In fact, no venue is ‘perfect’ for any event. You will always have to make sacrifices, whether it’s ceiling height, price, location, or a lack of natural daylight. Now throw in the need for activities and entertainment, and you’ve just added another list of things to consider.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. You just need to know what to look for and as always, keep asking better questions!
We’ve listed seven tips for finding a venue that will, hopefully, mean less of a headache and more people showing up!
Now… this is going to sound obvious, but…
It’s no good booking a cool basement venue in the deepest darkest depths of central London if you then decide you want to do dragon boat racing. (You need water, pal).
So, ideally, have an idea of what you want the activity to be first, then take that into account when you hunt for venues.
If it’s too late, then make sure the creative team understand the restrictions of the venue/s and builds the activities around them. Maybe try incorporating the tone and history of the space you’re in. There’s a time and a place for bowls, just like there’s a time and a place for rage buggies.
And since we just mentioned it…
We’re not just talking about the obvious: ceiling heights, natural daylight, or room sizes. Although, if you’ve booked Tower Walkways for dinner, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to bring a bouncy castle.
And for some bizarre reason, the London Eye are funny about trampolines.
Jokes aside, what you must remember are the niggly bits. The things that people forget to check because they often assume it’s going to be just like the last place they booked.
We were asked to provide entertainment for a hotel in London recently. A few moments into our sound check, the manager came sprinting through the door.
“What are you doing? You can’t have amplified sound in here!!!”
Ah, I thought, as I slowly lowered the megaphone (and wondered whether that even counted). I looked around the room, at the band and the DJ, and thought, we’ve got some work to do now.
Now, of course, we can adapt, but the keyboardist isn’t going to have much fun.
No amplified sound can be a big deal: it can affect the speeches, the presentations, the entertainment: the soul of the evening.
You’ve also got a ton of magisterial green spaces in London. Some are selling their venue space on the strength of the grounds. And why not? It’s a magical setting. But…
A few of them, at least, don’t let you on the grass! Imagine that! Booking a wedding and finding out a few days before you can only look at it. There goes that game of croquet you wanted.
So, in that vein, at the very least…
If you’re about to sign an expensive contract, chat to one or two of your suppliers and ask them what they need first. Better still, put them in touch with the right person at the venue, so they can check what can and can’t be done.
And if you need help finding a venue, don’t be scared to ask. There are plenty of people that do a thorough job without costing you, the client, any extra.
At a bare minimum, specialist venue finders can help you…
Let’s say you’re booking a venue for a private party, but your sister-in-law is a chef and wants to provide the catering. This could be a potential hurdle, especially in London. Many venues have ‘preferred caterer’ lists, and if your name’s not down, your… (I can’t bring myself to finish that.)
Or let’s say you’ve booked a nice hotel for a dinner dance. Have you thought about a pre-drinks space? Or are you heading in and sitting straight down? Is there enough space for you to dance? Or do you have to stand at the side while the staff manically roll out a dozen tables?
Have you factored in how long it takes to set up a team-building event for 500 people? Or a stage for three lives bands and a circus act? Have you thought about how long it takes to de-rig? If you don’t calculate this correctly, you could be stung with huge venue fees for going outside your booking time, especially if they have another client coming in straight after you.
And what about access?
How are people getting there? How are they delivering and collecting? Are there double doors? Is there a goods lift? Is there parking?
And that’s just the suppliers.
If you’re relying on people showing up to your press night or book launch, have you given them a location near a tube? Are they driving? Or have you laid on transport from the train station?
People are willing to go a little further, but only if you have something incredible on offer. You can’t always offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience or get hold of a popular celebrity, but what you can do is pick a cool location.
And…
No one wants to go to the same old hotel with beige wallpaper and ancient carpets. What about an old factory, a warehouse, or an abandoned building set for a renovation?
Make it exciting enough that people want to turn up, if only for the chance to go somewhere different or tell their friends where they were.
And never forget the power of access. Some people would never have dreamed they could play in a palace, dine in parliament, or rave in a church, so the scarcity of opportunity will guarantee that higher numbers will travel further.
Just remember, making it different doesn’t just go for the venue; it’s every aspect of the event.
However, it’s a balance. You don’t make it so different you alienate part of the crowd.
Our last tip is…
Archery, segways, cars, it’s all fun and games, but not if you’ve had two hip operations or you’re struggling with anxiety.
There’s a chance that no matter what you lay out for the group, some people won’t want to take part. And that’s okay! You don’t want to force anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. There’s a fine line between friendly encouragement and barking orders.
A good idea is to have an alternative option, ideally in the same venue (or very local). If you’ve got super active activities, offset it with a spa option for people that fancy a calmer afternoon. If you have a lot of crazy driving rallies or arty games, maybe put on a round of golf for people who would prefer to chat quietly and improve their handicap.
This is certainly something people will appreciate, even if you don’t get to see the looks on their faces.
So, there you have it. Seven top tips, and believe us when we say there are many, many, more.
If you need any advice, don’t hesitate to call. Not just because we love it, but because…
We Make it fun. We do it better!
