Briggstow, or Bristol is it is better known today, began life as a meeting point by a bridge over the river Avon. Symbolic of the city is the Clifton suspension bridge, the first major commission for celebrated British engineer and architect Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He won the commission in a competition in 1830 aged 24, but didn't see the final construction, which was completed after his death in 1859. Bristol is a thriving city with an abundance of venues for conferences and events. Many of the venues are a testament to the history of the city, as you will see!

BAWA
The British Aerospace Welfare Association is a members' association that has been growing and developing since 1942. The venue is available for hire to non-members and offers a great choice of rooms to suit all group sizes. The Ballroom, with its stage and backstage area, can cater for up to 500 people. The Concorde room can accommodate up to 250 people and various conference rooms can hold from 65 to 100 people. The syndicate rooms are separated by a partition that can be opened to provide a single larger venue. It is therefore suitable for dinners, conferences, exhibitions or even smaller meetings in rooms that accommodate 12-20 people.

The BAWA is five minutes from Bristol Parkway station and is near the M5/M4 interchange.

Gloucestershire Cricket Club
For those of a sporting inclination, the Gloucestershire Cricket Club makes a wonderful backdrop for any event, and the unique venue is just two miles from the city centre.

The club has 11 rooms that can cater for up to 600 people. It's a perfect venue for meetings, with rooms able to handle from nine people upwards, and it's perfect for more 'social' events, with all rooms looking over the cricket arena.

The prestigious Club Lounge holds 150 theatre style, 40 boardroom and 120 for dinner. The more intimate Player's Lounge can hold 40 theatre style, 26 boardroom and 35 for dinner, while the spacious Sports Hall can cater up to 600 theatre style, 350 for dinner and 500 buffet style. The Club offers a full range of conferencing equipment and on-site caterers.

Armada House
Originally built in 1903 as the headquarters for the Bristol Water Company, this is now a dedicated conference centre. The two storey building has eleven conference rooms that can accommodate a seating capacity of between 8 and 50 people boardroom, between 28 to 200 theatre style and between 18 and 100 classroom style. The rooms are available seven days a week, and are suitable for just about every type of corporate event.

Lakewood Centre
Overlooking "the finest view in the South West" and only 30 minutes from Bristol and Bath, Lakewood has been designed specifically to provide the very best in conference facilities.

The venue is perfect for team building activities with a variety of packages that can be organised for delegates. These include the 'Think Tank' - a morning of meetings, then the opportunity to drive a Chieftain Tank; 'Strolling Along' - a morning meeting then a ramble over the Mendip Hills with an experienced local guide; 'Walking with Cavemen' - business meetings in the morning with caving or abseiling in the Cheddar Gorge in the afternoon; 'Slope Off' - a morning of work followed by snowboarding or skiing courtesy of the Avon Ski Centre; and finally 'Tee Off' which, as the name suggests, ends with a round of golf at the Mendip Spring Golf Club. An afternoon's activity is the perfect way to keep your delegates stimulated and interested!

British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
Established in 1986, this Grade I listed Brunel station building in Bristol Temple Meads has undergone considerable renovation work, and was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal in 2002. It is the first major museum in Britain to cover the 500-year history and contemporary relevance of Britain's colonial past and modern day Commonwealth.

The museum has three unique and versatile event spaces. The Passenger Shed is ideal for AGMs, dinners and exhibitions. It holds up to 940 people and with unrestricted viewing, it's great for lectures, presentations and trade shows. It can hold 500 people classroom style and 800 theatre style.

The Boardroom is perfect for dinners, drinks receptions, lectures, meetings and workshops. It is the original 19th century boardroom of the Great Western Railway and holds 60 people theatre style, 50 for a reception and 22 boardroom style. Finally, Museum Galleries have a reception capacity of 100 and can be added onto the hire of the Boardroom and Passenger Shed.

The Council House
The Council House is a distinguished and memorable venue. Its foundation stone was laid in 1938 and the building was opened by the Queen in 1956. The long graceful curve of the building borders College Green - an oasis in the centre of the city, which fronts Bristol's magnificent 12th century cathedral.

The rooms available include The Reception Hall, which is lined with local Doulting stone and paved with black and white Italian marble. It's ideal for pre-dinner drinks or as an information display area. The Conference Hall is perfect for conferences, formal dinners and general events. Delegates can soak up the history of the building, demonstrated by the names of the Mayors and Lord Mayors since 1216 that are cut into the stone. The Lord Mayor's Reception Room is panelled in English Walnut and is suitable for lunches, meetings and receptions. Finally, the Council Chambers and eight Committee Rooms complement the venue offering.