Planning a conference? Well, guess what – conferences don’t have to be held in the same old boring meeting rooms and conference centres. Instead, it’s totally possible to find a conference venue that’s both high-spec and characterful.
Don’t believe us? Just look at the Business Design Centre, London’s most distinctive conference venue. This Grade II listed building is bright, airy and totally teaming with technology – everything you need to impress your delegates and more!
Here’s why it should be at the top of your conference wishlist.
Extremely experienced
First things first, the Business Design Centre has a wealth of experience hosting events. And we mean it!
This Grade II listed building opened way back in 1862, when it was known as the Agricultural Hall. Originally built to house the growing Smithfield Club Cattle Show, it quickly proved its versatility by hosting a range of other events too – including the very first Crufts and the New Worlds Fair.
Since its conversion into the Business Design Centre in 1986, it’s become one of London’s most popular venues for conferences and exhibitions. In fact, it now hosts over 200 events every year, and welcomes over 950,000 visitors! So, you can be absolutely sure your conference here is in safe hands.
Fabulous facilities
The Business Design Centre might be housed in an old building, but it feels surprisingly contemporary. It’s bright, airy and super high-spec.
That’s right, it has all the technology and facilities you could want from a conference venue – including world-class AV systems, high-speed Wi-Fi, custom branding areas, tannoy systems, phone charging stations, hearing loops… the list goes on!
The venue also boasts a whopping 6,000 square metres of event space. With a range of blank canvas rooms to choose from (and plenty of breakout space!), it won’t be a challenge to find the perfect fit for your conference. For large conferences or exhibitions, you’ll love the Mezzanine, which can accommodate up to 1,500. Or, for standalone conferences, check out the slick Auditorium, which has room for up to 500.
A sought-after setting
When you’re hosting a conference, you don’t want to give delegates any excuse not to show up. So, you need a convenient location that’s easy for everyone to get to.
Luckily, the Business Design Centre is located in the heart of Islington – only 10 minutes away from Kings Cross St Pancras and just a short walk from Angel tube station. With a wealth of transport options for those coming from both within London and elsewhere in the UK (or the world!) it’s the ideal spot to bring people together.
But that’s not the only thing we love about it. Angel is a lively hub that’s teaming with cafes, independent shops, antique stores and cultural venues. In other words, this is a sought-after setting that your delegates will have tons of fun exploring while they’re in the area for your conference!
Unforgettable food
The secret to a happy delegate is a well-fed one. So, you’ll be pleased to hear that the Business Design Centre has some of the best food around!
In-house caterers, the Good Eating Company, will spoil you for choice – whether you want to treat your guests to breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Working lunch on the cards? From full-day food packages to light buffets or sandwich platters, all lunch options are prepared fresh on-site that morning. Prefer to impress your guests with dinner and drinks? Work with the team to create a fully bespoke menu, tailor-made for your guests.
Oh-so-sustainable
Finally, we can’t mention the Business Design Centre without talking about sustainability. This venue is a trailblazer when it comes to eco-friendly events, and has won a number of awards to prove it – including the Exhibition News (EN) CSR Award in 2018 and 2019, and the EN ESG Award in 2022.
It uses 100% renewable energy to power the building, it sends zero waste to landfill and it offsets any residual carbon emissions that it can’t avoid – all measures that have earned it a reputation as one of the greenest event venues in the capital.
In fact, it’s been a certified carbon neutral venue for almost twelve years. And it’s continually working to reduce its carbon footprint – it’s actually aiming to reach net zero emissions before 2030. That means if you’re keen to host an eco-friendly event in London, this is without a doubt the venue that can help!
If you’ve got an upcoming conference in your calendar then what are you waiting for? The Business Design Centre has everything you could need and more – from high-spec facilities to tons of character, delicious food to sustainable policies. Just enquire now to get your conference booked in.
Or, if you’re still browsing, feel free to check out more of our top conference venues in London. Enjoy!
Author
Imogen Beech
With a love of interior design, Imogen’s writing experience has taken her from the mansions of the rich and famous to the capital’s most unique events spaces on Hire Space.
