Author: Rebecca Hurley

We’ve been incredibly lucky to be featured as Hire Space’s Top Sustainable Conference Venue in London, amongst six other spectacular eco-friendly venues!

               

When it comes to planning conferences, it’s crucial that your venue aligns with your sustainability objectives. There are plenty of venues out there that are making real leaps towards sustainable practices, but it can be difficult to know how to find them.

Hire Space have put together this selection of the top sustainable conference venues in London to make going green a little easier – read on to find out why we’re the perfect spot for your conference.

               

Industry accredited        Renewable energy          Low Waste

BMA House have been driving the sustainability bandwagon since before most got on board. Our commitments to reducing our impact on the environment have seen us recognised with a shelf-full of sustainability awards, including a Green Tourism GOLD award, and Hire Space’s own ‘Greenest Venue’ award in 2018 and 2019. In 2022, we were one of the first venues in the UK to achieve a Greengage ECOsmart Platinum level award – a serious mark of our efforts.

               

As well as implementing sustainability measures in-house, like using only renewable electricity, LED lighting, and intelligent water management urinals (all towards their goal of being carbon neutral by 2030), we incentivise conference guests to have a greener experience. To this end, we’ve created a ‘Clean Air Walking Route’ from King’s Cross to reduce taxis, and provide a map to show food mileage and help organisers make better menu choices. For an added bonus for conference guests, the venue uses leftover waste to create sustainable collapsible coffee cups!

               

Click this link to read about the six other sustainable London venues and why we’re all in this together for a greener world.

https://hirespace.com/blog/the-top-sustainable-conference-venues-in-london

Contact our caring Event Planners for more information on holding your sustainable event with us.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7874 7020

BMA House is amongst the first venues in the world to achieve Greengage’s ECOsmart Platinum accreditation.

Platinum venues are described as having an: Outstanding approach with the highest possible standard of environmental sustainability applied. Platinum ECOsmart venues are leaders in hospitality and have considered sustainability in all aspects of their business.

 

“As BMA House’s environmental journey continues, we are constantly looking not just for new ways to increase our sustainability but also new ways to demonstrate it,” comments Kathryn Winfield, Venue Manager, BMA House.  “As specialists in environmental sustainability across the travel and events sectors, Greengage audits are based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring those who achieve Platinum status really are at the top of their game and the whole BMA House team is delighted to have been awarded such a high-profile accolade.”

In addition to the UNSDG’s, Greengage basis its audits on the criteria of both the Global Sustainability Tourism Council and ISO 14001.  As specialists in environmental sustainability, Greengage provides independent advice and support to the travel and events sector as they help organisations on their pathway to commercial success through helping the planet.

 

Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage Travel and Event Solutions, concludes: “BMA House is a beacon of sustainable excellence, going straight in at the Platinum level due to their focus and dedication to sustainability.  Achieving such a high level in their first audit is a real challenge and I am truly impressed by the wide-ranging sustainable activity they take across the whole of the venue.”

 

Many will remember when Her Majesty the Queen, joined by James Bond, made a daring entrance to the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London 2012, what a scene! But do you also remember when BMA House was transformed into Nike’s Hospitality house, a location for select media and athletes to relax during the Olympic period?

On 27 July 2012, day 1 of the games, our Grade II listed building saw a transformation like no other – from its typical medical and historical nature, into a great sporting and media hospitality space. Two weeks prior to the opening ceremony, the beating heart of BMA House saw many internal and external changes to its event spaces, these included: giant topiary plants cut into the shape of trainers and running legs in the Courtyard; corridors lined with the latest running shoes behind glass cabinets; and mannequins showcasing Nike’s sports clothing range – to name but a few.

             

The Great Hall was pumped with adrenaline when our flagship space became a games room for athletes’ families and half of the Hall stored over 4,000 Nike running shoes!

Rooms on our third floor saw top-of-the-range AV installed to project and display images of Nike’s products, whilst the Courtyard Suite on the ground floor became three individual physio massage rooms to heal tired bodies.

               

Our most popular spaces, the Snow and Paget rooms became the athletes lounge, a quiet space to relax and unwind and watch the live games on large screens, with flooring installed to resemble that of a running track.

Prestigious dinners for winning athletes took place outside in our stunning Courtyard, with food and drink provided by their own innovative Italian chef, who catered for every runner’s needs by serving up nourishing, fresh dishes to aid fatigue and energise.

               

BMA House was chosen as the perfect venue for Nike’s hospitality due to our British heritage, as well as our hidden location away from the limelight of the Olympic Park, our immense and beautiful building with seemingly endless corridors, our presentation rooms and stair wells.

So, we invite you to sit back and enjoy browsing these photos captured over this memorable occasion, you never know what our incredible venue will be turned into next!

