God Bless the Cunard International… and all who sell in her!
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb057135 |
| Date | 01 October 1980 |
| Pages | 19-20 |
| Published date | 01 October 1980 |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
CONFERENCE CENTRE
God Bless the Cunard
International
. . . and
all who
sell
in
her!
MANNED by an expert and caring
crew, skippered by the perfectionist
Peter Silvester, the Cunard Interna-
tional Hotel is surely the flagship of
the fleet of great London conference
and banqueting venues, and it has a
powerful claim to a blue riband as the
metropolis's finest modern exhibition
centre.
As indicated by its eponymous
name, it has corporate consanguinity
with the great Atlantic liners and it
shares their efficiency and elan, undi-
luted and uncompromised by the
scale of its seven-storey bulk. So its
nautical theme suits it well, from hull
to bridge . . . or, rather, cellar to pent-
house. The interior design reflects the
influence of Cunard's maritime tradi-
tion, the modern decor being reminis-
cent of the functional elegance of the
"Queens" and providing a natural
continuity to the historic trophies,
models and paintings of the great
transatlantic liners of the past, which
are on display everywhere.
The conference and exhibition
area, which houses the most modern
services and equipment in surround-
ings expressly designed to meet the
needs of conference and exhibition
organisers and their clients, is a major
feature of the hotel.
Sales Manager Derek Oates
proudly showed me the spacious func-
tion rooms of the Queen Mary suite
which incorporates a total floor space
of over 17,000 sq. feet and can seat up
to 900 people. As generous in height
as space, the main suite can be used
with great flexibility, its area being
divisible into three separate rooms
taking from 250 to 450 people; while
the adjacent Foyer Lounge and Ban-
Aleo Snobel aboard
the greatest liner
that never floated
queting Reception area offer the pos-
sibility of further floor space. Exten-
sions to the suite can also be made by
the use of the cloak room and recep-
tion area in the hotel
itself.
Added to all this are the technical
installations and equipment of the
room
itself.
Lighting, air-
conditioning, power plugs, telephone
sockets are built-in throughout the
suite and operate efficiently. Syndi-
cate rooms are available for small
trade presentations, private functions
and meetings.
Public access is by passenger lift
and escalator. A 3-ton hoist assists the
movement of large pieces of equip-
ment and display material. Technical
staff are ready to advise and assist
with the installation of special equip-
ment and effects.
More recently added is the Armada
Suite-five tastefully decorated con-
ference rooms which can be used
singly or in conjunction with one
another. The rooms have a seating
capacity of between 30 and 180 peo-
ple and floor space for exhibitions of
7,000 sq. ft.
Newest of all is the Exhibition
Centre, whose excellent access and
simple design of its 14,000 sq. ft.
ensure maximum benefit to exhibitors
and organisers.
"We've got this so well organised
with standard shells that we've had
one show move out and the next move
in on the same day", said Oates.
A major factor in its success is its
prime position. The hotel is not only
the closest London conference and
exhibition venue to Heathrow Air-
port but it is also close to the network
of motorways which link London with
all parts of the United Kingdom. Situ-
ated by the side of the M4 motorway
at Hammersmith Broadway, Lon-
don's major road link with Heathrow
Airport passes the hotel, giving fast
and easy access by private car, taxi or
coach. The extension of the Piccadilly
Line to Heathrow provides a 20-
minute underground connection from
Hammersmith to the centre of Lon-
don Airport.
NOVEMBER 1980 19
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