Cool Capital
Visit London’s recent marketing campaign aims to attract chic-seeking groups.
By Rowland Stiteler
“ENGLAND SWINGS LIKE A PENDULUM DO” proclaimed a song by U.S. country music star Roger Miller in the 1970s, proclaiming a truth that most North Americans had realized when exports such as supermodel Twiggy and The Beatles came to American shores in the 1960s. Ever since then, London has been considered one of the world capitals of “cool,” if not the capital of that tres-chic quality.
But it was only last year that Visit London—the official destination marketing organization (DMO) of England’s capital city—decided to focus on that concept with a new marketing campaign designed to attract chic-seeking groups. The name of the new campaign: “The Capital of Cool.”
“We did it in conjunction with our upgrading of our services for groups from being merely a booking service to a full, 360-degree support service that helps planners find venues that are just right for them, ranging from a hotel to an exclusive meeting venue to simple services like those of a florist,” said Zanine Adams, U.K. business and events solutions manager for Visit London.
Adams says Visit London chose the name for the new campaign not to brag, but to simply focus on the idea that London is a city with literally hundreds of chic venues large and small—in some cases exclusive, private places you’d never know existed without insider guidance.
The campaign works simply because London is, in fact, cool, says event planner Michael Cerbelli, president of special events for Carlstadt, N.J.-based Total Entertainment, who has been traveling to London recently to consult with city planners on events for the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympic Games that are to be held there.
“London is clearly a force to be reckoned with,” Cerbelli said. “Not only because it is such a vibrant city with so many options for events, but because of the high energy and the creative talent of the event production community there. In terms of being ‘cool,’ in my opinion, there is no other city on a par with London besides New York.”
London-based planner Alan Ramirez, managing director of Premium UK DMC Limited, says that strangely enough, the tight economy is having one positive effect on London venues: more private venues are opening their doors to meeting and incentive groups because of the potential revenue from rentals.
“This is a good time to be looking for ultra-exclusive private venues in London,” he said. “The scope of options is growing.”
Some of Ramirez’s favorite, recent “cool” events include taking a group for a cocktail party onboard a 100-year-old tea clipper, sailing up the Thames River and under the famous Tower Bridge and taking a group from Dubai to the top floor of 30 St. Mary’s Axe, the spaceship-shaped skyscraper that offers an exclusive club room in the glass dome on the top floor of the 591-foot-tall building.
“The view of the city is so spectacular that I would put it in the ‘must-see’ category,” Ramirez said.
“Must-sees” from industry insiders around London were part of the research for the current “Capital of Cool” guide, available as a PDF on the Visit London Web site (www.visitlondon.com).
The guide was compiled and edited by London-based journalist Mike Fletcher, who says his toughest task was narrowing down the listings in the guide, because London has so many of what he calls “inspiring event spaces.”
Fletcher’s favorite: The Roof Gardens, a one-and-a-half acre outdoor space owned by Sir Richard Branson on the roof of a six-story building on Kensington High Street.
“It’s 100 feet above the busy, urban thoroughfare below, and it’s remarkably serene,” said Fletcher of the venue, which can seat up to 500.
Fletcher’s favorite urban garden spot is just one of scores of choices listed in the “Cool” guide. Following is a representative cross-section of the venues.
Hush. Located on a private courtyard at the corner of Brook Street and Bond Street in the heart of the Mayfair district, this combination restaurant and upscale bar also includes Strictly Hush, a group of small private dining rooms on the top floor that can be rented individually or opened up for use as one long room. The menu is of North African origin, featuring dishes such as monkfish and mussels with saffron potatoes and roasted fennel. The in-house events team can arrange entertainment ranging from a very British brass band to Arabic belly dancers. Hush seats up to 80 for a banquet and 160 for a stand-up cocktail party.