             

Congratulations, you have got engaged – but now what?  Your friends and family have all been told, the ring has been showed to just about everyone you know and they have all said the same thing – “have you set a date”?  The answer at this point is probably no because you haven’t even thought about a venue yet – so where do you start?  The magazines, blogs and social media content can sometimes be overwhelming, which leads almost every couple, at some point to their first wedding fayre.

       

In theory a wedding fayre is a great place to talk to wedding suppliers and experts – those people who can help shape your theme and your day.  However, in reality there are good and bad fayres, traditional fayres in hotels, vintage fayres, themed fayres, destination fayres, creative fayres… the list goes on and on.  When deciding which to go to we recommend doing some research, starting fairly local and picking one that fits your general themes, ideas and personality.  If you really don’t have a clue, start with the more traditional fayre, gather some ideas and narrow your options for the future.

           

Before you go…

• Decide who you are taking – is this an initial research trip with your partner to get some ideas? Are you taking your parents or friends for a day out?  The company you go with can dramatically impact what you do whilst there and where you focus.
• Ask yourself whether you are going for research and ideas, or to make decisions and purchases. It is very easy for a research trip to become expensive, particularly if you get pulled into making a decision you might later regret.
• Think about who you want talk to on the day, have a look at who is there and who fits what you have in your head. Focus on those people and try to avoid the butterfly effect and get pulled in the wrong direction.
• Thoroughly review the fayre’s website and schedule, there might be showcases from particular suppliers that you want to see, so having your timings right is really important.

           

At The Fayre…

• Be open and talk to the suppliers about your thoughts and ideas. The more you tell them, the more they can draw on your personality to ignite and inspire their own creativity.
• Make sure you collect business cards and contact details for the suppliers that interest you. There is nothing worse than getting home and realising you cannot remember the name of the perfect venue or caterer.
• Be open minded – look at things that are outside your ideas and comfort zone – they might inspire you in different ways.
• Try and sample everything to find out what it is that you truly want – though be wary of signing anything or agreeing to anything after sampling the fizz… just in case.

           

Afterwards…

Hopefully you will leave excited and inspired.  Take some time to reflect and think through what you have seen, follow up with those suppliers of interest and where appropriate get the date in the diary for those you love.

Contact our caring team for more information on weddings at BMA House.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7874 7020

According to our good friends at Wikipedia – At the 2011 census, London had a population of 8,173,941. Of this number 44.9% were White British. 37% of the population were born outside the UK, including 24.5% born outside of Europe.

The result is that as a wedding venue in the heart of London, which is arguably one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, we need to be on our game when it comes to meeting the needs of couples looking to use BMA House to celebrate their big day.

                                

From Chester to Chinese, Halal to Hawaiian, Kosher to Korean, this becomes particularly interesting when the couple are from two separate backgrounds.  Can you imagine the conversation when we advised our chef that a bespoke menu needed creating that reflected both heritages of the Sri Lankan / Spanish couple…? Or the Russian / Canadian couple?

To tell you the truth, rather than the chef seeing it as a difficult task, he saw it as a true creative challenge and delivered incredible menus for these couples.  In fact, looking back through bookings over the years, a huge proportion have been cross-cultural, one year we actually had 13 – all requiring bespoke menus.  Fusion cuisine is not a new concept but on the high street it rarely brings together some of the incredible cultures that love manages to and it is up to us and our team to make that a reality.

       

At BMA House all couples work with a dedicated member of our team throughout the whole of their wedding planning experience.  They get to know each other and ensure the perfect day, reflecting their true desires, comes to fruition.  A key part of this is the catering and the relationship with the chef.  Bespoke menus are a regular occurrence for us, which is why a tasting is such an important part of the experience.  It provides an opportunity to check that the creative ideas can truly be delivered and work for the couple, it provides a chance for them to give feedback, and of course it provides a chance to select and sample what works best for them and their guests.

         

Why not give us a call and challenge our catering team – they are dying to try out their Klingon / Hobbit Tudor banquet concept.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7874 7020

Images courtesy of:

Planner and stylist @emmajaneweddingplanner
Photographer @phoebejanephoto

In the words of Fleetwood Mac – “Everything’s waiting for you – You can go your own way”… which is all part of the celebrations and options available here at London’s beautiful venue, BMA House.

No, this blog isn’t an homage to 1977’s award winning Rumours album but an opportunity to reflect on something much more up to date – versatility and the fact that BMA House can be taken exclusively and used as a blank canvas to create your own event, your own way.

     

When you book BMA House exclusively it is yours to do with as you wish – assuming you don’t intend on abseiling from the Great Hall balconies!  In all seriousness though, we regularly work with people looking to do something exceptional and we understand most individuals prefer a private setting all to themselves.

