Planning, monitoring, and implementation are the three most important aspects of any successful event. Whether you are organising a conference or a Christmas day party, it is important to plan well and execute accordingly. Logically, therefore, if one is planning an event, the first question that comes to our mind is the location of the event, or in other words, the venue. The choice of venue plays a very important role in the success or failure of the event, and hence it is important to choose the perfect venue for the event planned. Organising an event in any part of the UK, be it Surrey or Yorkshire or Lancashire, is very easy as they have very good venues, and information regarding these venues is also easily available. The difficulty, however, lies in choosing the right venue to match the event being organised.



This brings us to the next question of what are the basic elements that will determine the perfection of the venue. The first deciding factor is the type of event being organised, as this will determine the type of venue required. Each event has its own unique requirements that only some venues can fulfil, and hence it is necessary to finalise the kind of event being planned. In other words, if a large conference is being organised, then the venue needs to have a large conference hall with a good podium and audiovisual facilities. Also, it needs to have some recreation facilities that will help in refreshing the participants. A corporate event in the form of a team building exercise would require facilities that would facilitate conducting such exercises, like a big open space or several small rooms that can double as classrooms. After finalising the event, it is important to finalise the budget, as this would play an important role in venue selection and reservation.

Once the event is decided, the next important aspect is determining the number of participants attending the event and where they are coming from. Location of the venue will play a very important part in determining the success of the event. If a venue is easily accessible by most people, then more people will attend, but if it is not easily accessible, the number of attendees will drastically reduce. Hence, accessibility of the venue and the kind of transport available is important in venue reservation. Information as to whether a venue is accessible by air, road, or rail should be gathered before reserving the venue. Along with accessibility issues, it is important to understand the basic climatic conditions of the venue and its effect on transport. This would help in deciding the best possible mode of transport to the venue and would ensure more participants.

Another very important aspect in venue reservation is the capacity of the venue. The number of participants attending the event would determine the final choice of venue. The venue chosen should be able to comfortably seat and handle all the participants. Ideally, a venue should make allowances for a slight increase in the number of participants, if any. After determining the capacity of the venue, it is important to gather information regarding the various facilities that are available at the various venues. This information, so collected, should match the requirements of the event. Information regarding capacity of venue and facilities available are found on the Internet and can be easily accessed and compared before finally reserving a venue for the event.

While organising an event, it is important to identify and sort out issues relating to accommodation of participants, more so if the event is planned for a few days. The best choice, however, would be to choose a venue that also has a hotel, so as to ensure that all participants are most comfortable and do not have to travel unnecessarily. However, if it is not possible to choose a venue with accommodation facilities, it is important to ensure that proper travel arrangements are made to transport the participants from and to the event venue. Along with ensuring proper transport facilities, it is important to make sure that all participants are most comfortable at their respective hotels.

No event is complete without recreation and hence, before finalising a venue, it is important to procure information regarding the general recreation facilities like swimming pool, tennis courts, club house, spa facilities, etc., that are available at the venue. Apart from identifying facilities, the next important thing is food and catering. The catering service should be inspected before finalising the venue. Make sure that it meets your requirements.

Finally, it is important to understand that while most of the information regarding the facilities available at the venue is found on the Internet, it is strongly advised that you go and see it for yourself before finalising it. A personal visit to the venue before the event is very important, as it helps you study the venue and its suitability. It also gives room for creativity and helps you plan your event such that it would definitely become a great success.