We can now host dinners for up to 300 guests

Central Gallery, Nottingham Conference Centre’s contemporary open gallery space is now available for dinners. Catering for up to 300 guests, the gallery provides the perfect setting for gala dinners, banquets and award ceremonies.

This unique and flexible space can be dressed to suit any theme and can accommodate staging and lighting. In addition, the lower level of the atrium provides space for a DJ, dance floor and bar to be incorporated into your event. For smaller dinners, our beautifully restored event rooms in the Grade II* listed Arkwright building provide spaces for 50 – 200 guests.

To make an enquiry please call us on 0115 848 8000 or contact us online.

It’s Nottingham Conference Centre’s 3rd birthday!

This month Nottingham Conference Centre is celebrating its 3rd birthday. We’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has helped us make the first three years a success and we look forward to many more.

As a special birthday treat, we’re offering you 3 free places per 50 paying delegates for events taking place in March, subject to availability.

Our fantastic value Day Delegate Package contains:

• Conference room hire from 8.30 am – 5.30 pm
• Unlimited Fairtrade organic tea, Puro Fairtrade bean-to-cup coffee and orange Capri-Suns
• Mineral water coolers in your conference room
• Morning pastries and afternoon handmade cakes
• Fruit basket and sweet jars
• Three course hot buffet lunch served in the stunning Old Library, or working finger buffet lunch
• Fully integrated Personal Computer Pod with screen and projector, or 50″ Plasma TVs
• Digital signage
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Climate control, floor to ceiling windows and disabled access to all rooms
• Notepads, stationery box, flipchart and on-site AV support
• Complimentary use of the Sillitoe Executive Lounge for breakouts and smaller meetings

To make sure you don’t miss out on this great offer, call us today on 0115 848 8000 or make an enquiry online.

Top tips on how to organise your office Christmas party

If you’ve been tasked with the job of organising your office Christmas party this year then don’t panic, the team here at Nottingham Conference Centre have put together this post to ensure your festive frivolities are a success.

Do you have a budget or will you and your colleagues be contributing to the costs? In smaller companies it tends to be usual for each employee to pay their own way at the Christmas parties, whereas large corporate companies host the party at their own expense.

Pick a venue. It’s usually best to head to an external venue rather than holding the party in your own office. This will make your party feel more special and saves on a lot of tidying up.

There are hundreds of places that cater for Christmas parties. From small restaurants to huge themed marquees or hotels offering residential packages, the choice is yours. Check costs, minimum numbers and availability. The later you book the less picky you’ll be able to be with your dates, however, on the other hand you might be able to pick up a bargain!

If you’re a small office you might want to consider joining a shared party to enjoy the atmosphere without a huge cost. If you’re part of a larger organisation then you might consider venues that offer exclusive use. Look for a venue that can offer you a package with food and entertainment all included – this will save you lots of time and planning headaches.

Send out invitations in plenty of time. Christmas is a busy time for most people so get your party date pencilled in as soon as possible. Remember to give an RSVP by date to save you having to chase everyone for an answer and send out plenty of reminders as the party gets closer.

Finally, on the night, remember to enjoy yourself. You may be worrying about final numbers and if everyone likes the entertainment – but it’s your Christmas party too.

Nottingham Conference Centre Open Evening

Join us after work on Thursday 18 October and take the opportunity to view our first-class venue.

The Open Evening offers you the chance to take a tour of our conference and event facilities and discover exactly why Nottingham Conference Centre is the perfect place for your next event. Our dedicated event coordinators will be on hand to discuss your requirements and answer any questions you may have. You can also enjoy complimentary drinks and canapés on arrival.

The evening will include:

• 5.30 pm – 6 pm: Drinks and canapés in the Old Library with a welcome from Jillian Miles, Conference and Events Operations Manager.
• 6 pm – 6.30 pm: Guided tour of the venue including our conference and meeting rooms, bespoke event spaces and external courtyard.
• 6.30 pm – 7 pm: Individual one-to-one appointments available to discuss your requirements with our event coordinators (please book these in advance).

To confirm your attendance, please email us or call us on 0115 848 8000.

Don’t miss our Wedding Open Evening

Join us on Thursday 4 October between 5 pm and 8 pm for the Nottingham Conference Centre Wedding Open Evening.

We are proudly showcasing our stunning Grade II* listed buildings to couples wishing to get married right in the heart of Nottingham city centre. Following a multi-million pound investment, our beautiful venue has been lovingly restored to its former glory, making it the perfect place to say “I do.”

The Open Evening offers you the chance to view our unique venue and discuss your plans with our dedicated wedding coordinators. A selection of the region’s finest wedding suppliers will also be on hand to offer help and advice.

Confirmed exhibitors so far include:
• Jakt Photography
• Pauldale Foto
• Simply Cakes
• Pam Gibson Floral Designs
• Coco Falls Chocolate Fountains
• Zullo & Holland
• Vince’s Music
• John Lewis Gift List
• Monty Manatee Weddings

Entry is free and includes a complimentary drink on arrival. To book your place, please email us or call us on 0115 848 8000.

You can find out more about weddings at Nottingham Conference Centre on our wedding webpages.

Vote for Nottingham Conference Centre in the M&IT Awards 2013!

We’re going for gold in the Meetings & Incentive Travel Magazine Awards 2013!

These prestigious awards measure market reaction and reward excellence of service across the meetings industry. They are 100% democratic and decided entirely by your votes – there are no judging panels, no vested interest, and absolutely no favours. The awards also do a fantastic job in supporting and raising funds for the charity Save the Children.

