The CBSO Centre, home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, has just reopened in the city following a major refurbishment. I went a long last week to take a look at the centre’s meeting and banqueting facilities. The finishing touches were just being added to the main reception area during my visit but other than that the refurbishment is complete.

The principal room at the CBSO Centre is the 300-seater Main Hall. It is an impressive space which can be used either flat-floored or as a raked seat auditorium. As a black box It will work well for a dinner, banquet or awards ceremony. The hall has plenty of natural daylight which can be blacked out at the touch of a button. The room also has full disabled access.

I must confess I struggle to understand the full technical specification of modern ‘performance spaces’, especially the lighting capabilities. There is a PA system with suspended and free-standing microphones - that bit I understand. However help is at hand with an in-house technical team available to offer assistance.

The Main Hall forms the central core of the building. On the first floor, forming a ring around the auditorium, are five individual meeting rooms comprising: three studios seating eight, 14 and 18 delegates boardroom style; the York Room a small boardroom for ten and the Ratcliff Room for 24 delegates boardroom style. All five rooms have plenty of natural daylight. They are fully equipped with ceiling mounted projectors, screens and flip charts plus free wi-fi.

An open-plan space on the ground floor adjacent to reception is available for corporate hospitality, entertaining, exhibition space or as a pre or post event bar.

There are no catering facilities on-site. However, the CBSO Centre does have a range of recommended suppliers to provide canapés, breakfasts, lunches and banquets.

The CBSO Centre was built in 1998 as a rehearsal space and to complement the performance facilities at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall just up the road. It is also home to Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Ex Cathedra.

Apparently the biggest problem facing the CBSO Centre is not the lack of outside organisations wishing to use the facilities – rather it is finding availability for those which do. The Main Hall is used for rehearsals during the day but the studios are more readily available. The classical music world works on a long-term diary so the Centre has a good idea of its availability well into the future - although last minute changes to travel plans can play havoc.

Nonetheless, the CBSO Centre does appreciate that venue bookers can lose heart if the house-full signs are always up. ‘Keep trying please’ is their plea.

My overall impression of the CBSO Centre was of a modern, open and airy building, well-equipped with very friendly, professional staff in a good location. The Centre is quietly tucked away at the bottom of Berkley Street yet just a two minute walk from one of the busiest entertainment sectors of Birmingham - namely Brindleyplace and Broad Street and a ten minute walk from Birmingham New Street station. The CBSO Centre would make a great venue for a dinner to impress.

Details: www.cbso.co.uk

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Published: 17 November 2014

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Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts have unveiled their ‘next generation’ guest room designed specifically for the modern business traveller.
The group’s research team has identified three key features which they believe every hotel must address to meet the basic requirements of the modern business traveller.
 
1.    Provide a peaceful environment where the guest can be productive, without necessarily feeling they are at work.  
2.    Provide an ‘office’ wherever the guest wants it to be – as long as there is connectivity.
3.    All modern business travellers need to be able to recharge and revitalise.

With this working specification in mind Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts have developed a design which they believe challenges the traditional norms of business space in hotel guest rooms. The new rooms feature three key areas:  a cocooned bed, a flexible ‘nook’ and a streamlined workspace.

Guest room designs, particularly the placement of the bed, have remained virtually unchanged for the last 60 years. The new Crowne Plaza guest room introduces an angled bed design which together with a curved headboard and insulated wall panels on each side of the room, reduces noise levels and thus induces a better night sleep.

A ‘nook’ area offers space to hold informal meetings and also doubles as an area to socialise and relax away from the traditional workspace.
 
Thirdly, a dedicated, multi-purpose workspace offers a clutter free surface with adjustable lighting – making it suitable for work and for guest ‘vanity requirements’.

The new guest rooms have been extensively tested and will launch in the Americas region in 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Midtown with a global rollout to follow.

Details:   www.ihgplc.com

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Published: 03 November 2014

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In the week when the topping out ceremony was held for the new £66million ACC Exhibition Centre in Liverpool came news of the imminent departure of an existing exhibition hall.

Demolition of the Earls Court exhibition halls in West London will start in February 2015. The demolition is expected  to take 18 months to two years to complete, paving the way for major construction works to create 7,500 new homes.

In Liverpool the new ACC Exhibition Centre ACC (pictured left) with the new Pullman Hotel alongside is expected to open in September 2015 – and will more than double the existing 76,700 sq. ft. capacity at ACC Liverpool to 163,800 sq. ft. of flexible exhibition space.

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Published: 10 November 2014

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'inmidtown' Chicken Coop at Coram’s Fields in central London is an innovative lunchtime farming scheme which has just been launched. It involves the unlikely combination of central London workers and urban chickens. The programme provides a way for employees of the area to work with their local organisations.

The scheme is the brainchild of ‘inmidtown’ which represents  the interests of 570 businesses in Bloomsbury, Holborn and St Giles – as an innovative way to give businesses in the area the opportunity to support their local community and give their employees the chance to enhance their wellbeing and learn new skills.

Grange Hotels with eight of its sixteen London hotels in this area are taking a keen interest. The Grange Holborn Hotel is the first hotel in the inmidtown area to take produce from the Chicken Coop.
Mary Doogan, CSR & Group General Manager, Grange Hotels says: “Grange Hotels are delighted to take part in the inmidtown Chicken Coop as we are committed to buying locally and supporting local businesses. Not only does this fantastic initiative reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment, but it gives us the opportunity to offer the freshest organic produce to our guests.”

The Chicken Coop forms part of inmidtown’s ongoing programme of Lunchtime Farming initiatives including vegetable roof gardens and beehives  which provide food and honey to kitchens across the area.

Details: www.grangehotels.com

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Published: 24 October 2014

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