Member Article

New brand created for North East events

A leading North East events company is consolidating its various elements under one umbrella brand.

SoL, which is being rolled out from this month (February), brings together the Stadium of Light, National Glass Centre, 1879 Events Management and the new Hilton Garden Inn Sunderland.

It has been specifically created to showcase how these key players in the region’s catering and hospitality sector combine to create a complete event solution.

The Stadium of Light, which was named the North of England’s finest commercial tourism venue at the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence, is one of the largest conference, banqueting and events venues in the region, with the flexibility to cater for everything from large-scale presentations to graduation ceremonies and concerts.

Its sister site, National Glass Centre, is equally flexible, with purpose built, interconnecting exhibition spaces and contemporary suites offering views across the River Wear.

SoL will be used to highlight the partnership between the two venues and to showcase how they can cater for up to 1000 guests. It will also serve to symbolise how the same high standards of service and first-class food options can be expected at both sites.

The new SoL brand, which will feature on all marketing materials, will also encompass the Hilton Garden Inn Sunderland hotel, which is expected to open in spring 2016.

Currently under construction next to the Stadium of Light, the property will feature 141 stylish en-suite bedrooms, as well as a destination bar, grill restaurant and private dining areas.

It has been specifically designed to support functions at the stadium and National Glass Centre by offering high quality accommodation, but will also boast its own dedicated conference and event facilities, including a 24-hour business centre and three meeting rooms with space for up to 50 delegates.

1879 Events Management, which currently manages all catering and events at the Stadium of Light and National Glass Centre, will now also be recognised as a SoL subsidiary.

The company, which was awarded silver in the Operations Team at the Year category at the Stadium Events and Hospitality Awards, has a proven track record of working with regional, national and international event organisers at both venues, as well as offering all-inclusive event management services at external sites across the North East.

In recent months this has included catering for the annual clay pigeon shooting event for national law firm, Bond Dickinson, the Teesside Business Awards and leading LGBT festival Newcastle Pride, attended by 71,000 visitors.

Gary Hutchinson, Commercial Director for SAFC, said: “The sheer scale of services being offered by National Glass Centre, the Stadium of Light and 1879 Events Management has grown at a remarkable rate in the past few years and, with the addition of the Hilton Garden Inn, looks set to expand even further.

“SoL has been created to bring together all the elements of our portfolio and to highlight how we can offer a complete solution for all manner of corporate and private events.

“The new brand will be utilised widely from this month and we hope it will become a shining symbol for Sunderland’s hospitality and events sector.”

For more information about the venues, event management services, hotel and packages being offered under SoL, please call 0871 911 1555 or email conf&banq@safc.com.

Any enquiries relating solely to the Hilton Garden Inn Sunderland should be directed to Catherine Graham on 0191 551 5110 or Catherine.graham@hilton.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sorted PR .