The magazine are giving away £500 worth of John Lewis vouchers to one lucky voter, so what are you waiting for? Please follow the link below and consider voting for us in:

• Category C – Best UK Conference Centre
• Category L – Best Academic Venue

Vote in the M&IT Awards 2013.

Voting closes on Friday 7 December 2012 and the winners will be announced at a presentation dinner in London on Tuesday 19 March 2013.

Thank you for your support!

Shortening lead times for conferences and events

Here at Nottingham Conference Centre we’ve noticed a significant trend towards companies booking events and conferences with increasingly shortened lead times in the last year.

Although from an organiser’s point of view the longer the lead-time the better, even up to a year for the largest of events, the lead-time required for a venue can differ significantly.

The average lead-time for booking a venue for an event is six to eight weeks, however dependent on availability a venue can host an event with as little as a days’ notice for a very basic event. In fact, just last week we hosted a meeting 15 minutes after the organiser had arrived at the venue to make an enquiry! If catering is part of the event then the notice required would extend to about a week – in recent months we’ve hosted events with one, two and three weeks’ notice given.

In these times of budget cuts and tightening of purse strings, we’re aware that event organisers are being told to provide ‘more buck for their dollar’. It may be that companies are not booking events until the last-minute when they’re sure they have a clear business case or that the budget has been approved. It may also be a case of wanting a definite go-ahead on the event before booking to avoid cancellation charges.

On the other hand this trend may be one that continues into the future. Living in the digital age it may simply be the case that event organisers need less lead-time. Booking, event management and marketing can all be done via the web in a much shorter time period than traditional methods.

This short notice can mean that some organisers have to compromise on their overall event experience. Things like catering or bespoke AV facilities take much longer to organise, but choosing an all-inclusive package is the best way to avoid this.

However, in time venues need to adapt to this new way of working and begin to think of it as the new norm. This will mean organising intricate and bespoke events at the drop of hat.

Nottingham Conference Centre named Best Conference Venue

Nottingham Conference Centre has fought off tough competition to be named Best Conference Venue at the Nottinghamshire STARS Awards 2012. The venue will now go forward to compete for the prestigious title on the national stage, as part of next year’s Visit England Awards for Excellence.

The conference centre – which is part of Nottingham Trent University – was named top of the category at the regional awards ceremony, after demonstrating its commitment to service quality and its ability to go the extra mile. It was also recognised for its overall event management and customer services. Its success means the venue has secured a place on the shortlist at the Visit England Awards for Excellence.

The Nottinghamshire STARS Awards are run by Experience Nottinghamshire to recognise outstanding contributions by the county’s businesses to tourism, culture, leisure and hospitality industries.

Team members Emma Hinde, Stephanie Grayson, Katie Hernandez and Emma Fowler picked up the award.

Jill Miles, Conference and events operations manager at Nottingham Conference Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the Best Conference Venue title by Experience Nottinghamshire and go forward to the national awards next year. It demonstrates the commitment the team has to service and quality, and it is great to have our hard work recognised.”

The venue was also recognised in the Best New Venture category – which honoured businesses that have successfully established themselves in the industry since January 2010 – after being awarded the runner-up title.

Nottingham Conference Centre reaches for the STARS

The team at Nottingham Conference Centre is delighted to have been shortlisted for the Nottinghamshire STARS Awards 2012.

The awards, run by Experience Nottinghamshire, recognise outstanding contributions by Nottinghamshire businesses to the tourism, culture, leisure and hospitality industries.

Nottingham Conference Centre has made the final shortlist in two categories: Best Conference Venue and Best New Venture, an award honouring businesses that have successfully established themselves in the industry since January 2010.

For their entry, the team demonstrated their ability to go the extra mile and were judged on their commitment to excellence in criteria such as customer service, food and drink, accessibility, staff development, marketing and sustainability.

The team will be attending the ceremony at Nottingham’s Crowne Plaza Hotel on Thursday 21 June and glory on the national stage awaits if they bring home the Best Conference Venue award. A win would secure a place on the shortlist at the Visit England Awards for Excellence to be held next year.

Jillian Miles, Nottingham Conference Centre’s Conference and Events Operations Manager said: “The team are absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted for the awards. It demonstrates how we have made Nottingham Conference Centre a success in a relatively short period of time and it’s a huge achievement for us to have our hard work recognised.”

Nottingham Conference Centre makes a green impact

The team at Nottingham Conference Centre is delighted to have received a Silver Award Green Impact certificate.

Green Impact is an environmental accreditation scheme which is run annually by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges. It challenges departments within the University to reduce their environmental impact by developing initiatives and practical environmental improvements. Those partaking in the Green Impact scheme can achieve either: a working towards accreditation, Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.

Nottingham Conference Centre’s dedicated green champions Sally Banham and Emma Fowler have been working since October to achieve the award. They promote energy conservation throughout the centre, encourage recycling and work to reduce the carbon footprint of both staff and delegates by encouraging the use of public transport. They also organise a used stamp collection to raise money for the children’s charity CRY.

Emma Fowler said: “Having won the Bronze Award last year, the team are thrilled to have achieved Silver this year. Winning the award is a great demonstration of how dedicated Nottingham Conference Centre is to its environmentally friendly philosophy. It has been a very rewarding project which now allows us to stand out as an excellent choice for a sustainable conference venue.”