Other than London, Birmingham is the most popular city in England for finding a conference venue, event space or meeting room. This is because there are many kinds of conference venues to choose from. The city also offers great transport links, and the fact that it’s in central England often means it’s more convenient for delegates to travel to.
Whether you want to find meeting rooms in Birmingham, a purpose-built conference centre or are simply wondering what the options are regarding Birmingham event venues, this guide will walk you through finding a conference venue.
There’s event venues for every business occasion. From small meeting venues in for just a few people getting together to a place big and well-equipped enough to host a large scale company conference. Birmingham conference facilities are some of the very best Britain has to offer.
Keep reading to explore the wonderful world of sourcing the ideal conference centre!
3 best reasons to choose conference venues in Birmingham
Here are just three of the top reasons to pick the UKs 3rd largest city for your next company get-together.
Transport links
The most obvious reason for seeking a meeting space in Birmingham is location (location, location). This Midlands city is so well placed for delegates from all over the British Isles. With three major train stations in the city centre, rail links are excellent.
It also has a major airport, which is only about half an hour from the centre of the city. The International Station here can whisk arriving passengers to the rail link in just a couple of minutes, and operates for 21 hours of the day (and night). Flights operate between Birmingham and other UK destinations such as Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newquay in Cornwall. As well as airports overseas.
For attendees arriving by car, the M6 toll road can really help to cut journey times. This state-of-the-art road link offers a smoother, far less congested route than other UK motorways. It’s the UK’s biggest toll road by far.
A warm welcome
If you appreciate a multicultural city that offers a warm welcome to everyone who visits, then you’ll love using a large or small meeting space. The city is renowned for extending the hand of friendship to those who visit.
A relative lack of tourists also means that venue staff have more time and energy available to focus on what matters to you most.
A broad range of Birmingham conference venues
Whatever you want from a conference venue, Birmingham can offer it. Fancy an ultra contemporary city bolthole, with slick decor and all the latest gadgetry at your fingertips? No problem.
The same goes if you’re seeking a smart country house hotel just outside the city, with plenty of indoor and outdoor space for entertaining (and impressing) your business contacts or colleagues.
From a traditional, upmarket and unmistakably British place in the country to conference venues in Birmingham city centre with a thoroughly modern look, the perfect place certainly exists. In fact the only problem you may have is choosing which venue ticks each and every box just a little more than the next one!
How to choose between conference venues
Once you’ve decided that conference rooms in Birmingham could be the right choice for you, the next step is to focus on what you need to look for. Here’s a simple three step guide to lead the way.
Eliminate other locations
Are you truly committed to hosting your event in Birmingham? If the answer isn’t yet 100% yes, then think about the city’s strengths and weaknesses. On the plus side is the transport connections, choice of venues and warm, friendly welcome.
It may not be ideally placed for every single delegate, however. So it’s worth considering how each attendee will reach the city before making a firm decision. As with all cities, arriving by car can increase travelling time, though the M6 toll road definitely gives it the edge here. See our post on venues in London for alternative locations.
Work out what you want
Once you’ve made a firm decision regarding conference venues in or near Birmingham, it’s time to focus on what’s needed.
Numbers, dates and duration are key. As is the precise position of the venue. Is it, for example, close to the main train station, New Street? If some or all delegates are to arrive by car, you’ll need to make sure there’s sufficient parking – either at the venue or close by. Don’t forget that anyone with additional mobility needs may require parking as near to the front door as possible.
If the event lasts all day or longer, then you’re going to need accommodation. This can also be true if attendees need to travel a long way, even for a shorter event such as a meeting. Can the venue supply enough rooms, and can this be guaranteed?
Catering is also a key factor. You’re likely to need some sort of catering, whether that’s hot drinks and snacks for a coffee break or a buffet lunch for hundreds of people. Can the venue supply the sort of food and beverages you require, and is this down to their own in-house team?
As regards the venue itself, consider the sort of spaces you’ll need. A huge room set up theatre style, a small meeting room for under ten people, or a dining room for a hundred delegates, for example? Perhaps you need all three – and more.
Contact a venue finder
Once you’ve worked out the basics, the simplest and most time and cost-effective way to proceed is to contact a professional venue finder. It’s the shortcut to sourcing the right conference space in Birmingham.
Why use a professional? Well first of all, you should know that their services are completely free of charge to you. Clients don’t pay Birmingham venue finders. Rather, they make money as the venue pays them a commission.
If this sounds like they may be biased, then rest assured that this isn’t the case at all! A venue finder will get the vast majority of their business via word of mouth, so it’s crucial to their success to work in your interests.
In fact a venue finder can save you money too. This is because they are skilled negotiators, and the venue wants to please both them and you. The venue is likely to agree to a discounted rate if it means they can secure the booking and beat the competition.
A professional venue finder already knows where all the best conference venues in Birmingham are. For free advice on how they can help you, why not get in touch today?