The most flexible indoor and outdoor venue in the country. CO NFEREN CES EXHIBITIONSBANQUETSTEAM BUILDING INCLUDING 4x4 TRACKOUTDOOR EVENTSACCOMMODATIONStoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LZSTONELEIGH EVENTSWant to know more?www.stoneleighpark.com Tel: 0844 847 6685Email: hello@stoneleighpark.com Home to the Grand National and all your event needsExhibitions . Trade ShowsConferences . Award CeremoniesGala Dinners . EventsSet in the grounds of a world famous racecourse, with 3,700 square metres of exhibition space, and an additional 1,100 square metres of space for storage or catering, Aintree offers an inspiring location for your event.Plus, with over 1,800 complimentary car parking spaces, quick access to the motorway network (M57, M58, M62 & M6) and excellent public transport links, Aintree is in an ideal location for visitors in Liverpool and the North West.Call 0151 909 5883 Email aintree.conference@thejockeyclub.co.uk or visit aintree.co.uk/exhibitionsand let us show you around.

VENUE WATCHwww.exhibitionnews.co.uk 39ENTERING THE RACESilverstone took the wrappers off its £27m wing last year as part of aggressive plans to transform the motoring venue into a multipurpose events destination. EN takes a look under the hood xhibition venues can cater to many needs, but one whim they can't control is their 'cool' factor. While facilities and location certainly contribute to a venue's prestige, arguably it's the content and features within these functional spaces that give them their visitor appeal. But for the team working on the new events wing at British motoring circuit Silverstone, it's the site's extraordinary history that gives it a unique events proposition and 'coolness'. The new Silverstone Wing events venue sits within the home of the British Grand Prix, one of the most recognised and revered motoring circuits in the world. The site started as a World War Two airfi eld in 1943 and has since grown into a multipurpose site offering exhibition, meeting and conference spaces peppered around its 3.6-mile racing track. The Silverstone Wing, which opened its doors 12 months ago and will be fully completed this month, represents the fi rst £27m phase in an ambitious 20-year plan to transform the 880-acre site from a race car driver's paradise into an international events, leisure and business destination in the heart of the East Midlands. "There is a lot of heritage and a key part of the events experience is the noise and atmosphere at Silverstone," event sales manager Daniel Whittemore said. The main fi rst fl oor offers four interconnected halls of 7-10m high, each with additional mezzanine space, windows on both sides and an external balcony overlooking the track. Halls 1 and 2 are 1,100sqm each with a 400sqm mezzanine level, and are suitable for exhibitions, auctions, events, product launches or conferences. Hall 1 also has its own permanent ramp, allowing vehicles to drive directly into the space. Hall 3 offers 1,200sqm and has been confi gured with hospitality features to suit large-scale banquets or conferences, fi tting 1,000 in a theatre style or 650 for dinner. All halls have lighting fl ush with the ceiling to maximise space and power can be connected from above in a three-phase confi guration.Halls 4 and 5, which open this month, sit above the existing three halls. Hall 4 will have an 800sqm mezzanine with a further 400sqm on the fl oor below joined by a central staircase, while Hall 5 is L-shaped with 1,000sqm and a 250sqm mezzanine. Both will offer an elevated view of the track and pit facilities, access to a roof terrace and share a moveable acoustic wall. A sweeping external staircase provides access to Hall 5 and the roof terrace directly. The halls are permanently carpeted in a bid to make it more cost-effective for organisers putting on shows, Whittemore said, and come with an "We fi nd organisers get better attendance to their events here because of the prestige of being on this site." THE LOW-DOWNThe Silverstone Wing serves the dual purpose of providing new pit and paddock facilities for the racing track, as well an all year-round events and meetings space. The wing offers 10,000sqm of space across three fl oors, all of which offer views of the racing track and surrounds. Not surprisingly, parking isn't a problem for visitors either. "Having a banqueting, exhibition and conference facility was a key focus for us," Whittemore continued. "It's a big events space and a blank canvas for organisers." EA key part of the events experience is the noise and atmosphere at Silverstone