Venues and destinations

We do not own rooms. We keep a point of view.

The eight spaces below are fictional, standing in for the kinds of rooms we shortlist. Photos are empty scenery, not contracted venues. We will tell you when a beautiful room is wrong for the job.

8 fictional rooms

The River Thames at night, with lit buildings and a boat on the water
Stock photo, for illustration only: mattbuck / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credits

London · Waterside · UK

Glasshouse Wharf

Up to 400 guests

Daylight and water. Right for dinners and launches, wrong for a summit with forty breakouts.

Fictional venue
A conference hall in blue light, with rows of seats facing a stage and three screens
Stock photo, for illustration only: Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Credits

Manchester · Warehouse · UK

The Foundry Rooms

Up to 700 guests

One honest room. Good for conferences that do not want a ballroom hush.

Fictional venue
A vaulted stone cellar set with long wooden tables and benches
Stock photo, for illustration only: ZemplinTemplar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credits

Edinburgh · Hall · UK

Calton Assembly

Up to 280 guests

Stone, quiet, decent acoustics. Works for tastings and talks, not for a show with a large stage.

Fictional venue
A cloistered courtyard with a chequered tiled floor and a shell-shaped stone fountain
Stock photo, for illustration only: Dale Cruse / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Credits

Lisbon · Courtyard · Europe

Alma Courtyard

Up to 120 guests

Shade, tiles, one long table. Team gatherings. Not a plenary.

Fictional venue
An empty room with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over a harbour
Stock photo, for illustration only: Ciara Ní Riain / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credits

Bristol · Waterside · UK

Harbour Rooms

Up to 80 guests

A round table and the water. Regional dinners and working sessions.

Fictional venue
An empty raked auditorium with dark seats, ceiling spotlights and a small stage
Stock photo, for illustration only: Balise42 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Credits

Birmingham · Hall · UK

Kingstanding Works

Up to 1200 guests

Enough floor to make neighbourhoods, so a large forum does not depend on one distant stage.

Fictional venue
A green-walled dining room with a long table laid in white linen
Stock photo, for illustration only: Mike1979 Russia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Credits

Norfolk · Retreat · UK

North Dune House

Up to 60 guests

Stay the night. There is no ballroom, which is the point.

Fictional venue
A former canal company warehouse in dark stone beside the water
Stock photo, for illustration only: Samshots1 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Credits

Leeds · Warehouse · UK

Leeds Canal Store

Up to 500 guests

A working room with a corner that can take a proper hybrid broadcast, not a webcam.

Fictional venue