In particular, exclusive use often starts with a review of the catering on offer.  We don’t want those booking with us to be limited by their perceptions of what we have to offer – so please talk to us about any potential changes you might like to make for a celebration.  This can include switching out our caterers entirely to meet the needs of different cuisines.  A perfect example is a Bah or Bat Mitzvah, where we can turn our kitchens over to one of our recommended suppliers specialising in Kosher cuisine.

     

Once the decision has been made to change the caterer then the whole venue is given over to that celebration.  This is primarily because two different caterers cannot use the kitchen at the same time – partly due to space but also due to potential contaminations of produce that might be acceptable to one client but not another – in this case “too many cooks quite literally could spoil the broth!”

Once the venue is yours the opportunities are endless in terms of how you wish to use it to maximise impact and create something truly memorable for your guests.  As ever our caring team are on hand throughout and as your single point of contact from start to finish can support with ideas and suggestions for making the most of an exclusive hire.

     

BMA House is famous for being a landmark venue steeped in history in the heart of London.  We are also the beating heart of the British Medical Association and therefore sit at the cutting edge of scientific research and medical knowledge.  This deep-seated passion for innovation and excellence runs through the whole of the organisation, including our event facilities and planning skills.  So put your perceptions aside and find out how you can use us to “go your own way.”

Note – our recommended maximum number of guests for events using external caterers is 200.

Contact our caring team of event planners for more information.

Email: [email protected]

There are many facets to a successful event, from venue facilities and catering to the marketing and registration process.  However, at the top of many lists, right alongside price and value for money are location and accessibility.  If you want people to show up, hold your event somewhere inspiring, somewhere that interests and excites – and then make sure that place is easy to get to.

     

Here at BMA House, we are lucky enough to be in the heart of a multi-cultural capital; a city full of sights, sounds and smells; a place where you can work all day and party all night.  As Dr Johnson said: “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”  And though that quote is a little melodramatic spoken now, rather than in the 18th century, when other incredible places are just a short train fare, drive or flight away, it still rings true for many.

     

However, it isn’t just what the city offers that matters but how accessible the venue is when you arrive there.  BMA House is a stone’s throw from Euston, St Pancreas, Kings Cross and a further half dozen tube stations.  It is surrounded by bus stops and on major traffic arteries – it really is so incredibly easy to get to.  An hour and a quarter from Birmingham, two and a quarter from Leeds even Edinburgh is only four and a quarter hours away – and of course, we are served by several international airports, all of which are just a short journey via train.

And if sustainability is high on your agenda, guests can arrive on foot by following our Clean Air Walking Route from Kings Cross, where the air pollution is 57% lower than busy Euston Road. Furthermore, we have onsite cycle racks for those travelling by bike and two EV charging points in our car park for those driving in an electric vehicle.

     

As a city we sit at the hub of so many transport networks and as a venue we sit at the terminus of so many of those lines.  If you want people to come – choose BMA House and make it really easy for them to get to.

Head over to our Contact page to find out your best route to find us https://bmahouse.org.uk/contact/

Priorities, priorities… where does a couple start?

We have all heard the famous question about whether the chicken or the egg came first – the same though can be true of venues and dates when trying to book a wedding.  As much as that might sound like a dreadful thought, it isn’t actually far from the truth.  Planning a wedding is all about priorities.  That might not sound particularly romantic and creative, but it is a cold hard fact that all newly engaged couples need to be aware of.

                   

Arguably the first things to identify should be the venue and the date.  Once those are in place there is a host of other things you can move onto.  However, once you have seen a couple of venues, read a few wedding magazines and talked to a few suppliers you will realise that (unless you are exceptionally lucky) your first priority is a budget.

Look realistically at how much you have to spend and where you will be sourcing the funds, then start to break it down into the different areas.  Venue and catering are likely to be the biggest costs but there are plenty of other areas you might want to splash out on that can take you by surprise.  It’s also worth thinking about a contingency – or at the very least withholding a percentage of your budget for “sundries” and “creative touches”.

         

Once you have your budget, you can start looking at venues and their catering partners.  Get that nailed down, along with your date and you can settle back a little, relaxed in the knowledge that the biggest choices have been made.  Finding a photographer should probably be next on your list – they book up fast, particularly on weekends and if you have your heart set on someone in particular, you need to get yourself in their diary early.

The rest is then down to you and what you think matters the most.  For some, a bespoke hand-made dress and a six-month waiting list will be vital – for others it is an off the rack trip to the local shops.  The right entertainment and live music are an imperative in some cases, whereas others are happy with a Spotify list recommended by friends.  Whatever choices you make though, do take your time, it’s a truly special day and needs to be right for you – not driven by whatever other people say your priorities should be.

