All the ingredients are in place to prove Scotland’s unrivalled reputation as one of the world’s top locations for meetings, conferences and events.

New Horizons
With considerable investment within the country in the run-up to both the London 2012 Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow, new facilities and refurbishments are happening across Scotland in cities and rural areas alike. Glasgow is currently in the process of opening and developing seven new hotels as part of its ongoing focus on major infrastructure developments. In the next few years the city will welcome almost 1,500 new hotel rooms and luxury serviced apartments. These developments include: the recently opened five-star, £26 million Blythswood Square; the super deluxe, £120 million Jumeirah Glasgow, with 160 bedrooms and suites; Hotel Indigo, a £11.5 million, 96-bedroom boutique hotel; and the refurbishment of the 186-room Grand Central Hotel.

PAs are increasingly listing event organisation as a primary part of their job. H&E North discusses the ever changing role of the PA with two useful contacts in the industry.

Yorkshire is experiencing a boost in business tourism thanks to its enticing range of high quality venues and facilities.
Situated midway between London and Edinburgh, Yorkshire is easily accessible with London’s Kings Cross train station just two hours away. International flights arrive at three international airports in the region; Leeds Bradford International Airport, which has plans for expansion, Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, and Humberside Airport. Manchester Airport is a little more than an hour by road from Leeds.

H&E North finds out why quality catering is a key ingredient for successful events and what will be tantalising the taste buds in 2010.

In these economically stretched times, splashing the cash on lavish feasts is something that may have been curtailed somewhat, what with companies increasingly having to justify big spends, but catering still plays a crucial role in the event experience. Testament to this are well-established catering companies who are continuing to win contracts and new start-ups who are building up a loyal following. Chapman Holmes Catering and Special Events is one of the North West’s leading corporate and event caterers, who are currently celebrating 20 years in the business. Over the years it has provided a diverse range of cuisine and event management to companies such as Coutts & Co, Bentley Motors, The Prince’s Trust, Manchester Evening News, and recently Visit Britain’s Gala Dinner. It has held and catered for events in National Trust properties and venues such as Concorde Conference Centre, and has recently been awarded exclusive contracts at the Gorton Monastery and Lyme Park. Sue Elmore, a Director of the company, states: “At present our industry is missing the big corporate bashes that once prevailed. The emphasis is now on understated, bespoke events.”