Warwick Conferences, the umbrella group which markets the collection of meeting venues based on the University of Warwick campus, has invested in a new, full service catering van.

The van will allow Warwick Conferences to deliver its award-winning food offering throughout the UK.

The catering van will carry an array of food selections, from light and healthy to wholesome and indulgence. The van is designed to showcase the food on offer at Warwick Conferences.

The van will accompany the Warwick Conferences team when visiting clients and attending exhibitions as well as providing an element to any event at Warwick Conferences itself.

Warwick Conferences acknowledge the importance of catering at an event and all food on offer across the venues is designed to both satisfy and keep delegates alert. The catering team use locally sourced ingredients with a clear provenance, supporting the best local producers.

Rachael Bartlett, Head of Sales and Marketing at Warwick Conferences, says: “We are very excited to reveal our new catering van, which we have purchased to allow us to bring the Warwick Conferences experience to more people around the country. We place considerable importance on the quality of our food and our chefs are dedicated to providing the highest standard of catering, highlighting produce that is in season and showcasing its provenance. We have a number of plans in the pipeline surrounding the catering van and we cannot wait to get out on the road to share our fabulous food with everyone!”

Details: http://www.triggerfish.co.uk/press-release/warwick-conferences-takes-award-winning-catering-road/

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Published: 18 November 2016

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Bermondsey Square Hotel is London is introducing a new concept called Bermondsey SquAIR. 

On the basis that if ‘you can’t beat them - join them’ Bermondsey Square Hotel is using the SquAIR umbrella to offer its services to Airbnb style rental apartment owners within a one mile radius of the hotel.

The services which will be provided by Bermondsey SquAIR include housekeeping, key management, maintenance and point of contact.

The concept will be launched on November 12th and will enable apartment owners in the area to provide rental accommodation to a hotel standard.

Bermondsey SquAIR will handle minor maintenance queries at the apartments as well as arranging contractors for larger maintenance issues.

Bermondsey SquAIR will also offer support to apartment owners regarding linen hire, room servicing, deep cleaning as well as providing an assurance that their property is being well maintained.

Bermondsey SquAIR will offer airbnb guests a 24 hour support service with a hotel manager on site within 30 minutes of a problem arising. 

Bermondsey Square Hotel is located in Tower Bridge Road, Southwark, a five minute walk from London Bridge station.

Details: http://www.bermondseysquarehotel.co.uk/

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Published: 10 November 2016

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Following a group reorganisation and a major refurbishment programme there is now a new collection of fifty hotels incorporating a range of city-centre hotels plus a collection of country estate hotels in landmark buildings.

They are all trading under the Principal Hotel Company banner.

Its goodbye to Principal Hayley, De Vere Venues, Four Pillars Hotels and the Town House Collection and hello to:

The Principal Edinburgh George Street (formerly: The George Hotel Edinburgh)
The Principal Manchester (formerly: The Palace Hotel Manchester)
The Principal York (formerly: The Royal York Hotel) - pictured
The Principal London (formerly: Hotel Russell London)
 
De Vere Beaumont Estate (formerly: Beaumont House, Old Windsor)
De Vere Selsdon Estate (formerly: Selsdon Park Hotel & Golf Club, Croydon)
De Vere Horwood Estate (formerly: Horwood House, Milton Keynes)
De Vere Cranage Estate (formerly: Cranage Hall, Cranage)
De Vere Wotton House (formerly: Wotton House, Dorking)
De Vere Alexandra House: (formerly: Alexandra House, Swindon)
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms (formerly: Grand Connaught Rooms, London) 
De Vere Oxford Thames (formerly: Four Pillars Oxford Thames)
De Vere Cotswold Water Park (formerly: Four Pillars Cotswold Water Park)
De Vere Tortworth Estate (formerly: Four Pillars Tortworth Court)
De Vere Devonport House (formerly: De Vere Venues Devonport House Greenwich)
De Vere Horsley Estate (formerly: De Vere Venues Horsley Park)
De Vere Latimer Estate (formerly: De Vere Venues Latimer Place Chesham)
De Vere Staverton Estate (formerly: De Vere Venues Staverton Park Daventry)
De Vere Theobalds Estate (formerly: De Vere Venues Theobalds Park Cheshunt)
De Vere Wokefield Estate (formerly: De Vere Venues Wokefield Park Reading)
De Vere Orchard Hotel (formerly: De Vere Venues Orchard Hotel, Nottingham)
De Vere Canary Wharf (formerly: De Vere Venues Canary Wharf, London)
De Vere Holborn Bars (formerly: De Vere Venues Holborn Bars, London)
De Vere West One (formerly: De Vere Venues West One, London)
De Vere Colmore Gate (formerly: De Vere Venues Colmore Gate, Birmingham)
De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre (formerly: De Vere Venues East Midlands Conference Centre)
De Vere Brigade (formerly: Brigade, London)
De Vere Jubilee Conference Centre (formerly: Jubilee Conference Centre, Nottingham)

