Health and wellbeing driving venue trends in London

As a cultural and economic powerhouse, London is regarded by many as touchstone for emerging new trends, whatever the sector.

So a report from a leading venue finder in the capital has produced some interesting new findings as to what is driving meetings industry business.

According to key trends highlighted by Venue Search London, venues that attend to clients’ health and wellbeing needs were more competitive in 2018.

Using a supply chain that has demonstrable social responsibility also reflects the growth in millennials in the workforce and their advocacy for suppliers and venues with a philanthropic purpose.

Suppliers are responding directly to health, wellbeing and social responsibility with new products and services that are set to launch in 2019:

The Hilton London Bankside -which hosted VisitBritain’s MeetGB MICE event earlier this year – is to launch a ‘vegan-friendly’ bedroom suite with sustainability at its core. The room will draw on natural materials including bamboo flooring, natural walnut and Piñatex, a vegan friendly future material made from pineapple leaves.

The Agora, will give event planners a new concept meeting space designed to ‘increase brain power and creativity’, which will include a button that engulfs the room in a blast of aromatic cool air to revive any lapse in the conversation.

Battersea Arts Centre re-opens to events in February following a three year restoration with all profits being reinvested into the leading arts centre with the objective of inspiring people to take creative risks to shape the future.

RSA House is launching a ‘Fuelling not Feeding’ concept that draws on the principles associated with the Glycaemic Index (GI). The use of low GI foods in the venue’s day delegate packages have been designed to give clients a healthy, great tasting option that will help delegates stay alert & engaged during a full day conference and will include vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits.

The Science Museum will unveil Illuminate, a purpose-built event space with expansive views across the capital. The new event destination has been designed to ‘mimic natural daylight’ with all profits being returned to the museum to help educate and inspire the innovators, thinkers and problem solvers of tomorrow.

2018 has seen Venue Search London increase its footprint with demand for London events being received from clients in New York and Brussels. Major events include Google and Savills with the largest group being more than 2,000 delegates.

Kimberleigh Lloyd, Sales Director at Venue Search London comments: ‘It’s been a fantastic year filled with great events, stunning new spaces and even better relationships with our clients. It’s also superb to see how the venues are honing their offerings to meet the buyer’s greater appreciation of philanthropy and wellbeing in the workplace’.