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Head to Devon for your next networking event

18th February 2020

Categories: Visitor News

No one wants to be the person put in charge of organising a networking event. From finding the perfect venue to deciding what facilities you need, whether you need to provide food or accommodation and trying identify a convenient location for all the attendees, it’s a lot to think about.

Why not take the stress out of the whole thing and pick one of Devon’s many venues? From hotels to conference centres to places a little more outside the box, there are plenty of places in the county that are perfect for a wide range of events. Many of them offer accommodation for attendees, leisure activities and provided someone to help you through the whole thing – so all you need to do is get everyone there!

Here are a selection of some of the venues that Devon has to offer to help you narrow down your search.

First off, let’s look at some of the purpose built venues that are aimed at those holding events and conferences.

The Riviera International Conference Centre can be found just off the seafront in Torquay and is one of the top venues in the county. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used for a wide variety of events, so whatever you need, they have it covered. Booking with the Riviera International Conference Centre will also give you access to their team of professional coordinators, in house chefs and other partners so you can rest assured that all your needs are being taken care of. Plus, being in Torquay, it is an easy location for guests coming from all over the country.

Image: Riviera Centre

Another purpose built conference centre is the one located at Buckfast Abbey. Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre can be found on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park and along the banks of the River Dart providing a tranquil and inspiring backdrop to your meeting or event. The centre itself has seven seminar rooms, an exclusive boardroom, dining room and large hall, so you can find the right space for you. All of the rooms offer flexible seating, free WiFi and a range of other facilities and the large gardens and space around the abbey also allows for breaks and a chance to break out for private conversations. For those of you with guests travelling a great distance, there are a number of accommodation options, both onsite and nearby including the Northgate House Hotel and three self-catering houses.

Alternatively, Exeter University’s Streatham Campus offers a range of venues suitable for a variety of conferences and is easily accessible thanks to the excellent road and public transport links in the city. The venue was named as a finalist in the National Conference Awards for the many facilities that it has on offer which also includes onsite accommodation and dining options.

Image: Exeter University.

It isn’t just south Devon that has a range of versatile conference centres and seminar rooms available. In the north of the county, you’ll find Westward Living Conferences, based in the popular resort village of Westward Ho!, this venue has a choice of spacious rooms that can accommodate up to 130 people. Being both accessible and in a rural location means that your guests will find it not only convenient but also peaceful with the perfect atmosphere for getting the job done. Westward Living offer a range of facilities allowing you to offer accommodation to your guests as well as extensive parking, an expert team of event organisers and a choice of dining options. The site itself, with its cliff top location and splendid views also offers something special that will really impress your guests.

If you are planning something that will require many of your delegates to travel, take a look at the region’s many hotels. Providing plenty of space and staff on hand at all times, a hotel is a popular choice for events, both big and small. Being a premier holiday destination, you’ll find that there are several hotels in the county offering a variety of facilities and exclusive room hire, so whether you just need a venue for one day or you’re planning a week of events, you’ll find something that suits you.

As we were just discussing venues in Westward Ho!, let’s stick with the north of the county for the moment as there are a number of top quality hotels to choose from. The neighbouring town of Bideford is where you’ll find the Royal Hotel whose experienced staff pride themselves on helping your event run as smoothly as possible. The excellent facilities here include first class food and a number of room choices so you can find the right space for you.

Image: Royal and Fortescue Hotel.

Similarly, Barnstaple, one of the largest towns in this part of Devon is home to a range of hotels all with their own special charm. The Royal and Fortescue on Boutport Street allows you to meet in elegant and impressive surroundings with bespoke delegate packages so you can really tailor your event to your company. By booking your conference or event here, you and your guests are also free to use the leisure facilities at the Royal and Fortescue’s sister hotel, The Barnstaple Hotel, which is located nearby. The Barnstaple Hotel has its own conference facilities, find out more at the link above.

For anyone looking for a beachside location, don’t forget to take a look at the conference facilities at the Saunton Sands Hotel . Right on the beach which is part of the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this is a hotel with everything from spotless sandy beaches, dramatic coastal views, first class restaurants and bars, a host of leisure facilities and of course, outstanding function rooms with all the equipment you could need. The team at the hotel have decades of experience and are on hand to help every step of the way.

For a hotel with a more rural setting, look to the Conference facilities at Highbullen Hotel. Located just ten minutes from the North Devon Link Road and 25 minutes from the M5 it is easy for guests from all over the UK to access, without being in a nosy and distracting location.
Highbullen is a great choice for anyone looking to incorporate team building and down time into their events as delegates have full use of the 18 hole golf course and extensive leisure facilities, as well as the hotel’s dining and accommodation options – make sure they take advantage of the legendary Devonshire Cream Teas!

Image: HIghbullen Hotel.

For a hotel in the south of the county, the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish, which is in the Torbay, is a good option. Aside from being easily accessible with bus and rail links being just a few steps from the hotel entrance, there is ample parking and the ability to accommodate up to 400 guests.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to think outside the box, don’t worry, there are plenty of options for you too. A number of Devon’s top attractions and alternative accommodation providers have conferencing and event facilities too. One unique option is the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth. This fascinating venue can really add something special to your event, whatever it may be. Event packages can be tailored to suit your needs and being such a flexible venue, you can really host a range of different events, from parties to team building to speaker events. What about hosting your event at a castle? Pentillie Castle near Plymouth has conference facilities which are a spectacular change from the general office environment and their delegate packages include equipment, refreshments and a whole host of other add ons. Alternatively, the historic Dartington Hall offers event hosting as one of the many facilities they have on site. The hall is easily accessible from Exeter, Plymouth and Bristol and the team offer taxi transfers to the nearby mainline rail station for those travelling further. The hall is made up of a variety of ancient and modern buildings set within a 1200 acre estate with a range of leisure activities, accommodation and dining options and event rooms available to choose from. Whether you’re team building, discussing a business project or just need somewhere for a meeting, you’ll find everything right here.

Image: Dartington Hall.

For something completely different in terms of event venues, keep Yurtcamp Devon in mind. Aside from being a popular glamping site, Yurtcamp is also a premier wedding and events venue with plenty of space and equipment included. The site has use of a function room or a Giant Norwegian Hat Tipi for you to host your event and with a number of refreshments and team building activities also on offer, you can really take advantage of the beautiful Devon countryside. Everyone is more productive when they’re not stuck indoors after all!

For those of you who want the venue to inspire your guests, take a look at the facilities offered at Roadford Lake With unforgettable views of the lake, this really is a great option for anyone needing somewhere calming and peaceful for their talks. The team are very experienced and pride themselves in offering a friendly, flexible and professional service to make sure that everything goes to plan and the conference rooms can be easily adapted to suit your requirements.

Want to continue the search? You can find a whole host of different venues here.