CN has been canvassing UK agency opinion and insight on how they make Birmingham work well for their big events and what are the need-to-knows and recommendations for making conference and meetings fly in our second city.
Birmingham is active in the heart of the nation with a fast-beating pulse, set by innovators, creators and achievers. The second city, home to the ICC and NEC is a prime destination for large-scale events and conferences and is popular with delegates to a broad range of events, not least because of the great transport links and accessibility.
A £750m Gateway Plus project transformed the city’s transport hub in 2015. Now over 140,000 passengers use Grand Central daily, which offers convenient access to major hotel chains such as Malmaison, Radisson Blu and The Grand.
Above: ICC Birmingham
Birmingham is also moving up the meetings industry rankings and was named top UK meetings destination outside London by Cvent (based on more than $18bn of MICE business put through the Cvent digital platforms), while making a 87-place jump (to 125th) in the latest worldwide ICCA city rankings.
Above: Birmingham Botanical Gardens
The city is not resting on its industrial and culinary laurels, but pushing ahead with further regeneration, building on the heritage of iconic buildings like the £188m Library of Birmingham.
The city, which hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2022, today offers event organisers and delegates over 44,000 bed spaces across a broad range of hotels. The Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau can take the strain out of the search process with its free accommodation booking service.
But don’t take their or our word for it; CN asked a selection of agencies who have run major events in the city for their feedback and insight on the destination. KDM Events has brought many events to Birmingham and MD Brad Davies says that, although there is a good amount of accommodation choice, there is still more demand for five-star hotels with the capacity to host over 200 guests in the centre. “Venues like The Grand are an excellent option,” he says, “but more high-end venues in the city centre would be a welcome addition for larger conferences.”
When it comes to post conference entertainment, Davies says Birmingham truly comes to life: “Delegates have access to a vibrant mix of restaurants, bars and cultural spots. The city’s regeneration has introduced an impressive variety of dining and nightlife options, catering to diverse tastes and preferences.”
While the iconic purpose-built style venues like the NEC (with The Vox and Hilton Birmingham Metropole brands) and ICC are ideal for large-scale gatherings, offering practicality and ample space, there is a rising demand, says Davies, for venues that provide a unique, immersive experience.
Above: Edgbaston Stadium
“Modern event planners are seeking locations where the ambiance, catering and overall ‘vibe’ enhance the event as much as the content itself,” he says, noting that Birmingham provides excellent value when it comes to accessibility.
Feedback from KDM clients, says Davies, indicates a desire for more quirky, all-in-one venues with ample hotel accommodation.
“For conferences, there are excellent options like the BCEC and Eastside Rooms, while more distinctive venues include Millennium Point, ICC, Birmingham REP Theatre, The Studio, The Bond and The Custard Factory.”
Edgbaston Stadium and Birmingham Botanical Gardens also add a unique touch for those seeking something outside the norm.
The influx of large brands locating in the city include plenty of big names who are looking for just that kind of vibe, and include the likes of Goldman Sachs and HSBC. Several government departments are also driving demand for great independent venues, and the newly announced Sports Quarter is set to bring another range of event-led opportunities and stadiums.
KDM recently organised a large-scale event for 800 attendees at the ICC in the daytime and the agency opted for a street food format, which Davies says allowed guests to mingle, network and enjoy the truly diverse dining experience that Birmingham offers so well.
Book early would seem to be advised, with Davies noting that the enquiry for the ICC event came in November 2024 and that space was already limited for the second half of 2025 due to high demand. “This highlights the importance of early planning to secure the best venues at competitive prices,” he says.
KDM’s top tips for organising a successful event in Birmingham include:
- Be precise with your dates: Knowing exactly when you want to hold your event is a must!
- Act quickly: Venues in Birmingham are in high demand and often only hold tentative bookings for one to two weeks.
- Leverage Birmingham’s transport links: The city’s excellent rail and motorway connections make it an attractive destination.
To keep its competitive edge, Birmingham must continue offering diverse venue options and value for money, believes Davies.
Below: KDM Guardians Party
Tech and Life Science Weeks
Andy Wilkinson, MD of DRP Group’s recently acquired agency brand OWB believes that, as a location for event organisers, Birmingham is “amazing”, with a vibrant nightlife and new pockets to explore, including Colmore Row, the Jewellery Quarter and Digbeth which have, he says, “superb new bars and restaurants”.
Wilkinson notes the Institute of Directors held its first Director of the Year awards at The Grand in Q3 2024, the first time outside of London. He is also an ambassador for Birmingham Tech Week which brings about 7,000 people to the city and is the largest single tech event outside of London Tech Week. He adds that Birmingham will also host the first ever Life Science Week.
Birmingham Tech Week, Wilkinson points out, was a great example of using a huge range of office and venue space around the city for breakouts and plenary sessions hosted by sponsors, with central events held at ICC to wrap up the event.
Birmingham is also extremely walkable, Wilkinson points out, and the new tram system connects outlying areas, as well as through to the Black Country, which also has another set of interesting venue spaces to offer.
