Bring your senses to life

Suffolk offers a diverse range of independent conference and meeting venues with a true sense of individuality. And given that it’s just over an hour from Central London with first-rate links to mainland Europe via Stansted Airport and Harwich International Port, it has the added benefit of being very accessible while providing the ideal locus to focus the mind for some serious blue-sky thinking.

The family-owned Stoke by Nayland, Golf & Spa, which is set amidst 300-acres of stunning Constable Country on the Suffolk/Essex border, is an excellent case in point. Winner of the 2010 Business Tourism Award at the Tourism In Suffolk Awards, Stoke by Nayland prides itself on attracting national and local conferences and corporate businesses. Its golf and leisure facilities definitely played a part in its success, however, its overall business package, i.e. its service, catering, facilities and sustainability were the key factors that clinched the award.

Another family-owned hotel, The Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds, offers 24-hour and day delegate packages. Its stylish meeting rooms offering air conditioning, natural daylight and complimentary Wi-Fi blending traditional Georgian elegance with contemporary design. It can accommodate up to 70 delegates theatre style and up to 40 delegates board style with onsite accommodation for 150.

Flexible venues
County Town Ipswich offers a compelling package of venues including the state-of-the art IP-City Centre, a modern, purpose built business centre with a range of high quality services, and Trinity Park, which hosts the Suffolk Show, and also has purpose built flexible facilities for larger conferences.

Newmarket Racecourses, the home of horseracing, is quite naturally ahead of the game in terms of its conferencing facilities. With an exhibition capacity for 2,500, banquet style for 500 and boardroom for 50, this is a very flexible facility that services all needs, while providing a stadium’s eye view of the iconic Rowley Mile for racing enthusiasts.    

Nearby Bedford Lodge Hotel provides the perfect accommodation for up to 100 delegates and has its own conference facilities albeit for smaller numbers.

Other venues to explore include Hintlesham Hall, near Ipswich, an exquisite Elizabethan Manor House hotel set in stunning Suffolk countryside, and Ufford Park Hotel near Woodbridge on the Heritage Coast, which boasts hotel, golf and spa on site to compliment its conference facilities. Nearby Kesgrave Hall, meanwhile, provides the ideal venue for intimate meetings for up to 24 delegates.

Moving onto the Suffolk Coast, the choice is very much between The White Lion Hotel in Aldeburgh, which has a capacity for 120 delegates and overlooks the North Sea, and The Swan Hotel, a classic seaside hotel situated in the heart of Southwold, another perfect venue for an intimate business meeting.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The best thing is to mix and match your business or conference needs to the ‘Suffolk proposition’ and then make the very most of your time in this beautiful location. For more information please click on www.visitsuffolk.com

Norwich and Norfolk
Norwich offers exceptional modern meeting and conference venues in one of England’s most impressive medieval city’s, which also happens to be a top 10 retail destination.
The city is on the doorstep of the Broads, Britain’s magical waterland and is just a short drive or train journey from the North Norfolk Coast or the hustle and bustle of Great Yarmouth.

The Hostry, opened November 2009, is a contemporary space built adjacent to the 11th century Norwich Cathedral set in the peaceful Cathedral close, just a short walk from the railway station. The venue seats 150 in the main conference room (first floor) a flat-floored space with complete flexibility. The ground level has a 90sq m of exhibition space, which is also ideal for breaks and networking.

The Cathedral’s Refectory, serving freshly prepared food for business breakfasts and private three course dinners is nearby. Special guided tours of the Cathedral are on offer, introducing delegates to the history of this 900-year-old building.

The Forum, Norwich’s landmark Millennium building designed by Sir Michael Hopkins, is one of the UK’s most striking examples of 20th century architecture. The Forum also offers some of the most inspiring spaces in the UK, available to hire for a range of business and community occasions, notably The Curve – a state-of-the-art auditorium with full high definition technology, video conferencing and tiered seating for 120 people.

Conference organisers can use Fusion, a giant digital screen gallery, the largest in Europe – perfect for a special reception – to captivate delegates with film, image and sound. Allied to this is The Forum’s 400sq m main atrium, which can be used for dinners, exhibitions, large receptions and other special events. In addition, tours of BBC East’s studios, located at The Forum are available.

