What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 31 July 2017

Welcome to another week and as it's Yorkshire Day tomorrow, we are going all Yorkshire here at Cloud 9 Towers. Celebrated on 1 August every year, Yorkshire Day is a day to remember, and celebrate, the largest county in the UK, Yorkshire. 

Originally a military holiday, it historically stems from a few military customs and some protests about losing Yorkshire’s cultural identity. 

The military permitted the regiments to wear a rose in their head dresses although the original Light Infantry wore a white rose instead of red, and the protests were created against the the Local Government re-organisation in 1974. For those among us who are far too young to recall this, this started with the Local Government Act of 1972 where local boundary changes were imposed, and many of the communities involved were hugely opposed to the changes. 

Yorkshire was one of the counties really affected and The West Riding County Council was abolished along with many local district councils.  Some areas such as Craven and Bowland changed from being administered by the West Riding County Council to Lancashire County Council - which did not go down at all well with many with local loyalties.

But all of this posturing and history aside, Yorkshire Day from our perspective is a great excuse to celebrate the diversity of this great county and our #VenueTipoftheDay this week will feature a great venue in Yorkshire, daily.

From the bustling streets of Leeds to the lovely cobbled streets of York and the majesty of Harrogate, Yorkshire remains a fantastic place and anyone working in the events industry will know the rich and diverse selection of great venues available for meetings, events and conferences. With a range of great cities including Sheffield, Bradford, Ripon, Wakefield, and of course, the 2017 Capital of Culture Hull, there is a really unique flavour over every sector of contemporary commerce and  business across Yorkshire. 

Yorkshire has three National Parks including the Peak District, the valleys of the Yorkshire Dales and the huge skies of the North York Moors, as well as a vast  Heritage Coast with miles of coastline hiding fishing villages and countless secret coves.

If you are constantly being challenged to source new and interesting venues to make your conference ‘extra special’, then from wacky to wonderful, this amazing county  has a multitude of purposeful and motivating venues to surprise your delegates - just ask us via our free venue finding service and we'll be happy to help.

So be loud, be proud and celebrate Yorkshire Day this week by booking your next event in this magnificent county! 

Have a great week.

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 24 July 2017

Welcome to another week and yes we are still dynamically busy here at Cloud 9 Towers, with no sign of a summer holiday for most us at present! 

However, with it being the last week of July, we mentioned that it's the start of factory fortnight and some of the younger members of the team were not familiar with the expression.

So this week we thought we would take a little look at the history of factory fortnight and what it once stood for and it's actually been quite surprising, especially locally.

Newark, which is just 15 minutes down the road from us saw a mass exodus in July 1954 when 5,000 residents left the town in just four hours - and this was around a tenth of the population - and headed off for their annual summer break.

Leaving just a few staff behind to ensure the maintenance of the some of the main factories machinery, production was bought to a complete standstill as the workers and their families headed off to the Lincolnshire Coast.

This meant that the busy streets of Newark appeared almost deserted for two weeks and although this tradition heralds back to Europe’s golden age of manufacturing, with modern technology in place it's one of the traditions that is all but dying out. 

In many industries it's necessary to run a 24/7 operation these days, and most employees prefer flexibility when it comes to when they take their main holidays - so businesses need to keep going to satisfy customer demand and of course the world and travel is far more accessible for most us now. 

Additionally, not everybody wants to go away at the same time every year. Whereas Cleethorpes and Skegness have more likely been replaced by the Canary Islands and Spain, the last thing you want on your annual Summer Holiday is to find your boss on the sun lounger next to! 

Most major manufacturing plants do still need to close down occasionally for maintenance and this is far easier - and much safer - when they have an allotted time frame, but the traditional national annual coordinated shut down seems to be disappearing.  

Smaller business that are perhaps reliant on the products that the major manufacturers produce have been one of the drivers in making this change. It must have been terribly frustrating for some customers whose stock was locked up for two weeks!

Today, the annual Summer shut down still occurs in Newark, although the numbers involved are significantly lower and the impact on local trade barely noticeable. 

So whether you are benefiting from Factory Fortnight or not, from all of us here at Cloud 9 Towers, have a great week (or fortnight!).

 

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? Week Commencing 17 July 2017

Welcome to another week and it remains crackers here at Cloud 9 Towers with numerous projects on the go including the National Acute Pain Symposium, The Fresh Creative Awards, Fresh Adventures, Warwickshire Food & Drink, the UK Awards Conference, the Nottingham Media Festival, which will include the Nottingham International Microfilm Festival, and a VR Awards and Expo.

Blimey! 