Wilkinson notes that DRPG’s own team conference last year was held at the NEC and advises talking to the locals for event ideas: “Brummies are very friendly and they can help you explore some of our hidden gems. The Peaky Blinders walking tour we did from our St Paul’s Square office last October is one not to be missed!”
Birmingham’s trump card does seem to be ‘Connectivity’ and Wilkinson is quick to highlight the headline brands which have been attracted to the city, something that has brought further investment in infrastructure and events spaces in its wake.
Wilkinson also urges organisers to “take a look at the amazing Universities and what they have to offer for accommodation (there are five of them close to the Colmore Business District) and look at the incredible independent venues to add that unique Brummie flavour to your event.”
Blackberry Events
Blackberry Events runs a number of events in Birmingham each year, including the West Midlands Tourism Awards which unites hundreds of visitor economy guests to celebrate and highlight the local tourism and hospitality industries. It was held at Edgbaston Stadium this year, with venues including the University of Birmingham and Coombe Abbey also playing host to the event in recent years.
Blackberry also organised the Inspiring Leadership Conference – for 1,500 headteachers and senior leaders who come to the ICC Birmingham each year to network with colleagues and to celebrate with a gala dinner.
Department for Education’s Get Into Teaching Roadshow also stopped in Birmingham, with Blackberry helping set up ‘advice’ zones where attendees could meet teachers and advisers to help them on their journey towards becoming a teacher.
Georgie Butler, associate director at Blackberry, tells us: “There is no denying Birmingham is a fantastic destination for a variety of large events and conferences.
“Whether you are looking for a large event space to host thousands of attendees, a state of the art conference centre to wow visiting delegates or a unique venue like no other, Birmingham has something on offer. Over the years we have run conferences at the ICC for 1,500 attendees and award ceremonies at local sporting venues such as Edgbaston Stadium and Villa Park,” she says.
“With so much on offer, finding a venue in Birmingham that suits your needs has never been so easy.”
Butler also says that after conference hours, delegates can walk around the scenic canals, shop till they drop in the Bullring and enjoy an incredible food scene in Birmingham.
“With competitive venue costs, day delegate rates and a wide range of accommodation options, there is something to suit any budget,” Butler adds.
“When compared to other cities across the country, our large event costs are fairly similar – with the added bonus of being an accessible destination with good transport links and a variety of amenities to suit all.”
Butler says her agency tends to source venues in-house, adding: “Whenever challenged with a particularly unique brief we reach out to the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau. Their extensive list of local venues and detailed knowledge and insight into what’s happening in the future in terms of the local conference and hospitality scene make them ‘unbeatable’ when it comes to venue sourcing.”
Butler adds that the agency has seen “a significant shift of large corporate and public sector organisations moving into the region – HSBC, Deutsche Bank, VisitEngland, BBC, Digbeth Loc. Steven Knight’s Studios , the list goes on! As a result of this influx, we would expect to see opportunities increase for local agencies to broaden and deepen their client networks and ultimately organise more events in the region.”
Aye, robot: Birmingham chosen to host 2027 European Robotics Forum
Birmingham has been selected over high-profile European capital cities to host influential robotics conference the 2027 European Robotics Forum. More than 1,500 international delegates are anticipated in the West Midlands, bringing £1.55m economic impact.
Below: Birmingham MTC (Manufacturing Technology Centre)
The conference is the most influential meeting of the robotics community in Europe, with international engineers, researchers, investors, entrepreneurs and policy makers expected to attend.
The ICC Birmingham – part of the NEC Group – will host the event 1-5 March 2027, with industry tours on the final day at some of the region’s most successful, internationally-recognised companies.
The city beat European destinations including Belgrade, Brussels, Tallinn and Zurich for the right to host the event.
The Birmingham bid was won by leading ambassadors in the region from the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry and the University of Birmingham, with the support of the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau, part of the West Midlands Growth Company, and the ICC Birmingham. The bid attracted more than 50 letters of support, including from the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation Lord Patrick Vallance, Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Professor Samia Nefti-Meziani OBE, chair in Robotics and AI and director of the Birmingham Robotics Institute at University of Birmingham, says:
“Birmingham’s selection highlights the city’s growing significance as a global hub in research and technology and Robotics and AI powering smart machines and systems for circular and sustainable manufacturing and materials, healthcare, and infrastructure renewal. We’re excited about the profound impact ERF2027 will have.”
Birmingham has also won the bid to host the annual international conference for experts in the field of vertebrate palaeontology, which is expected to bring £1.5m for the West Midlands’ economy. The event will be hosted at the ICC Birmingham, 12-15 November.
For more information about the West Midlands’ business events offer for organisers and delegates, visit meetbirmingham.com.
West Midlands Growth Company
The West Midlands Growth Company helps the region make its mark nationally and internationally. Its primary purpose is to attract investment, jobs, visitors and businesses to the West Midlands. The West Midlands Growth Company focuses on the WMCA geography of Greater Birmingham and Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire, and the Black Country.