Excellent range of venues
OPEN is a stunning new venue for Norwich, converted from the 4,600sq m Grade II listed building that was once the Barclays regional headquarters. Following a £12 million renovation, the building has been transformed from empty space into a contemporary venue including six private function rooms. The former banking hall has been sympathetically refurbished to create one of the most exciting and versatile function venues in the region. Boasting a host of features such as a fixed stage, fully integrated hi-tech sound and lighting system, a seven metre HD presentation screen with widescreen projector and large bar, the hall is fully self contained, with breakout rooms and three large balconies, creating an ideal space for a VIP or relaxation area.

The King’s Centre on historic King Street in the heart of Norwich, caters for meetings and events from 10 to 120 people in a suite of function rooms to 600 in the main auditorium. The auditorium has a full range of A/V systems along with fixed screen and rear projection.

There is an excellent range of venues across the county from luxurious country house hotels, with golf and spa facilities, to contemporary business accommodation and boutique hotels. With more attractions than most counties, Norfolk can offer a relaxing and different social and partner programme to complement any event.

South of Norwich
Hethel Engineering Centre near Wymondham, just to the south of Norwich, is dedicated to supporting the growth and success of high performance engineering and manufacturing companies. Meeting facilities include the Colin Chapman Conference Room featuring the 99T Formula 1 car raced by Ayrton Senna during his first Monaco win. The room can accommodate 80 theatre style, 48 cabaret style, 40 classroom or 28 boardroom/horseshoe.

The Pennoyer Centre at Pulham St Mary, also to the south of Norwich, is a recently renovated facility designed to meet the needs of all types of business meetings, conferences and functions. It is fully equipped with an IT training suite and state-of-the-art audiovisual and sound systems.

Value for money
Budgets for events in London, Manchester or Edinburgh stretch much further in Norfolk. Day delegate rates for 2011 in top venues average £30-£40 and 24-hour rates are on a comparable level.

Norwich has its own international airport with daily flights to the major European hub in Schipol, while Stansted is just a 90-minute drive away. There are two direct trains an hour to London Liverpool Street from Norwich. Journeys to London King’s Cross from King’s Lynn in the west of the county take under two hours.

For organisers interested in discovering more about the county see the Norwich and Norfolk Conference Bureau website, www.conferencenorfolk.co.uk

Be inspired in Cambridge
From world-renowned history and culture to beautiful green spaces, the latest in shopping and entertainment, Cambridge has it all. Having helped to shape the modern world, there is a real sense of living history almost everywhere you look – as you might expect from a city whose university has produced 15 former British Prime Ministers and 87 affiliates being Nobel Prize winners.

The city centre is a patchwork of beautiful college buildings, parks and public spaces providing an idyllic setting for any event. With a wide variety of venues that range from historic and contemporary colleges to first-class hotels and stately homes.

Being such a compact city larger groups can easily be accommodated with a “split site” combination as many of the venues and facilities are within a few minutes walk of each other.

A host of activities
After a hectic day there are a host of activities available for you to enjoy, appealing to a wide range of interests and appetites. One of Cambridge’s greatest gifts is its culturally diverse, varied and distinctive selection of restaurants and eateries. With cuisine from around the world ranging from North African Bedouin cuisine to Michelin Star restaurants, there is definitely something for all tastes and occasions.

The wide range of galleries and museums covers a myriad of topics and styles. These include collections displaying works by masters such as Da Vinci and Renoir, and some specialising in the latest in contemporary art. The museums are equally diverse covering archaeological discoveries from the Egyptians and Greeks to technological discoveries across the ages.

For delegates, the best way to explore the historic college buildings is on a Private Guided Walking Tour; this can be tailored specifically to a group’s interests or needs and is lead by an Official Cambridge Blue Badge Guide.

See city life
Punting along the River Cam is a great way to see the city, however, punting can be harder than it looks and taking a Chauffeured Punt Tour along the College Back’s is a great way for groups to sightsee.

Cambridge’s Green Spaces reflect its approach to green thinking with cycling and sustainability a key part of city life, this truly makes this a unique destination. The city’s parks and green spaces are complimented perfectly by the University Botanic Gardens and provide some beautiful areas to explore.

The city is easily accessed by road, air and rail. Being just 50 minutes from London and 20 minutes from Stansted Airport by train places Cambridge as a great green alternative destination to the capital. By road the city has good access from the North (A1 M), the South (M11) and the West Midlands (A14).

For further assistance in planning your event please visit www.visitcambridge.org