The new format of the Expo, held at the British Museum on Tuesday 12 July, saw extended opening times, keynote speakers and catering for both breakfast and lunch at the event, all of which had a ‘Celebrate London’ theme.
Due to the success of previous years, the Expo’s opening times were extended to 2pm for the first time, meaning that attendees had longer to explore UVL’s inspiring member venues all under one roof, including Fortnum & Mason, St Paul’s Cathedral and Hampton Court Palace.
Held in conjunction with London & Partners, the Expo also included two workshops – a keynote speech giving an overview of how London will operate during Games time from Zanine Adams, Head of Event Solutions and UK Sales for London & Partners and a panel debate entitled Sharing Trade Secrets chaired by the International Special Events Society (ISES) President Jonathan Byrne.
An artisan breakfast was provided by Zafferano with baskets of smoked salmon scotched quail eggs and gourmet bacon sandwiches. The London-based caterer also served lunch menus celebrating traditional culinary delights from both East and West London. The event was further supported by BIG who supplied guest badges, Event Concept who supplied AV and lighting, Jones Furniture Hire and florists Veevers Carter.
Lisa Hatswell, Chairman of UVL and Sales and Corporate Events Manager at The EDF Energy London Eye, comments: “We are delighted with the success of our third Expo. There is a real appetite for unusual venues, especially ahead of the Olympic Games, and this is a fantastic opportunity for buyers to explore a number of iconic, historic and modern events spaces in one location. We’ve had some great feedback on the new developments for 2011 including the workshops, extended opening times and pre-booked appointments. As such the Expo will continue to evolve to ensure it continues to be relevant and meaningful to London events buyers”.
Zanine Adams, Head of Event Solutions and UK Sales for London & Partners adds: “With our aim to ensure that London is recognised globally as the best big city on earth, we are proud to once again support the UVL Expo. The event showcases all that is unique and authentic about our city, with venues that can only add to the events experience”.
During the Expo, the British Museum provided visitors with the chance to take one of four guided tours of the Museum, exploring either the Roman Britain, China, Ancient Greece or Enlightenment Galleries. A UVL quiz was also circulated with a number of prizes offered by UVL venues for the top scorers.