More and more event organisers are opting to host their events outside of London, we chat with agencies to find out what’s driving the change.
With cheaper operating costs, the government’s Northern Powerhouse Scheme, and easy accessibility, it’s no wonder that event organisers are waking up to the North as an event destination. The trend of events moving out of London increased post-pandemic and has gone nowhere since. We chat with event profs and, to find out why…
One of the driving reasons behind more events being held up North is that more and more businesses are moving out of London, making a northern event a more accessible option, as Catherine Duhaut, Co-Founder and Director of BeaconHouse Events, explains: “We deliver 80% of our events locally because the region offers such a rich selection of experts that bring real value to the experiences we create. BeaconHouse Events is based in Newcastle upon Tyne which means we can keep the carbon cost of our events low by delivering events in the North, for people in the North, using suppliers, contractors, and speakers from the North.”
Jen Tempest, Business Development Manager at Intouch International is based in Skipton, and agrees with this assessment: “I think pre-pandemic London was the hub and everyone was having their events there. Post-pandemic, people aren’t travelling into London for work as much and a lot of people took the opportunity to move into more rural locations because they could work from home. So, for our clients, their delegates are not all London- based, now they’re scattered across the country.”
The fact that delegates tend to come from all over the UK has also led to some clients switching up locations each year, in a push for variety: “A big thing for our clients is having events that aren’t always in the same location,” Jen says. “Ours often go in a rotation across England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, so that everybody isn’t travelling as far every time.”
A good thing then, that our region has so many vibrant and well-connected cities to provide the backdrop to a spectacular event. But what about the venues? Catherine believes that northern venues offer more flexibility, allowing event organisers to curate a better experience for their delegates: “Venues and suppliers are more cost-effective here than other destinations and often we find that they are more accommodating to delivering ‘events with a difference’, such as getting on board with tailoring menus, training hospitality teams in the intricacies of the event, and offering local tourism information to delegates.”
Cost without compromise is a major factor for all planners, and another reason for the shift, according to Jen: “The venues that are more northern are really stepping up the game, not just in price but in service. We recently worked in Birmingham, which has got several great options for clients and it’s so central. But it’s not just the conference space that’s cheaper, it’s bedrooms as well, also a big consideration for clients. A standard bedroom in London, you’re looking at £300 per night plus: in Birmingham, it’ll be more like £150.”