Insight: Issue 171| Wed 28 Feb

Happy Leap Day! (tomorrow)

Yes, that one magical, hallowed day that arrives every 4 years is almost here. Amongst other leap day traditions and superstitions we have here in the UK, women can apparently propose to men – although please remember that other old leap day adage men….

Aaaaanyway, for this week’s events news roundup, we have; Itison expands HQ with Soho House-inspired networking venue; Edinburgh Park Arena: Why the planned concert venue is just what the Capital needs; International Women’s Day: What does inclusion mean to you?; ‘Zero-to-Landfill’: What it really means: and 7 ways to incorporate AI into your event.

Itison expands HQ with Soho House-inspired networking venue

Following Soho House cancelling plans to open in the centre of Glasgow last month, Scottish event producer and deals company itison is investing a six-figure sum to create a networking and event venue within its Glasgow headquarters.

The building, just off of George Square, is now set to get a whole new floor, opening up an additional 8,500 sq ft of space alongside interior design company Surface ID.

The plan is to create a new space for the city’s business and creative communities to meet up – without the need for a membership fee.

The designs include a gym, 30 metre running track, video wall for presentations and screenings, a bar and lounge, games space and quiet zone, capable of hosting events for up to 150 people.

Oli Norman, chief executive of itison, said a series of networking events were planned for launch early this summer:

“It was disappointing to see a brand like Soho House pull out of Glasgow after a lot of initial excitement, so we wanted to pick up the mantle and invest in our home city to create a space for creativity, networking and a gym, but without the chunky membership fee. Once complete, the space will have a capacity for 150 guests with the first series of events and networking hoping to launch post-refurbishment at the start of May.”

Edinburgh Park Arena: Why the planned concert venue is just what the Capital needs

This week saw plans officially submitted for an 8,500-capacity arena at Edinburgh Park.

AEG Europe’s planning bid marks a major milestone for a venture the firm says will boost the economy by £520 million and create 1,350 jobs. Gig-goers in the Capital have long had to travel to Glasgow to see their favourite artists live, but it is hoped the development could prompt many performers to head east too.

Should the plans come to fruition, it would mark the culmination of decades of efforts to build a big arena. In 2004, proposals for a venue at Leith Docks failed to get off the ground and, more recently, a planned 8,000 capacity arena in Straiton never came about.

International Women’s Day: What does inclusion mean to you?

With International Women’s Day 2024 centred around ‘Inspiring Inclusion’, EventsBase has been hearing from inspiring women from across the industry about what inclusion means to them. 

From Kerrin MacPhie, Chief Executive of the Meetings Industry Association, to Georgina Tyson, director of Leisure and Spa at Foxhills, a number of prominent and inspirational women in business have been providing their opinions on the day and how it can be used to make a real and positive change in society as we move forward.

‘Zero-to-Landfill’: What it really means

In a recent article for Conference News, Louisa Watson, Marketing Director and sustainability lead for Wyboston Lakes resort, outlines what the term Zero to Landfill really means, and dispels some of the common myths surrounding our (hopefully) greener, cleaner net-zero future.

7 ways to incorporate AI into your event

And finally, it’s those 2 ubiquitous buzz-letters again, as C&IT look at 7 ways to incorporate AI into your event.

AI has been rapidly reshaping the events landscape for over a year now, with a significant surge in interest observed since March 2023, when ChatGPT released GPT-4. It offers substantial cost savings by handling tasks like attendee tracking, troubleshooting, and feedback aggregation. It enhances engagement through facial recognition, identifies optimal breaks, and augments accessibility with real-time translations. Read more here (please note – login required to read article).

News round up, rounded off

As the sun sets on another events news roundup, we’ll see you in the not too distant future EventProfs….