Conference News Supplements Meet the Midlands Supplement | Page 12

12
Meet the Midlands
A stone’s
throw away
Conference News casts its eye over NAEC Stoneleigh, one of Warkwickshire’s largest venues
AEC Stoneleigh is a
unique exhibition and
conference centre
nestled in the
picturesque surroundings of
Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with
exceptional road and rail links.
More than 275 events took place
at the venue in 2019, an increase
of 14% on the previous year, with
organisers taking advantage of the
versatile space on offer. There are
various halls, conference rooms
and meeting rooms, as well as a
huge outdoor area and 4x4 driving
track.
New business is driving the
majority of this growth with a 73%
increase in the last year. In
particular the growth in large
corporates booking conferences,
this has seen a 300% increase
year-on-year due to developing
relationships with key event
agencies.
It is the mix of exhibition,
conference and outdoor space that
makes it the perfect venue for
events with many sectors now
recognising this. Automotive has
always been a strong sector for the
Right: There is no shortage
of large, blank canvas space
Below: A smart entrance
greets delegates
It is the mix
of exhibition,
conference
and outdoor
space that
makes it the
perfect venue
for events
with many
sectors now
recognising
this.
venue accounting for over 20% of
its business each year.
The venue boasts free parking for
up to 19,000 vehicles located
adjacent to the Halls and has an
on-site hotel with 57 bedrooms. It
also works closely with surrounding
hotels to make sure all exhibitors
and delegates are accommodated.
Chris Hartley, MD at NAEC
Stoneleigh, explains his take on the
venue’s strengths. He said: “What’s
unique about us? It’s the
combination of indoor and outdoor
space including a private road
network, camp sites and off-road
track – allowing organisers the
opportunity to run traditional events
both indoor and outdoor or a
mixture of both.”
Location is another key point of
the venue, located in the centre of
England, it is easily accessible with
98% of the UK’population within a
four-hour drive time. It is also
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served by both the M6 and M40
motorway, 5 miles from Warwick
Parkway and Coventry train stations
and just over 1-hour travel time
from London Euston.
Race Retro used the venue for
the first time in 2019. Organiser Lee
Masters, consultant and acting
show director at Clarion Events was
pleased with the experience,
saying: “A huge thank you to you
and your team. Being our first time
at NAEC Stoneleigh you have guided
and looked after us really well with
our numerous questions and site
visits – nothing has been too much
trouble. Every time I visit the venue,
more opportunities spring to mind
about how we can improve our
event and deliver a compelling
‘Indoor-outdoor’ visitor experience.
NAEC Stoneleigh certainly is a
versatile venue and one that we will
be looking at for further shows and
expansion.”