The historic town centre of Chester is a great place to hold events and conferences, yet a venue in the older part of the town and on a busy street requires some additional checks before signing any contract.
Check Transport and Parking Early
Chester’s city centre has limited car parking spaces and many pedestrianised streets and lanes. Ask about parking for your conference delegates. How close is the car park to the entrance of the conference venue? If delegates are travelling to Chester by train then ask about the walking time or taxi time from Chester rail station. Is there a specific drop off point for coaches?
Test the AV and Wi-Fi Before Committing
Get them to show you the AV equipment, it will look so much better than a nice picture in a brochure and check that the Wi-Fi can support numbers of people in the room plus extra and that there is a dedicated line if required and that someone will be there on the day to sort it out rather than on the end of a phone.
Look at Accessibility Carefully
Some of the older and historic listed buildings have steps, narrow corridors and no hearing aids. Check out the government’s accessibility standards for public buildings and use these as your checklist when viewing potential venues. See also Conference Venues Chester.
Ask About Catering Flexibility
A fixed buffet menu can be a disaster for events where delegates have special dietary requirements. Ensure that the venue’s caterer can provide for individuals with vegan, halal and other allergy-specific requirements and that this is not charged at a premium. Get this in writing.
Confirm Breakout Space and Natural Light
Most conference venues in Chester are old buildings. This means that the rooms will vary in terms of natural light and good quality ventilation. Make sure you see the rooms that you will be using for your event.
Read the Cancellation Terms
Check the minimum numbers clause and the cancellation terms and charges before you sign away to expensive loss.
Take the time to do your homework at the shortlist stage to avoid problems on the day of your event.
