18 October 2012
The ICC Birmingham is celebrating the successful staging of over 300 events in four days during the 2012 Conservative Party Conference.
Returning to the award-winning venue for the third time in five years, the four-day conference (7th-10th October), played host to the main political conference - which welcomed the Prime Minister and other high-profile cabinet ministers - and 300 associated events.
Along with the venue’s 10 halls and 11 meeting rooms, the conference utilised every available space the ICC had to offer including exhibition stands in the central mall area and temporary marquees outside. Some meetings had just half an hour between them and catered for 40-500 guests with events ranging from breakfast meetings and receptions to formal dinners.
1400 media – including international broadcasters and print - sent news, comment and images direct from the venues hall 1 stage around the world.
Stephen Phillips, Head of Conferencing, Conservative Central HQ, said: “We are extremely pleased by the success of the conference and by the dedicated service and delivery we have received from the team at The ICC. The conference is a large, high-profile event and without the right team and the right facilities in place it would be very difficult to achieve the high standards that have been evident throughout our four days in Birmingham.”
This year’s conference has been particularly memorable for staff at the ICC who welcomed David Cameron as he unveiled a commemorative plaque marking 21 years since the ICC and Symphony Hall were officially opened by HM The Queen in 1991.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “It gives me great pleasure to bring the Conservative Party Conference back to Birmingham’s ICC for the third time. The ICC proves time and again to be a tremendous conference venue, so I always look forward to holding our conference there.
"Both the ICC and Symphony Hall are world class venues, which benefit Birmingham both economically and culturally. I am very pleased to be able to mark this occasion during the Conservative Party conference."
The high profile conference is estimated to have contributed £16.5 million to the local economy and is the sixth political party conference to be hosted by the ICC in the last five years. The ICC is also the only UK venue to host conferences staged by all three main political parties in the last three years.
Nick Waight, Managing Director of the ICC, said: “When conferences choose to return to our venue and our city it is a brilliant affirmation that we are getting things right. It is an honour to be placed centre stage during such a national event and an even bigger tribute to all our hard-working, professional staff that the Conservative Party have chosen to return for the third time in five years.
“The ICC Birmingham is the perfect location for high-profile, national conferences such as the Conservative Party Conference. The diversity of the halls and public areas within the ICC creates an unparalleled level of flexibility and the Conservative Party made the most of all of the available space.
“Our location at the heart of the UK’s major transport network is also another major benefit to organisers and in addition, the area around the venue can be quickly transformed into a secure island site, incorporating the adjoining Hyatt Regency Hotel for high-profile events such as these.
“I would like to thank each and every member of Team ICC who has worked tirelessly – and literally around the clock – to ensure that this conference has been an outstanding success.”
The team at the ICC worked in close collaboration with partner organisations from across the city, including Birmingham City Council, Marketing Birmingham, West Midlands Police and local businesses to deliver the conference.
Brian May, Hugh Grant and Charlotte Church are just a few of the famous faces who also attended the conference.