Oulton Hall

When it comes to meetings and events, Leeds has a deserved reputation for being cost-effective, and retains rich sporting and artistic traditions to help attract longer stays, says Ben Lerwill

With so many big hitters on the national meetings scene, Leeds doesn’t always draw huge attention. But while the Yorkshire city might not have the kind of mega purpose-built venues seen elsewhere, there’s much to draw business events, with the destin-ation’s commercial and cultural scenes both thriving in their own right. Conference Leeds has recently announced a number of offers for organisers (see www.conference-leeds.com) while access is another selling point: the city sits at the junction of the M1 and M62, rail links are regular and Leeds Bradford Airport connects the region to more than 60 locations around the UK and Europe. .

The Wow Factor
Name: Royal Armouries
Address: Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT
Tel: 08700 344 344
Email: enquiries@armouries.org.uk
Web: www.royalarmouries.org

One of the city’s most in-demand venues for receptions and product launches, the Royal Armouries is a slick multi-million pound museum on the banks of the River Aire. A modish exterior design houses more than 8,500 exhibits across five galleries, ranging from 15th century axes to original regal suits of armour. Battle outfits to one side, it also has real potential as an events venue, with capacity to host conferences for up to 1,000 and a lecture theatre for up to 250. The real pull is as an evening option, however – dinner can be served in the Edwardian Gun Room, the Tournament Gallery or the Japanese-themed ‘Oriental Dojo’. It’s also possible to incorporate falconry displays and jousting tournaments.

The Quirky Venue
Name: Xscape Castleford
Address: Colorado Way, Glasshoughton, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4TA
Tel: 01977 523092
Email: corpcas@xscape.co.uk
Web: www.xscape.co.uk/snow/castleford

First the fun stuff: Xscape plays home to a “real snow” slope, 14-screen multiplex cinema, 20-lane bowling alley, rock-climbing walls, aerial assault course, skateboard park, laser zone, ice wall, dodgems and cosmic golf. You won’t have much difficulty in putting together a decent team-building itinerary, and the venue itself is well switched on to the needs of groups. And if after all that you’ve still got enough energy left for a meeting, you’re in luck – there’s a four-room conference centre on site which can handle groups of up to 300 in a theatre-style set-up. The venue has copious free parking spaces and is handily located almost adjacent to Junction 32 of the M62.

New Kid on the Block
Name: Radisson SAS
Address: No 1 The Light, Leeds, LS1 8TL
Tel: 0113 236 6000
Email: info.leeds@radissonsas.com
Web: www.radissonsas.com

Bolstering Leeds’ hotel portfolio in recent years has been the Radisson SAS. The property forms part of ‘The Light’, a leisure and retail complex set in a historic building in the heart of the city. There are 147 guest rooms and a tasteful Art Deco feel has in the past helped see it named ‘Hotel of the Year’ by parent group Rezidor Hospitality. It offers nine different conference rooms, all kitted out with modern AV equipment and the largest able to welcome up to 60 delegates. The Presidential Boardroom, formerly belonging to the Leeds Permanent Building Society, is groaning with heritage.

Money No Object
Name: Oulton Hall Hotel
Address: Rothwell Lane, Oulton, Leeds, LS26 8HN
Tel: 0113 282 1000
Email: oulton.hall@devere-hotels.com
Web: www.devere-hotels.com

Oulton Hall markets itself as Yorkshire’s only five-star luxury hotel, and such a billing doesn’t come without reason. The architecture’s from the 1800s, the gardens are a groundskeeper’s dream and the hotel itself won’t leave delegates with much to moan about. Meeting and event space comes in various different shapes and sizes, from the 320-capacity Oulton Suite to the more intimate confines of the Library, able to host 50. Golfers are well catered for – there are 27 holes to play, including the charmingly landscaped (and thankfully not overly tricky) Park Course. A fully refurbished spa and leisure club will open by the end of the year, while in the meantime groups can indulge in classic British cuisine and fine wine at the Claret Jug. Archery can be arranged in the grounds as well.

On a Shoestring
Name: University of Leeds
Address: The Conference Office, University House, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT
Tel: 0113 343 6100
Email: enquiries@universallyleeds.co.uk
Web: www.universallyleeds.co.uk

The University of Leeds is one of the original ‘red-brick’ universities, dating back to 1904 and today offering a wealth of conference options. There are seven self-contained venues, the largest of which can hold up to 550, as well as two large lecture theatres and 2,000m2 of exhibition space. Facilities are spread across the main campus, which stands a mile or so outside the city centre, while events can also be held at outlying venues. Being an academic venue, it also has seasonal access to some 2,000 bedrooms, with a further 560 becoming available when the Charles Morris Hall reopens in 2010.

Wired Up
Name: Weetwood Hall Hotel & Conference Centre
Address: Otley Road, Leeds, LS16 5PS
Tel: 0113 230 6000
Email: sales@weetwood.co.uk
Web: www.weetwood.co.uk

Combining a 17th-century manor house with a state-of-the-art conference centre, Weetwood Hall is likely to already be well known to any planners who frequent the city on business. It sits just four miles outside Leeds itself, although nine acres of grounds give it a welcome feeling of being out of the urban slipstream. There are 106 guestrooms and a number of group dining options, but the biggest draw is the conference centre itself. It offers 18 different spaces – the largest of which is capable of hosting up to 200 delegates – and prides itself on being up to speed with meetings technology. There are also complimentary internet stations and wireless broadband, and ADSL is available throughout the complex. It also boasts a ‘Trainers Room’, where organisers can relax and prepare presentations.

Small But Perfectly Formed
Name: Quebecs
Address: 9 Quebec Street, Leeds, LS1 2HA
Tel: 0113 244 8989
Email: resquebecs@theetoncollection.com
Web: www.theetoncollection.com

Sitting pretty on accolades from everyone from the Independent to Conde Nast Traveller, Quebecs is a swish boutique hotel in a city-centre Victorian building. It offers just 45 bedrooms, making up in class for what it lacks in size and showcasing the sort of unfussy luxury that isn’t always easy to find. It also has strong options for smaller events, with three boardrooms for up to six delegates, a private-dining conservatory for ten and – the highlight – The Oak Room, a historic space for up to 20 participants. The hotel was formerly the Leeds & County Liberal Club, and still boasts stained-glass windows and a number of other period details. It sits a convenient two-minute walk away from Leeds City rail station.

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