Sporting venues in England that create winning events

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park played a starring role in the London 2012 Olympics and is the very epitome of sporting legacy. Dotted across the sprawling 560-acre site in east London you’ll find the 80,000 capacity London Stadium (now home to West Ham United), London Aquatics Centre, the Copper Box Arena as well as the Lee Valley VeloPark and so much more.

With 11 conference and event spaces available for hire, it’s a treasure trove of venues are complemented by lushious parkland and waterways.

One of its most unqiue space is the ArcelorMittal Orbit, which was created by artist Sir Anish Kapoor and structural engineer Cecil Balmond. Offering extraordinary 20-mile views over the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this magnificent structure stands at 114.5 metres tall. Delegates can take in the breathtaking London skyline whilst enjoying a drinks reception or, for those that are more daring, can sample the world’s largest tunnel slide that opened in 2016. 

When it comes to driving, Milton Keynes has a lot to offer. The city houses the beating heart of the four-time champions, Red Bull Formula 1 Racing Team.

Just two years ago, the state-of-the-art headquarters added a dynamic and versatile 300-capacity event space that allows guests to surround themselves in Red Bull Racing history and mingle amongst its impressive fleet of cars.

MK-7 offers an immersive experience, complete with its iconic pieces of racing heritage aims to provide guests with a once-in-a lifetime insight into the world of F1. A high-tech boardroom, mezzanine and smaller meeting rooms complete the offering.

If sporting history tops your list of requirements then Edgbaston in Birmingham has a rich history of hosting top-class cricket that, rather impressively, straddles three different centuries. It became home to Warwickshire County Cricket Club in 1885, and hosted its first Test, against Australia in 1902. It has since notched up a number of ‘firsts’ including hosting the inaugural Women’s World Cup final in 1973, while in 1997, it welcomed the first competitive floodlit day-night cricket match in the UK.

When it comes to events, the venue has a range of conference suites and meeting rooms benefitting from impressive views of the pitch. Its largest space has capacity for up to 800 delegates.

Each year, Aintree Racecourse is under the watchful eye of more than 500 million viewers as it welcomes the world-famous Grand National horse race.

The race, which has been one of the highlights of the racing calendar since the 19th century, has helped to make this Liverpool venue a household name. But beyond the drama and excitement of the races, is a range of conference and exhibition spaces that balance the venue’s rich history with state-of-the-art capabilities. Aintree offers space for up to 600 delegates, together with 3,700sqm / 39,826 sqft of exhibition space and free parking for 1800 cars, making it a flexible solution to meeting organisers.

For 2021, Coventry has the prestigious role of UK City of Culture. One of the largest contributors to entertainment, sport and culture in the city is its Ricoh Arena. A relatively new kid on the block, the venue was built in 2005 and in its 16-year history has played host to football, rugby and netball.

As the current home of Premiership Rugby side Wasps and Wasps Netball, a sporting fixture is never too far away. However, for organisers there is a hidden wealth of event facilities on offer too. Nestled alongside the sporting facilities is a mix of state-of-the-art conference and meeting spaces as well as a hotel. The venue has more than 20,000 sqm / 215,278 sqft of event space to offer, with 2,000 onsite car parking bays, two restaurants, and a casino.

Manchester City Football Club moved from Maine Road to its new home in 2003. In recent years, the blue side of Manchester has been riding high, having secured the Premier League top spot in both 2018 and 2019 before Liverpool spoiled the party a year later.

As a state-of-the-art location for events, the Etihad Stadium comprises 14 unique suites and 66 Executive Boxes. Legends is its largest space, able to welcome 500 for a standing reception. The room benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows, providing a wealth of natural light, plus panoramic views of the stadium bowl.