The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Conference and EventsTeam is at your service. At the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea the Conference and Events Team is at your service. We aim to provide an exceptional and unmatched level of assistance appropriate to our quality venues. Ourindustry awards, accreditations, repeat business and customer feedback pay tribute to our achievements of whichwe are justifiably proud. We offer: lFlexible exhibition and conference facilitieslSuperior quality and servicelCentral London location lDDR from £25 lNo hidden extras. For further information and to book yourtour of the facilities call 020 7361 2220 or email hall-let@rbkc.gov.uk www.rbkc.gov.uk/venuesConference & Events CentreKENSINGTONEXHIBITIONSCONFERENCESAWARD CEREMONIESEXPERIENTIAL MARKETINGHOSPITALITYBRAND ACTIVATION- Situated between the City of London and the vibrant East End - Rare blank canvas coupled with state-of-the-art facilities - 1400m2 of flexible dry hire space- Provides a unique backdrop in which to create your own stunning eventCALL 0207 375 2963 EMAIL EVENTS@WELLINGTONMARKETS.CO.UKWWW.OLDSPITALFIELDSMARKET.COM/VENUE.HTMLPhotograph: Sophie MutevelianA Ballymore Property. Operated byWellington Markets.

VENUE WATCHwww.exhibitionnews.co.uk 31SMALLer pAckAgeSWe all know the biggest venues in the Uk but there are plenty of other boutique spaces available to exhibition organisers. EN profiles a selection looking to punch above their weight ILEC ConfErEnCE CEntrE Size: 1,260Sqm The ILEC Conference Centre in Earls Court re-opened in October following a £5m, four-month revamp. The facelift sees the London Suite Ballroom offer 1,260sqm of exhibition space. To further enhance its offering, ILEC now has an in-house AV production team available during the design phase of an event that can offer event production, equipment hire, scenery building, video film production, presentation design and digital animation to clients. "We have a technical manager onsite to advise with production and scenery design," said press spokesman Nigel Couzens. "This would help if shell scheme needed to be built. We stripped the whole place out and now also have four types of lighting systems." ILEC opened in 1972 as London's largest pillar-free event space. General manager Patrice Millot said the latest renovation was a result of customer feedback."This significant investment will ensure ILEC is positioned as one of the most desirable venues for exhibitions, conferences and meetings, sports events, fashion shows, award ceremonies and weddings across the entire capital," he claimed. "We are confident our clients will benefit hugely from the refurbishment and will recognise many improvements have come directly as a result of their feedback." Couzens noted a recent trend for conference bookings that have an accompanying exhibition. "Recently we have seen a lot of social media and technology companies offering solutions using the facilities," he continued. Over the years, ILEC Conference Centre has hosted a wide range of events stretching from large conferences with 1,000 guests to exhibitions, beauty pageants, sports events and award ceremonies. Education, fashion, technology and new media as other sectors represented in its client mix, Couzens added. Its 5m high ceilings have even allowed tanks to rumble through for a corporate event. ILEC will continue to look for B2B rather than B2C exhibition business. Size: 1,400Sqm Old Spitalfields Market in East London is positioning itself as an art-led exhibition venue, reflecting the characteristics of the market and the creative talents in the local area.Events manager Ellie Barnatt told EN the venue has held several arts and crafts-themed and fashion-led exhibitions since the market site's redevelopment two years ago. "We also have a lot of design-led tenants in the market, which helps with the profile," Barnatt said.In June, Old Spitalfields Market hosted Jewel East, part of London Jewellery Week, and in September the Craft Council held its Origin Exhibition, run by Tent Exhibitions. "We feel we are a natural fit for these kinds of exhibitions," Barnatt said. "The hope is to get more business-to-business and consumer exhibitions in here. We have a great catchment area for art, design, fashion, lifestyle and gifts." One of the venue's latest wins is a new launch show for the retail property sector. Completely Retail Marketplace, which will take place on 1 May 2012, will showcase shops to let across the UK from leading agents and landlords. Spitalfields also holds regular free events including lunchtime concerts, festivals, tango classes and fashion shows. Barnatt admitted she'd like to have greater links with its retail presence. "We are looking at cross-promoting with the many cafes and restaurants in Spitalfields and having special offers when an exhibition is running," she continued. "We also want to introduce more networking and learning so we're not simply a space to exhibit in."Incentives for organisers include reduced rates for shows from Monday to Wednesday. The venue is also looking to introduce paid-for Wi-Fi connectivity across its facilities.oLd SpItaLfIELdS markEt Image by Sophie Mutevelian