Leeds as grown into one of the country’s economic success stories. Today it is reported that 35 per cent of the country’s email traffic is carried from Leeds and it is the second largest IT employer in England. £647 million has been spent on major office developments, and the wharfs and docks alongside the river Aire have been transformed into glass and steel office blocks and luxury residential developments.

There is an abundance of hotels to suit all budgets including the Park Plaza, Hilton Leeds City, Ramada Jarvis Leeds North, the Radison SAS, the Metropole, Quintessential hotels’ The Queens, and the Jury’s Inn Leeds. Transports links to Leeds from all over the country are excellent and one of the reasons why the city has grown in popularity as a venue for conferences and events. It also boasts many major venues as well as a few unusual ones.

Royal Armouries
The Royal Armouries was officially opened in 1996 as the new home for the national collection of arms and armour and provides a magnificent backdrop for conferences, exhibitions, banquets and dinner dances. Each of the five themed galleries - War, Tournament, Self-Defence, Hunting and the Arms and Armour of the Orient - offer a stunning display of material.

Its facilities include the Royal Armouries Hall, which is capable of hosting conferences for up to 500 people, dinners for 800, dinner/dances for 700 and reception buffets for 1,000. The Churchill Suite can accommodate conferences for up to 60 people, lunch for 50, and reception/buffets for up to 100 people. The armouries also boasts a theatre with a capacity of up to 250 and a cinema that can hold up to 100 people - ideal for conferences with particular presentation requirements. The museum has 11 conferences rooms in total, as well as a bistro restaurant.

West Yorkshire Playhouse
Based in Quarry Hill, the West Yorkshire Playhouse has become one of Britain’s most exciting theatres. In terms of corporate hospitality, it offers an interesting backdrop with an amazing atmosphere.

The building houses two auditoria, three rehearsal rooms, three meeting rooms, a fully licensed bar and a restaurant. As you would expect from a venue such as this, there is a full range of technical equipment and a comprehensive access policy for people with mobility difficulties. All public areas are fitted with a hearing loop and all events can be supported with BSL interpretation, captioning and audio description by prior arrangement. Membership to the theatre can be arranged at various levels which will enable corporate creditors in programmes and online, priority bookings, and discounted conference facilities.

Regus Thorpe Park Business Centre
Part of the Regus Group, this is a new business park location on the south-eastern outskirts of Leeds. It’s ten miles from Leeds Bradford Airport, Leeds Railway station is six miles away, and there is easy access from the M1, A1 and A63.

The Regus business centre contains five meeting rooms, two training rooms and can host meetings and events for two to 34 people. It has on-site parking, accessible facilities, and high speed Internet access delivered over Checkpoint Cisco infrastructure. This venue is ideal for those who require modern, high-tech facilities for a meeting or seminar.

Weetwood Hall Hotel and Conference Centre
Weetwood Hall, a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Leeds, is one of the largest and most flexible conference centres in the north of England. It combines the original features of a 17th Century manor house with state-of-the-art technology.

The Hall houses 40 conferences rooms each with natural daylight. It also has a business centre for delegates’ use with a fax, photocopier, PCs, Internet, laminating, poster making and stationery. A secretary is also on hand if any assistance is required. All meeting rooms are equipped with network points, adjustable lighting, external/internal phone lines, ISDN lines, video conference capability and TV aerial sockets.

The rooms vary from the Lawnswood Suite which can accommodate 180 delegates theatre style, 40 boardroom style and 75 classroom style, to the Lawnswood 1 room which can host 80 delegates theatre style, 40 boardroom and 30 classroom style.

Dining facilities include the 200 capacity Woodlands Restaurant, a brassiere and the Stables pub. Private dining facilities are also available in the Manor House for small groups ranging from six in the board room to 54 in the Jacobean Room.

Leeds United Football Club
A must for any sports fans! The football club offers an array of conferencing and meeting facilities in what is a uniquely historic and exciting venue.

The John Charles stand is named after one of the greatest Leeds United players in history and houses four suites which can be hired out on match days. The Banqueting Suite is the second largest room at LUFC with 468 m2 and can be partitioned to make two areas. It can house up to 500 people for a presentation, 320 for a seated lunch/dinner or 280 for a dinner dance. The Presidents’ Suite has an integral bar making it perfect for receptions and private dinners. It can accommodate 60 people for a reception, 40 people theatre style and 20 people classroom style.

Opposite the East Stand at the Lowfields Road entrance is the Conference and Exhibition Centre and Pavilion. This has the capability to host 800 delegates for dinners. It also has built in audio visual equipment and data projectors - excellent for parties!

42 The Calls
Situated in the heart of Leeds, a minute’s walk from the city centre and the railway station and a 25 minute drive from Leeds and Bradford airport, 42 The Calls is a tremendous hotel for private business meetings and conferences.

The Fletland Suite is located on its own floor – excellent for meetings that demand privacy and confidentiality. And with a balcony overlooking the river it has a picturesque ‘break out’ area. The Blue Room can cater for up to 100 delegates and comes complete with a small stage. Again, the entrance is separate from the main hotel entrance, ensuring privacy. The Penthouse, Calder and Aire Suites are ideal for board meetings and small groups of up to 15. The River Room has beamed ceiling and wooden floors which create a good ambiance for any event from cocktail parties and private dinners to a corporate launch.