The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow (formerly: The Grand Central Hotel)
The St David's Hotel, Cardiff (formerly: The St David's Hotel & Spa)
Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow (formerly: Blythswood Square)
The Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh (formerly; The Roxburghe)
The Met Hotel, Leeds (formerly: The Met, Leeds)
The Bonham Hotel, Edinburgh (formerly: The Bonham Hotel)
Oxford Spires Hotel, Oxford (formerly: Four Pillars Oxford Spires Hotel)
Sedgebrook Hall Northampton (formerly: Sedgebrook Hall)
The Derbyshire, Derby (formerly: The Derbyshire)
The St Johns Hotel, Solihull (formerly The St John's Hotel, Solihull)
Ettington Chase, Stratford-upon-Avon (formerly: Ettington Chase)
Eastwood Hall, Nottingham (formerly: Eastwood Hall)
Oxford Witney Hotel, Witney (formerly: Oxford Witney Four Pillars)
Denham Grove, Uxbridge (formerly: De Vere Venues Denham Grove)
Gorse Hill, Woking (formerly: De Vere Venues Gorse Hill Woking)
Hartsfield Manor, Betchworth (formerly: De Vere Venues Hartsfield Manor)
Hunton Park, Hertfordshire (formerly: De Vere Venues Hunton Park)
Warbrook House, Hook (formerly: De Vere Venues Warbrook House)
Wychwood Park, Crewe (formerly: De Vere Venues Wychwood Park Hotel)
New Place, Southampton (formerly: De Vere Venues New Place)
Ponsbourne Park, Hertfordshire (formerly: De Vere Venues Ponsbourne Park Hotel)
Milton Hill, Abingdon (formerly: De Vere Venues Milton Hill House)
Cheadle House, Cheadle (formerly: De Vere Venues Cheadle House Manchester)
Chicheley Hall, Chicheley (formerly: De Vere Venues Chicheley Hall)
Sunningdale Park, Ascot (formerly: De Vere Venues Sunningdale Park Ascot)

Details: https://www.phcompany.com/principal

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Published: 16 November 2016

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I’ve just been to church – not any old church but a cathedral – and not just any old cathedral but an Abbey, Westminster Abbey to be exact.

As churches go, Westminster Abbey is a pretty impressive building dating from the twelfth century. Its contents are impressive as well. It is, for example, custodian of the coronation chair on which all English and British monarchs since the fourteenth century have been seated at the moment of coronation. The chair is well protected in a glass case.

Westminster Abbey also has an impressive guest list. Just about everyone who is anyone is buried there. Walking down the aisle I stepped over the graves of Isaac Newton, Thomas Telford and quite a few others famous names from history.

However, the really impressive, stand-out feature of Westminster Abbey is its diverse range of banqueting and events facilities.

To find them you need to enter Westminster Cathedral from the rear through Dean’s Yard.

The first option is three ground floor cloisters overlooking the Garth. Each cloister will seat up to 80 guests for a dinner – or they can be combined for a larger event. All that is needed to create a truly memorable evening is a simple lighting system to highlight the magnificent architectural features. An elaborate set would be an unnecessarily expensive distraction.

Up the stairs takes you to the Chapter House, another fourteenth century construct and the original meeting room for Parliament. This is a fabulous circular room with loads of natural daylight plus the original mediaeval tiled floor. ‘White drinks’ receptions only allowed in this room to reduce the risk of damage. Capacity is around 120 guests for a reception.

 

Then it is into the Cellarium used by the Monks in the fourteenth century to store their food and drink. Again, a beautiful room with a vaulted ceiling and seating up to 80 guests on round tables for a dinner. The Cellarium Terrace is a contemporary room alongside with great views across the Abbey’s gardens.

Talking of the gardens, the College Garden is available for a limited number of weeks in the year for private events. At 900 years of age it is thought to be the oldest cultivated garden in the British Isles, and the views all around are breathtaking. Pitch your marquee in the grounds and a memorable dinner for up to 240 guests is virtually guaranteed.

If you really want the ‘icing on your cake’ arrange an evening tour of Westminster Abbey itself as a ‘starter’ for an event or private dinner.

However it is not all jaw dropping spectacular rooms at Westminster Abbey. Up the stairs again to Cheyneygates, a room located above the cloisters. This room also has plenty of natural daylight and in another setting could be described as memorable but alongside the magnificence of its near neighbours, it looks merely ordinary but functional nonetheless. It is ideal for a breakfast meeting or a day meeting for up to 36 delegates.

Then it is back through the archway entrance to Dean’s Yard and you are pitched back into the hubbub which is central London in peak-visitor mode. A visit to Westminster Abbey is truly a trip to a parallel universe.

From 9th November Westminster Abbey is launching ‘Wednesday Lates’ to include a highlights tour of the Abbey and a special dinner in the Cellarium Café and Terrace. Guests will see the Coronation Chair as well as Poet’s Corner, Lady Chapel and the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

Westminster Abbey is a member of the Unique Venues of London consortium and The Westminster Collection of venues.

Details: http://www.westminster-abbey.org/venue-bookings

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Published: 09 November 2016

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