insideKENT Magazine Issue 25 - April 2014 | Page 12
NEWS
NEW £1.5M EVENT AND CONFERENCE HALL NEARS
COMPLETION AT THE KENT EVENT CENTRE
A new £1.5 million conference and events facility
is due to open at the Kent Event Centre
near Maidstone this spring, strengthening its
position as the largest and most flexible venue
in the region.
The new single-span building is already
attracting business to the Detling site, as the
Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce has chosen
to use the space to host its annual Construction
Expo in October 2014.
Kent Event Centr manager Alison Wallington
e
said: “This investment further enhances the
already excellent range of facilities here and I’m
delighted to have attracted this major regional
exhibition for the construction and building sector
.
“The building is generating a lot of interest
from prospective customers and I’m confident it
will enable us to break into new markets in the
years ahead.”
The facility is 44m wide and 72m long, and
will seat up to 4,000 people in theatre style.
Construction started in October and the
building should be ready to start hosting events
from the end of April. It will be officially opened
by the Kent County Agricultural Society at the
Kent County Show in July.
Alison said the investment, boosting choice
and capacity for clients, was already paying
dividends in attracting more bookings. “By
improving facilities and maintaining a clear focus
on customer service, we are looking forward to
a very successful future.
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“We are hosting more than 60 public events
this year, plus conferences, training courses and
meetings, and this investment underlines our
status as the premier venue in the region.”
Ease of access by road and rail and the
availability of hotels make the Kent Event Centre
a great choice for events. Facilities comprise the
Clive Emson Conference Centre (1,700sqm), the
John Hendry Pavilion (1,750sqm), and the Astor
Pavilion (151sqm). There are also six major
meeting rooms and free parking on site for up
to 10,000 vehicles.
www.kenteventcentre.co.uk