The Long Room at Berry Bros. & Rudd. The headquarters of this world-famous vintner, which was founded in 1698, is as historic as it gets, occupying a 280-year-old building on a square where duels with swords and pistols were fought in the 18th century. Private event options include a stately room on the upper floor of the townhouse (which can seat up to 14) or the 300-year-old Napoleon Cellar (which pre-dates the building upstairs), where groups of up to 60 can be seated for a meal and tasting of some of the 2,000 vintages. The Long Room is located at 3 St. James St., in the heart of the city.
Old Billingsgate. Overlooking the Thames River with a grand view of landmarks like Tower Bridge from the river-view terrace, this is a “blank palate” meeting space that can be decorated to suit each group’s needs. The Grand Hall, which opens onto the terrace, can seat up to 1,700 for a banquet or handle up to 2,400 for a stand-up reception. Billingsgate was originally a commercial fishing dock and fish market area, dating to Roman times, but taking the name “Billingsgate” in A.D. 1000. The current three-story building in which the venue is located was constructed as a public fish market in 1873, went dormant in the late 20th century and then was refurbished in 2001 as an event venue.
Planner Sally Webb, managing director and CEO of The Special Event Co. (with offices in London and Durham, N.C.), says she likes Old Billingsgate for its flexibility as a venue and its proximity to other compelling, historic venues, such as the Tower of London, the riverside castle that was a famous prison in King Henry VIII’s days. (The Tower of London also rents private event space.)
“It’s a really historic part of the city, and with the Thames right there, it truly reflects the character of this great city,” she said.
QEII Conference Centre. The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) is located in the heart of the Westminster district, across the street from Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, and across the river from the British Airways London Eye. A modern, purpose-built conference center, QEIICC was expanded in 2008 and has state-of-the art audiovisual and Internet connectivity systems. The center, which has in-house catering, can handle seated events for up to 1,300.
Hampton Court. It would be impossible to find a more opulent or historic building on this planet that allows private group events within its walls. This is King Henry VIII’s own castle, a massive structure on the banks of the Thames (just upriver from London in Richmond on Thames) where the king entertained thousands of regal guests in banquet halls and stunning gardens that surround the castle. One of the most grandiose castles in Great Britain, it was originally created as a royal palace by the Archbishop of York, who massively expanded a 14th-century manor house in a six-year project that began in 1515. During the rule of William and Mary, much of the Tudor architecture of Henry’s day was made more opulent in a five-year renovation that began in 1689. Now, many of those same spaces such as the Great Watching Chambers, with ceilings covered in gold leaf, are available for events. Hampton Court can handle up to 1,400 for a standing event and 280 for a banquet. One+
ROWLAND STITELER is a freelance writer based in Crystal Beach, Fla.
What’s New in London
• The 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London are having a profound effect on lodging in the city, even in the current tight economic times. Visit London forecasts the construction of 20,000 new guest rooms in the city by 2012, resulting in a total citywide inventory of 120,000. Additionally, ExCeL London, the 02 Arena and the iconic Wembley Stadium will be upgraded to host Olympic events.
Transportation Tip
• The Oyster Travel Card, which is offered by Transport of London, offers fare discount on London’s subway system. Generally the system, in combination with the Oyster Card, is the cheapest way to travel (besides walking) between any two points in London. The card is also good for discounts on other transport services such as the Gatwick Express, the non-stop train from Gatwick Airport to downtown London.
Fun Facts
• The popular phrase “one for the road” originated on London’s Oxford Street, now a chic and crowded shopping district. It used to be the road to the public gallows at the edge of town, and condemned prisoners were allowed to stop over on Oxford Street for one last drink before facing the rope.
• Benedict Arnold, the famous U.S. Revolutionary War general who was widely considered America’s most famous traitor, is virtually unknown as a historical figure in England but is buried in a crypt in the basement of London’s St. Mary’s Battersea Church.
• In a week, the steps on the 409 escalators in London’s 287 subway stations travel the equivalent of two trips around the Earth at the equator.