CONF ERENCING
Allia really is a venue with a difference. Inside, there are three meeting spaces, one of which holds up to 80 people, while the natural light of its stunning atrium space can, quite literally, illuminate any conversation. There’s also an on-site cafe and roof terrace, as well as car parking. Add thoughtful details like state-of-the-art technology for presenters and even charging points for electric vehicles, and it’s easy to see why Allia is so popular. As a not-for-profit organisation, it’s also helping to create positive change. Book an event here, and you’re supporting innovative start-ups that aim to be a force for good in the world. So far, Allia Centres have supported over 1,300 business, helped to create more than 300 jobs and raised in excess of £57m. futurebusinesscentre.co.uk ALLIA FUTURE BUSINESS CENTRE
an element of mindfulness, something that could even see exercise appearing on the conference agenda together with more scheduled downtime, as well as a growing emphasis on healthy catering. Will our area’s venues be ready for the challenge? It’s something that, unlike so many aspects of the economy in these uncertain times, you can absolutely guarantee. Bells and whistles aside, the bottom line when it comes to making an event work, according Andrew Bell at Granta, is down to doing the simple things really well. “It’s amazing when organisers walk in and everything is just as they have asked. Everything happens just as promised,” he says. You can tell things are going well, he says, when you can sense the energy emanating from a meeting. “You just know there is lots of progress being made, normally accompanied by more Post-it notes than there are walls!”
complements, rather than conflicts with, even the most forward-thinking conferences and events. And what’s the next big thing in conferences? There’s likely to be a whole meeting room full of them. According to research by Eventbrite, one increasingly important aspect is the clever use of social media and online tools to promote meetings and get-togethers. The most commonly used tool is social media, followed by content marketing and then emails. But personal recommendation remains the most effective technique of the lot, according to Eventbrite. Meet Cambridge is predicting that, while large-scale events will still feature in years to come, there will be a growing trend for smaller, more informal gatherings, which work brilliantly in terms of forging connections with other attendees. Increasingly, events will also incorporate
what we do,” says Andrew Bell, Granta Centre manager. “But we like it this way. When more unconventional solutions are required, it makes them all the more special and exciting.” For those opting for a purpose-built, modern venue that is also a force for positive change: consider Allia Future Business Centre, with its roof terrace, bright, light atrium and three immaculately equipped meeting rooms, one of which can host up to 80 people. Book an event there, and you could also – indirectly – be making the world a better place, as the funds raised are used to support start-ups and social ventures. Historic Madingley Hall also offers something out of the ordinary. As inspiring backdrops go, its stunning architecture and fabulous grounds – most of its bedrooms look out on to its formal gardens – are hard to beat. That sense of tradition
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