
looking for a variety of options for
evening dining or entertainment,
particularly if the event runs over a
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number of days.
Are bookers generally more
interested in venues with
‘prestige’? Turnor is not fully
convinced, but suggests in the
current climate, they have a much
wider appeal. She says: “Venue
choice for any event very much
depends on the audience and
purpose; traditionally, academic
venues have not had the kudos to
draw in the crowds for an event
which requires a bit of ‘wow’.
However, in an uncertain market
academic venues provide excellent
value for money solutions and are
increasingly addressing their
disadvantages and bridging the
gaps to widen their appeal.”