When you’re organising a conference or event, the most important, and often most challenging aspect in the planning process, is finding the perfect venue. But how do you pick one from the thousands across the country?
The obvious choice is a hotel or conference centre, but a unique or unusual setting can be an inspired selection to get the creative juices flowing, and to leave a lasting impression on attendees.
Historic venues are often set in spectacular surroundings, and can bring a touch of magic to your event. They create an incredible backdrop and ooze elegance in abundance. What’s more, you can organise a tour for your guests to learn more about ancient artefacts and priceless antiquities, and hear the secrets and stories held within the walls of the centuries old buildings. It’s sure to be something they will remember for years to come.
Additionally, gala dinners hosted in grand rooms with a plethora of original features are a wonderful way to end a conference, and can also be the setting for awards ceremonies, cocktail receptions and large-scale delegate events.
At Middle Temple, you will literally walk in the footsteps of history, almost five centuries of it. From the Knights Templar, William Shakespeare, and Queen Elizabeth I to Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, Charles Dickens, and every British monarch from the last 500 years, you can sense the past from the moment you step inside the building.
Built between 1562 and 1573, the main buildings have remained virtually unchanged to this day, surviving the Great Fire of London and both World Wars. From the cobbled, gas-lit streets through to the Hall itself, many of the original Tudor details have survived and are still in place today.
The stunning Elizabethan Hall with its double hammer beam roof is one of the finest in the country. The superb, detailed architecture, impressive oak paneling and beautiful stained-glass memorial windows create a breathtaking and majestic atmosphere - a truly spectacular setting for your event.
Important guests can dine at the High Table made from a single oak tree, reputedly a gift from Elizabeth I to the Middle Temple, cut down in Windsor Forest and floated down the Thames to be installed in Hall before the building was completed.
An historic venue can be an enriching and inspiring environment, with a unique atmosphere that will certainly create the wow factor and make your event stand out from the crowd.