           

If you are unsure where to start but have chosen BMA House as the venue then you can feel reassured by the fact you will have a dedicated wedding planner throughout the process, able to offer support and guidance across all elements of the day.

Find out some more about our all-inclusive wedding packages and book yourself a visit to our wonderful central London venue. Simply drop us an email today and we look forward to hearing all about your wedding day plans.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7874 7020

Images with thanks to Lucie Watson Photography (www.luciewatsonphotography.com)

A quick throwback to the 90s there from Crowded House…

It might seem to be a little odd quoting an Australian band in a blog about a London venue.  However, just walking around London one day last week I experienced hail, wind, rain and then got so warm I ended up wearing little more than a t-shirt.  That is perhaps a drastic example, but it does very clearly highlight the importance of having an all-weather venue when planning outdoor events in the UK.

 

And of course, that is something we can do for you here at BMA House.  Our Courtyard and Garden are both truly spectacular spaces – unique in London – but knowing you have the back-up of equally stunning indoor spaces with the same capacities is vital.

So now you are confident that we have contingency options here – what can you expect from our outdoor spaces?

The Courtyard really is BMA House’s centrepiece.  Visible from the road through wrought iron gates, the whole venue is built around this space – which is capable of hosting 320 guests around its beautiful fountain.

The Garden is a more intimate space, away from the road yet made truly special by the wonderous medicinal herbs planted to reflect the fact we are home to the British Medical Association.  Where better to enjoy an evening drink after a busy day than here, amongst the plants and by the pond?

 

To truly bring these spaces alive we work closely with CH&CO, our catering partner to create bespoke, ethical and exciting menus that reflect the two outdoor spaces and in the case of the Garden even make use of those wonderful herbs growing fresh on-site. We bring seasonal food to your event, supporting our wonderful British farmers & source local produce wherever possible. Sustainable spring and summer menus can be themed, such as street food style or a BBQ and of course can meet the needs of vegetarian and vegan diets.

 

We can even provide a pop-up bar specialising in cocktails that make the most of the theme, the setting and again the on-site produce.  It’s incredible what the right herbs and spices can do to a cocktail or mocktail.

So come and have a look, and don’t worry about an umbrella as we quite literally have you covered.

According to George R. R. Martin, author of the word famous Game of Thrones series of books and tv shows, all you need to do is give him “a good sharp knife and a good sharp cheese and I’m a happy man.”

Now that maybe true for our fantasy writing friend George.  However, in my opinion there is one thing missing – where, oh where, is the chutney?  Now I have heard it rumoured that not everyone pairs chutney and cheese – I literally don’t understand!  I am also aware that some individuals spread chutney on a pork pie or add it to a ham sandwich.  However, here at BMA House we don’t judge, instead we provide remarkable, sustainable chutney to suit every occasion.

     

Why all the talk about cheese and chutney?  Because amongst our other waste policies is the ongoing creation of chutney using food waste. Our chefs create beautiful chutneys using unused and untouched fruit and vegetables, plus their peels, that have been left-over after an event, to accompany a host of different dishes as part of our waste reduction initiatives.  Not only is it sustainable, but it also provides a unique accompaniment that cannot be found elsewhere.

Rather than just being a blog about cheese and chutney there is a more serious point to be made here about food wastage.  As a leading sustainable venue, BMA House is constantly looking for ways to “be better” and find new solutions to the challenges created when you run a busy venue complete with a substantial kitchen.

     

Food waste is a big issue in events – firstly there is the issue of catering numbers – how many people will actually show up and how much will they eat?  Then there is the issue of portion size or in the case of a buffet quantities of each dish – if you have two main options plus a vegan dish, how many of each do you offer?  This is particularly challenging where many meat eaters choose to be vegan for a month, or a few days, or just because that option looks tastier.  The result can be extensive amounts of waste in the food produced.  When you add in kitchen wastage the figures continue to grow.

Food waste doesn’t seem like the biggest sustainability issue when you first think about event organising, venue logistics and management.  You would imagine it’s a long way down the list after travel or energy usage.  However, the description above hopefully shows just how big an issue it can be and why it is so important to question your venue about such policies when booking.  It is also vital that the venue themselves work closely with you to manage catering numbers and quantities as well as the many other elements that can help reduce waste – including chutney production!

Chutney making is just one of the many ways we are working to decrease our impact on the environment and improve sustainability – for me though – it is one of my favourites.

Now where is that stilton?

To find out more on our award-winning venue’s Sustainability practices, visit our Sustainability page here: https://bmahouse.org.uk/sustainability/ – we really are more than a few recycling bins in the corner of our meeting rooms!