A unique business tourism marketing collective started in 2003 that, more than any other, serves to remind us all that Westminster, in the heart of London, is still the pre-eminent business tourism destination in the world with an abundance of excellent venues, hotels and services that cannot be beaten. The mix of historically, architecturally and culturally significant buildings that provide the baseline for TWC venues and members are second to none.
These range from historical palaces such as Banqueting House, Whitehall, to the contemporary and wholly secure facilities of the QEIICC on Broad Sanctuary, in the very heart of Westminster's parliamentary and governmental organisations. Sixty One Whitehall, home to the Royal United Services Institute, is situated right next door to Banqueting House and has an impressive series of rooms to offer, including its Library, holding one of the most important collections of military history in the UK. Other important and thriving institutions such as The Royal Society and The British Academy, both overlooking the Mall, The Royal Institution of Great Britain on Albermarle Street, off Piccadilly and the Royal Institute of British Architects on Portland Place are also members offering their own superb facilities to businesses looking for professionally managed prestige venues that understand what they are looking for and can deliver a service to match. Charities, associations and academies that, since the 18th century, built striking and solid buildings in key locations, have been sustained, beautifully restored, refurbished and upgraded into some of the most up-to-date quality facilities in London today.
The King's Fund on Cavendish Square, The Royal Horticultural Halls & Conference Centre on Vincent Square, The Royal Society of Medicine at One Wimpole Street, No 4 Hamilton Place and the Royal Society of Arts just off the Strand are excellent examples. The Church is also well represented with three landmark properties that have established themselves as venues for all manner of important events, as well as acting as centres of ecclesiastical governance. The imposing Central Hall Westminster on Storey's Gate is also known as Methodist Central Hall, and Church House Conference Centre, just a stone's throw away in Dean's Yard, is home to the General Synod. St Martins-in-the-Fields can truly claim to be "in the Heart of London and Westminster" facing, as it does, onto Trafalgar Square. Not far away is One Birdcage Walk, home to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, and further down towards Parliament Square on Great George Street is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors with a reception terrace that provides what must be one of the most iconic of views across to Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and the River Thames.
Almost next door, and home to the Institution of Civil Engineers, is One Great George Street. The Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms is one of London's top visitor attractions but, in keeping with so many other London attractions, it also offers its splendid facilities for corporate hospitality opportunities. Completing the selection in this classic SW1 precinct of Westminster are One Queen Anne's Gate and Broadway House. Two venues are situated in prime positions overlooking The Thames. On the Embankment, just past Temple is the London home of IET Venues, Savoy Place. Alongside TATE Britain, 45 Millbank, once home to The Royal Army Medical Corps, can offer its huge external grounds for fashion shows, outdoor functions and marquee events while also offering fine rooms for banqueting and functions inside.
And if you are looking to offer hospitality on the Thames itself, Bateaux London have a fleet of boats to accommodate. The Collection also includes an excellent selection of award-winning hotels, each with their own distinctive personality, attributes and style. The City Inn, not far from Tate Britain and the Thames with its clean Scandinavian style, was one of The Collection's founder members and continues to offer great facilities, whether for accommodation or for conferences and meetings. The Goring Hotel, one of London's best-loved independent hotels is a jewel in Belgravia's crown, just moments away from Buckingham Palace. The Crown Plaza Hotel, with its private apartments at 51 Buckingham Gate, and The Grange Rochester Hotel, overlooking leafy Vincent Square, completes the small, but select, offering in this category.
Only one restaurant exists as a member of TWC but the restaurant in question, The Cinnamon Club, is rather special offering a unique setting in what was Westminster Library.
New to the Collection but, as interesting to those looking for a venue of distinction and character, are the Private Members' Clubs that, through us can offer their exciting selection of facilities for functions, receptions and weddings. St. Stephen's Club in Queen Anne's Gate that faces out onto St. James's Park, The Caledonian Club in Halkin Street, Belgravia and the Victory Services Club, a Hospitality Assured organisation close by to Marble Arch and the West End are all excellent examples of the diversity being offered.
Not far away is One Wimpole Street, home of the Royal Society of Medicine. Further afield are the Cavendish Conference Centre and 76 Portland Place, all within striking distance of London's West End. Gone are the days when you could just open the spare rooms in your very large building that were no longer fully required for the original purpose it was built, throw in a few AV props and conference chairs and consider this was enough to bring in the business you wanted. Today it is a very different environment with very high expectations, standards and levels of commitment required in abundance on all fronts. Take the financial commitment alone. A survey of our members carried out in 2009 revealed that, between them, in excess of £125 million had been spent on capital investment and refurbishment programmes during the past 5 years. The Northumberland on Trafalgar Square was not simply refurbished but, rediscovered after 70 years of hidden closure, and epitomises the confidence in London's business tourism.
An earlier survey of members established that turnover for The Collection, amounted to over £70 million with as much as a third of that again assessed as having been turned away due to incompatibility, or unavailability, or both. Our members, therefore, are major players in maintaining the all important business tourism revenue that is vital to Westminster and London's economy. The economic impact benefit, as a result, is substantial and measured as 3-4 times greater than that derived from leisure tourism.
The concept for The Westminster Collection, officially launched in October 2003, was simple. It was to ensure that primary facilities and venues in Westminster, marketed themselves collectively to ensure that their locations which were such an integral part of why they were sought after in the first place, got a dedicated and independent voice within a membership environment that brought them results. Now, with close to 60 carefully selected venue, hotel, associate and affiliate members that represent the strength of what Westminster can offer the event organiser and planner, TWC is an established first point of contact and one-stop-shop for these important services. A key benefit for the Westminster buyer that has become increasingly more important each year that they have been staged, are the bi-annual Spring and Autumn TWC Showcases that, in 2009, took place in the majestic Central Hall Westminster and the exalted cathedral-like Royal Courts of Justice. Both events attracted key buyers who came because they could network and meet with our members who, between them, offer facilities in which to hold exhibitions, conferences, meetings, receptions, weddings, banquets, fashion shows, product launches and provide accommodation. Crucially, the TWC Showcase 'does what it says on the tin' ie. it showcases the TWC Members. It is, therefore, readily and easily understood by those who wish to come and meet with them in an intimate and user-friendly environment. It's a buyers' ideal 'one-stop-shop' where you don't spend hours circumnavigating a complex exhibition layout looking to find what interests you.
The result is a perfect synergy between those who are interested in what we have to offer and our members that can offer it. TWC has seen sustained growth of its membership with a new 'Affiliate' category also created to allow organisations such as Westminster Kingsway College, The London Apprenticeship Company and The Society of London Theatre to complement the Westminster brand and the full membership.
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