The £3m total transformation of Wyboston Lakes Resort’s conference and events venue, to create The Woodlands Event Centre, is now complete.
The investment has created a stylish and inspiring event centre for now and for the future. It’s fully equipped with the facilities and technology to meet the needs of the latest generation of delegates and event organisers and has the capacity and flexibility to suit every type of event and the latest event trends.
Equipped with the latest Audio-Visual technology, the venue provides inspirational meeting areas, including a main conference room that seats 620 delegates’ theatre-style or 380 cabaret-style, with creative flair and movable walls to expand event options.
An exciting range of food options, including the Mediterranean inspired Olive Restaurant and the informal Cedar Bar, have also been created. Providing a modern twist on the traditional servery, the new Food Market provides a variety of international street food dishes.
Managing Director Steve Jones said, “After more than a year of planning and implementing these major changes, the Woodlands Event Centre is now fully operational. Client feedback has been incredible. Some who have booked upcoming events have selected the Woodlands Event Centre over other venues that they have historically used. Those who have already hosted events here are already looking to confirm more business with us, which is the ultimate sign of client satisfaction.”
Mouth-watering new menus
Serving a menu of Mediterranean inspired food options to suit any event, dishes at the Olive Restaurant range from fresh pizza cooked from a clay oven to pastas and salads. Seafood, lamb, steak, burger and chicken options and are available directly from the Clay oven or Food Market.
The restaurant can comfortably seat up to 280 people at any one time, while private dinner events can be booked for up to 50 guests. An adjacent outdoor terrace, along with additional external courtyards and spaces, provides BBQ and al fresco options during warmer summer months.
The Cedar Bar, located outside the Olive Restaurant, provides an informal area for guests to network, chat and do business, as well as offering a variety of light snacks such as sandwiches and paninis, which can be ordered 24 hours a day. For delegates spending the night at the Woodlands Event Centre, the Cedar Bar menu can be delivered straight to their room.
Coffee artisans Paddy & Scott’s fuelling stations, available at multiple locations and kiosks at the Woodlands Events Centre and across Wyboston Lakes Resort, ensures delegates and guests are fully energised throughout the day. In addition to serving high street quality coffee, the main fuelling station offers a wide range of drinks, pastries and snacks.
Tomorrow's technology today
Well in excess of half a million pounds of the investment has been spent to update IT and audio-visual presentation technology. The Rosewood Suite, whose capacity has increased by more than 60 per cent, features dual projection for immersive imagery and customisable lighting, giving event organisers the ability to quickly set and adjust levels to suit the demands of the event.
Meeting organisers are able to increase engagement, collaboration and creativity among participants by using the 86” LED display in the Yew Technology Theatre, complimented with Dolby Atmos sound. Built in applications are available for displaying content with easy connection to additional equipment, such as ClickShare or HDMI devices. Steve added “One recent client will now only book the Yew Technology Theatre as their event worked so well in there.”
Smart Kapp-Digital Flip Charts are available for use in training rooms, enabling attendees to share content remotely with colleagues anywhere in the world when they write, draw and erase ideas on the capture board. 1.3GB of high-speed internet is offered across the site and in all facilities, ensuring delegates receive bandwidth, with no passwords or limitations, completely free.
In addition to the venue’s well-staffed team of lobby hosts, self-check-in desks for bedrooms will also introduced, ensuring the check in process is both speedy and the guests’ data is kept secure. Digital signage both externally and internally aids guests in getting to their meeting on time.
Jones concluded, “Our research into trends in dedicated conference and events venues for the Woodlands Event Centre took us across several continents. This investment will ensure we remain the venue of choice for the many blue-chip companies we work with. We’re delighted with their response to what we have created.”