Discover why Sheffield is one of the most talked about cities right now and why it might just be the ideal destination for 2023 events.
You might be excused for thinking that Sheffield flies a little under the radar of other northern metropolises, but the city formerly known for steel is regularly hitting the press for its cultural and foodie scene – and hosting some impressive conferences and events.
From stylish venues and hip regeneration projects to its wealth of green space and sustainability credentials, Sheffield is a real crowd pleaser. Little wonder, then, that it was voted second best destination for a European city break by Time Out, and Observer Food Monthly says it’s this year’s foodie hotspot, good news for delegates!
There’s space to breathe. Not every major city can boast of being inside a national park, yet a third of Sheffield lies within the celebrated Peak District. 61% of the city’s entire area is green space, making it a great destination to find venues with al fresco areas or build outdoor experiences into your event. Sheffield city centre is well into a £470 million redevelopment of the city centre known as Heart of the City. This is already transforming Sheffield’s centre into a sustainable and socially responsible celebration of heritage buildings alongside brand-new contemporary buildings.
Heart of the City will enhance Sheffield’s constantly evolving food and drink scene, creating more venues for eating, drinking, and socialising with an independent vibe, from emerging independents and beloved local institutions to recognised names.
Street food is big in Sheffield with numerous outlets, collective venues and regular events that combine pop up artisan food, with music and art. Event Central is a new development which will see six storeys of flexible event spaces as a showcase of creative talent perfect for performance or exhibition, including a 200-capacity basement space.
Venue highlights include the Winter Garden – Europe’s biggest urban glasshouse. The city’s flagship venues (the over 2000-seater Sheffield City Hall and the 500-seater Cutler’s Hall) are complemented by stylish residential venues such as the Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria, the Leopold Hotel in the city centre, Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa, and Double Tree by Hilton on the outskirts of the city.
There are new hotels in the pipeline too. The Radisson Blu hotel is taking shape with an enviable location overlooking the Peace Gardens. Opening later in 2023, it has restored the charming Victorian architecture of the original building and, as well as an events space, it will introduce a stunning roof top bar and 154 bedrooms. Before that though, the 150-bedroom new Courtyard by Marriott hotel opens
this summer in a prime position on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (close to M1 Junction 33) with ample parking and EV charging points. Small meeting and private dining spaces are available for up to 10 delegates.
Both universities have impressive spaces. The latest addition is The Wave at the University of Sheffield. The Wave’s sustainable design is a first for the university, this net zero operation uses ground source heat pumps to provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, while solar panels generate all electricity. Five impressive lecture theatres host between 120 and 400 delegates with 16 further seminar rooms at event organisers’ disposal. Impressive architecture, top sustainability credentials and a short walk from the city centre!
The conference team have recently worked with event organisers and ambassadors to secure conferences and events worth more than £5 million to the local economy. This includes several national and international sector-specialist events set to take place over the next couple of years, including the Annual International Stillbirth Alliance Conference; the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons Annual Congress; NDE In Nuclear Conference; the International Society for Study of Celiac Disease General Assembly, SUMO Digital Developers Conference, and the 52nd Meeting of the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. The recent announcement that funding is now complete for the National Centre for Child Health Technology at the Olympic Legacy Park is also great news for conferences and events, making Sheffield a global player in the Life Sciences sector.
Why not get in touch on 0114 273 5978 or click Welcometosheffield.co.uk/ conference
Conferences@sheffield.gov.uk