Partner Article

Toon with a view

ALMOST £105m has been pumped into venues and hotels in and around Tyneside, new figures have shown.

The Convention Bureau – the business tourism arm of NewcastleGateshead Initiative - conducted a survey of its 90 members to gauge investment in the region’s conference portfolio, from January 2009 through to January 2011.

The survey revealed that 951 hotel bedrooms were completely refurbished and 535 new bedrooms constructed (or soon to be built) during this time, while a whole host of other improvements include restaurant renovation, new gymnasia and other leisure improvements and upgraded audio visual equipment.

Much of the work took place throughout 2009 when the country was hit worst by the recession, showing real resilience in competing for clients’ conference business; borne out by a recent independent study highlighting that business tourism was worth £240m to the NewcastleGateshead economy and helped create 5,700 jobs in 2008/2009.

Some of the improvement work is due to finish towards the end of this year, including a new atrium at The CastleGate, where clients as diverse as BBC and British Airways have held conferences.

Northumbria University has seen extensive development, including 500 new-build, en-suite bedrooms, which will be completed at the end of the year.

Phill Vergnano, director of accommodation services at Northumbria University, said: “On top of the accommodation development adjacent to Northumbria University’s award-winning City Campus East, a new £30m sport complex will open in August this year with an indoor state-of-art arena capable of seating up to 3,000 people.”

Four-star, Close House Hotel, set in 400 acres of Northumberland countryside, has built 12 new bedrooms and is completing the building of a new championship golf course and state-of-the-art glass clubhouse, due to open early next year, while the new golf academy opens next month (August 2010).

Elain Dodds, event sales manager at Close House Hotel, said: “The investment into our golf facility for the club house, academy and championship course puts Close House Hotel in the league of premier UK golf and hotel destinations. Quality and first-rate facilities are paramount to attracting business from around the UK and internationally.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .