The Eastside Rooms, a leading, modern venue in the heart of Birmingham, has appointed experienced industry professional Vicky Howe as its new Director of Sales, following a period of exceptional commercial success and recognition at this year’s Memcom Awards.   Vicky steps up to the role from her previous position as Business Development Director, where she has played a key part in driving growth across The Eastside Rooms and the adjoining Aloft Birmingham Eastside hotel.   

£191m investment to transform one of the world’s leading multi-arts and conference venues Renewal will reignite an architectural icon and elevate the Barbican Centre’s global status Plans backed by more than 90% of respondents in public consultation   The City of London Corporation yesterday (11 December) approved the delivery plan for the Barbican Renewal Programme – a major investment that will secure the future of the internationally renowned creative and business event po

Legends Global hosted ten senior buyers in Manchester last week for a festive showcase of the city’s live event and conference offer, bringing together AO Arena, New Century and The Bridgewater Hall under one unified, buyer ready proposition. The day began at AO Arena, where guests arrived for a welcome brunch and venue tour.  Buyers saw how one of the UK’s best-connected arenas can pivot from world class live entertainment to large scale conferences for up to 10,000, product

Ottawa Tourism will host ASAE’s 2026 Executive Leadership Forum (ELF) in Canada’s capital from June 28 to 30, 2026. The programme will bring together approximately 100 to 150 association CEOs and senior executives, primarily from the United States with select Canadian leaders, at The Westin Ottawa in the heart of the city’s walkable downtown. Under the 2026 theme “Leading with Audacity,” the Executive Leadership Forum will provide a high-level environment for association lead

The Barbican will use FOCUS 2025, taking place today and tomorrow at the Business Design Centre in London, to highlight its growing role as a premiere venue, filming location and home for photo shoots.  The Barbican’s team will share recent case studies that span red-carpet launches, festival screenings, location work and an expanding ScreenTalks programme, and will invite producers and location decision makers to explore how the Barbican’s spaces can support both large scale

Connexin Live Hull hosted the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland Annual Scientific Meeting from Monday 24 November to Friday 28 November 2025 last week, welcoming around 800 vascular professionals to the city. One of the largest vascular gatherings in the United Kingdom, the meeting brought a rich programme of plenary sessions, specialist breakouts and an exhibition, with welcome drinks and networking all taking place on site.   During the conference, on 26 th  Nov

SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) has appointed Bishop-McCann as its global strategic event partner for a three-year term. Under the agreement, Bishop-McCann will provide key planning services and support delivery of SITE’s portfolio of events worldwide, operating as a true extension of the association’s internal team.   “SITE’s events are where our global community connects, learns, and experiences the transformative power of incentive travel,” said Annette Greg

Magenta Security Services marked its 30th anniversary in style last night at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards, where the company was named Security & Fire Sustainability Champion for the third year running.   The Security & Fire Awards for Excellence are recognised across the sector as a benchmark for outstanding performance, innovation and best practice in both security and fire. The Sustainability Champion category honours organisations that demonstrate leadership in e

Conventions delivering benefits for business and residents of Antwerp   Fresh organiser and delegate research for Flanders confirms Antwerp’s strong performance as a conference city, with particular praise for conference venues, accessibility, and a visitor offering with high satisfaction levels.  The findings point to benefits that reach far beyond tourism, from knowledge exchange to networking and sector growth.   Key findings   A leader in accessibility and quality - Antwe

SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) has opened registration for the SITE Global Conference 2026, taking place February 12 to 15, 2026 at The Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal.  The annual gathering brings together leaders from across the incentive travel community to connect, learn, and celebrate the business impact of exceptional reward experiences.   Each year, SITE Global Conference convenes more than 750 incentive travel leaders from both the supply and deman

Less than a year into its time as operator of two of Sheffield’s most iconic venues, Sheffield City Hall and the Utilita Arena Sheffield, Legends Global is already delivering on its promise of transformation, investment, and revitalisation.   Having taken over management of the venues from a charitable trust that served the city for more than 30 years, Legends Global has spent the year to date laying strong foundations for the future. The focus has been on listening, learning

Event industry foundation Meeting Needs has agreed a £5,000 donation to support relief work in Jamaica following the devastating damage to the island by hurricane Melissa.   The cash will be delivered via the Sandals Foundation, a non-profit organization launched in March 2009 to help Sandals Resorts International to make a difference in the Caribbean. Sandals Foundation has launched a Relief Mission fund to help families get back on their feet, working closely with partners

Antwerp Convention Bureau is deepening its focus on the blue economy, positioning the city as a living laboratory where water-linked innovation, sustainable chemistry, and smart port technologies converge at scale. From the River Scheldt to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Antwerp’s strength lies in the way academia, startups, industry, and government collaborate to turn ideas into real-world impact.    At the heart of the city’s offer is a structured “innovation pipeline” that ca

Organisers choose Canada’s capital for proximity to decision makers, regulators and world class technology   Ottawa is reporting strong progress in the IEEE and wider engineering sector, with multiple competitive bid wins and a growing pipeline of technical congresses. Organisers consistently highlight Ottawa’s position as Canada’s capital, access to national policy makers and the strength of its technology industry as key reasons to choose the city.   A major highlight for t

The Barbican will use IBTM World, 17 to 20 November, to show how brands and associations are reimagining its distinctive spaces for high-impact meetings and events. The team will present recent successes that blend culture, design and production expertise, and will invite planners to explore formats that boost engagement, simplify delivery and create lasting value.   “Clients come to the Barbican for ideas as much as for space,” said Jenny Waller, Head of Sales, Barbican. “We

Recognition by Welcome Brain Consulting marks leadership in accessible and dignified events   The Eastside Rooms has been awarded Gold Certification under the Neuroinclusive Venue Accreditation developed by Welcome Brain Consulting, becoming the first venue in the world to reach this level. The recognition reflects a strong and proactive commitment to neuroinclusion, with measures that support a welcoming experience for every delegate from first enquiry to event delivery.   T

Flagship Stroke Association conference to bring 2,000 delegates for three days of learning, networking and community impact, from 25 to 27 November 2025.   P&J Live will host the UK Stroke Forum 2025, the Stroke Association’s flagship annual conference, from 25 to 27 November 2025, welcoming 2,000 delegates for three days of education, collaboration and skills development.   The 20th anniversary edition will take place across the whole of the venue’s conference and exhibition

BMA House is reporting strong growth in conferences and events from the education community, with a variety of universities, associations and training providers choosing the venue for teaching, research and professional development.  The team has also expanded day delegate rate options to suit academic budgets and timetables.   Recent and repeat education sector partners include UCL, Imperial College London, University of Bath, Birkbeck University, The College of Optometrists

One of the UK’s most iconic live event venues, OVO Arena Wembley, managed by Legends Global, is gaining new traction in the conference and events market following the launch of its Coors Lounge earlier this year as well as a move to in-house F&B provision from this week. Opened in late Spring 2025, the Coors Lounge has already hosted a series of successful business gatherings, from corporate receptions and brand meetings to internal strategy sessions, proving its value as a f

SITE has announced Puerto Rico as the host destination for SITE Classic 2026, taking place from August 24-27, 2026. Since its inception in 2007, SITE Classic has been both a leading gathering for senior incentive travel leaders and the flagship fundraising event of the SITE Foundation. Each year, more than 270 buyers, suppliers and C suite leaders convene at a world class incentive destination to connect, learn, discover and shape the future of the incentive travel industry.