This is in addition to our work for existing clients venue finding so it's a little frantic here to say the least, so for the first time in our history, we've put a halt to supplier appointments and despite having some lovely invitations, a stop to all fams and events.

With so much going on its really easy to fall in to the trap of exclaiming "I am just so busy" every two minutes, but that in itself can be a negative rather than a positive so instead, we've tried to adopt  a more productive approach to our somewhat manic schedule.

The word busy means actively engaged which to us doesn't sound too bad at all, but if you add in the definition of not at leisure and not accessible it becomes less attractive, and we hate the phrases overloaded and swamped as well - so how is it best to describe our schedules at the moment - without appearing to have adopted a load of rubbish corporate speak?!

Rich and varied might be an option, if it weren't for the fact that we are unlikely ever to make a fortune doing what we are doing, so abundant might work.

Engaged and wholehearted are also options but we like captivated less, as this  conjours up visions of us being chained to our desks which in events is hardly the case!

There is of course the old adage that if you want something done, and done correctly, ask a busy person so we guess we will settle for productive with a dash of dynamic and a pinch of excited!

Sounds like a cocktail we know and we could go on, but of course being so productive, dynamic and excited, we're simply too busy to write more this week!

Have a great week!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? Week Commencing 10 July 2017

Welcome to another week here at Cloud 9 Towers and we're celebrating Picnics this coming week as we are now half way through National Picnic Month.

The use of the picnic basket is increasingly popular at corporate events and many dinners and functions now deliver a sharing basket to tables rather than plated food, especially for summer events. This slightly unusual format certainly helps guests to engage and chat whilst they are delivering into the basket to see what delights are in store.

All of our suggested venues this week on our daily #VenueTipoftheDay feature properties with great gardens and grounds, all perfect to enjoy some outside air and a packed lunch or picnic in between your conference. Don't forget that our free venue finding service can locate you the perfect venue for your next event, whether its indoors or out!

But, with summer trying to break through in England (and let's be fair, we have had some great weather so far this year), it's got us thinking about al fresco dining and the joys of eating a delicious spread on a cosy picnic blanket!

So in tribute, here is the Cloud 9 Guide to the perfect picnic!

1 Choose a Lovely Location For a great day out, hit the road and head to your ideal location. Ensure there is plenty of space, lots to look at it and if you can, try not to be too far from the nearest facilities!

2. Be Comfortable Sitting on the ground can get a little uncomfortable so  if you have room, include some cushions or deckchairs and don't forget that all important picnic basket. If you are planning a twilight picnic, some lanterns are also a good idea and if you can pick ones up which repel rather than attract bugs, all the better! If however, its really sunny, don't forget to pack  some sun cream and pick a spot with some shade for those who would rather not be exposed all day.

3. Pick the Perfect Hamper A cool box is always a great addition to any picnic and don't forget to let food completely cool before packing, and a roomy hamper  is also a must. Remember to place heavier items at the bottom and leave room at the top for lighter items so you can avoid squashed sandwiches and cakes reduced to crumbs! Freeze some water bottles for your cool box to keep essential items really cool - and you#ll also have some nice cool water later to drink! 

4. Drink Drink & More Drink Whilst we are on the subject of water, in the heat its important to stay hydrated and although vino and beer will no doubt feature, some squash or lighter drinks are also a good idea to drink in between any top ups!

5. Get Savoury Savvy In addition to an array of  sandwiches and rolls, it's just not a picnic without a Scotch Egg and a Sausage Roll, but that doesn't mean you can't be creative with your savoury snacks. Include some bite size tapas style finger food and a range of dips and vegetables so your five a day will be part of the feast!

6. Sweet Tooth? Strawberries and Cream are a traditional favourite for a picnic but keeping cream nice and cool can be an issue  so why not prepare a tray bake of a strawberry style cheesecake or other easy to eat dessert. You can cook it in advance and even slice it before you go, and with it being flat, its going to be much easier to pack!

7. Forget Me Not Don't forget your cutlery, crockery napkins beakers, glasses and any other utensils you might need. Simple things like corkscrews can be overlooked so get yourself a list in place and tick items off as you pack them. You are less likely to end up in the middle of nowhere without a way to get that cork out that way! A little first aid kit can also be handy for any bites or stings - its the bugs summer too!

8. Enjoy  Picnics offer a great excuse to soak up some sun, have a catch up and even indulge in some board games or reading. The more active might want to indulge in a friendly game or rounders whilst the less agile can sunbathe or take a snooze mid picnic

9. Be a Perfect Picnicker  You've had a great time, and enjoyed your picnic so when you pack up to go home please make sure you take your rubbish with you and leave you ideal spot, well ideal, for the next people to come along and enjoy. You wouldn't pick a spot with broken glass and discarded wrappers so don't leave your rubbish behind.

