Christmas party
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VenueSelection.docxVenue Selection
The venue selection required a shortlist of available businesses that would be suitable to host such an occasion. There were a number of venues that were considered and contacted to retrieve the required cost to utilise the space they can provide along with ensuring that they were available for the specific date. To make it onto the shortlist of contenders the venues had to meet specific requirements which were:
· Able to provide a large enough space to accommodate 250 guests
· License to serve alcohol
· License to serve food
· To have health and safety certificates to host a party
On top of these requirements the team decided to consider only venues within the Glasgow city centre area. This was made a requirement because there are multiple transport links to the city centre such as buses, trains and taxes etc. Therefore, to mitigate the impact of bad weather affecting guests being able to travel to the event then having more transport options available was deemed essential. Additionally, the cost of hiring the function area was capped at £2000. This is to maximise profits and rule out venues which would demand ludicrous pricing.
Venue Options
The shortlist of venues was constructed following the requirements mentioned above and the resultant options available is listed below:
Oran Mor
Provided with package:
· 3 course meal
· DJ set
· Option to add a Ceilidh band for £850
· £36 pp entry
· Hire Cost = £1200
Hilton Hotel
Provided with package:
· 3 course meal
· DJ set
· Champagne reception
· £37 pp entry
· Hire Cost = £1500
Arta
Provided with package:
· 3 course meal
· Champagne reception
· £40 pp entry
· Hire Cost = £1200
Science Centre
Provided with package:
· 3 course meal
· Champagne reception
· Free parking
· Event management and security
· £50 pp entry
· Hire Cost = £1700
Selected Venue – Hilton Hotel
From the shortlist above it was decided that the Hilton Hotel provided the best value for money. It is not the cheapest of the options however, for what it provides it ticks a lot of the boxes of what the team feels provides a luxurious party atmosphere. The champagne reception was considered a special touch and an ideal way to greet the guests at the venue.
All of the venues supply a 3 course meal and have reasonably priced tickets. Although, considering that this is a University Christmas Party, it would need to be a lively atmosphere which led the team to the conclusion that music was a necessity at some point.
This ruled out the use of the Science Centre and Arta which do not provide a DJ set as part of the package meaning a DJ would need to be sourced and added to the costs. Oran Mor and Hilton included a DJ which hints at the space provided by the functions. Basically, if they include a DJ then they must have a dancefloor for the students to enjoy the night.
The decisive factor between the final two venues was based on the transport links surrounding the venues. Students will travel from many regions to attend University therefore it is naive to assume that they are all situated either at the University campus or very close by. Considering this factor, it became clear that Oran Mor does not have the same transport links around it that the Hilton Hotel does. The team researched the local area to decipher which of the two options would be easier to access. It was decided that a train station was a key service for multiple students to use to travel rather than bus services.
The figure above indicates the lack of transport links to Oran Mor. From using Google Maps the team determined that the only nearby form of transport, other than bus stops, is the Hillhead Underground. The underground routes are a good way of connecting Glasgow’s city centre to the Glasgow’s west end. Although, this form of transport normally means that guest would have to find a way into the city centre then get the underground too.
The figure above shows the transport links surrounding the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow city centre. The main transport link highlighted in the figure is Anderston train station. This station is connected to Glasgow Central station which is one of the main train stations in Glasgow with trains from all over Scotland connecting to it. Additionally, it is important to note the M8 running alongside the Hilton as this provides guests to be dropped off via taxis or lifts from one of the biggest motorways in Scotland. Finally, the two streets highlighted – St Vincent Street and Argyle Street – are two of the biggest and busiest streets in Glasgow with transport links such as train stations, taxis and buses operating along these streets.