We do hope that has insipid you to pack a picnic in the next couple of weeks but don't forget if you would like something more formal we are only a phone call away!

Have a great week.

What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 3 July 2017

Welcome to another week and with the start of Wimbledon, our #VenueTipoftheDay is all about Hotels in the area. That combined with our recent addiction to the Great British Menu which has seen chefs from all over the UK compete to cook at a Banquet celebrating 140 years of Wimbledon has ignited our passion for tennis!

Then we realised that even though we specialise in corporate hospitality for tournaments like Wimbledon, we know very little about it! So, with a little digging and a bit of research here is the Cloud 9 guide to the oldest tennis tournament in the world....

The Championships, Wimbledon, or just Wimbledon as it is more commonly referred to, is both the oldest tennis tournament in the world and probably the most famous. 

Since the first tournament in 1877, The Championships have been hosted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon,and of  the four major annual tennis tournaments known as the ‘Grand Slams’, Wimbledon is the only one to still be played on grass, which is where the name lawn tennis originated. 

Grass is also the surface which provides the fastest game of tennis, so there is something else we didn't know!The Australian Open and the US Open are both played on hard courts and the French Open is played on clay.

The first year of the Championships took place with very little fanfare. The All England Club had originally been called the All England Croquet Club when it opened in 1869, but as the new game of lawn tennis – an offshoot of the original indoor racket sport known as ‘real tennis’ – began to grow in popularity at the end of the nineteenth century, the club decided to provide tennis courts for their visitors. On 14 April 1877 the Club introduced the first of a number of name changes to become the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.

Unlike today’s tournament, which involves four junior and four invitation competitions alongside the five main contests – the men’s single and double matches, the women’s single and double matches and the mixed doubles – the first Wimbledon championships had one event, the Gentleman’s Singles. 

As it was not permissible for women to enter the tournament in 1877, the first Wimbledon champion from a group of twenty-two male competitors was twenty seven year old Spencer William Gore. In front of a crowd of 200, who had paid a shilling apiece to attend, Gore beat his opponent William Marshall in a decisive 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 defeat lasting only forty-eight minutes. As would also be the tradition for many Wimbledon tournaments to follow until a retractable roof was installed over centre court in 2009, the final was postponed due to rain. When it was eventually played three days later the weather conditions had not greatly improved. Where was Cliff Richard when they needed him?!

The game of lawn tennis was still in its infancy at this stage, with players using basichandmade equipment and imprecise strokes, unlike the slick powerful serves and top of the range rackets we see today. However, modern day Wimbledon spectators would be sure to recognise many of the rules of the game which were first introduced by the All England Club’s Committee in 1877 as an adaptation of those put in place by the Marylebone Cricket Club, perversely the then controlling body of ‘real’ tennis.

Whilst no tournaments were held at Wimbledon during 1915-1918 and 1940-1945 because of the First and Second World Wars, the game continued to grow in popularity. In 1884 the men’s doubles competition was introduced and the same year women were also invited to join the tournament. In the fifties the club moved from its original rented site on Worple Road to the larger, present day Church Road site and in 1967 the tournament made history when the event became the first broadcast to ever be televised in colour.

The accepted outfit of choice for Wimbledon players in the nineteenth century was plain white long-sleeved shirts and trousers for men and full-length corseted white dresses and hats for women. It was not until the 1920s and 1930s that the players, and particularly the female players, began to experiment with their clothing. Shorter skirts, shorts and sleeveless tops were all introduced, some more daringly than others, to provide ease of movement and a sense of individual personality. As far back as the nineteen thirties the French grand slam winner René Lacoste promoted his own eponymous label by wearing his crocodile emblazoned shirts whilst on court. 

However, today Wimbledon is besieged with the current sports logos of choice as tennis outfits seem to be less about comfort or individuality and more often than not, a result of the multi-million pound sponsorship deals with sportswear giants. Indeed even the ball boys and girls have left behind the traditional Wimbledon colours of green and purple and have sported navy and cream uniforms created by the American fashion designer Ralph Lauren since 2006.

Although much has changed since the Wimbledon Championships were first introduced in 1887, today when we think of Wimbledon fortnight there are a number of traditional images that still spring to mind. The obligatory strawberries and cream (of which it is estimated that 28,000 kilos of English strawberries and 7000 litres of cream are consumed each year!), the white or almost all white dress code which is still a requirement, or the strong ties with the Royal family to name but a few. All of which combined continue to preserve Wimbledon’s place both in British heritage and at the forefront of the tennis world.

So there you have it, Wimbledon all wrapped up!

Have a great week, enjoy the tennis and remember that if you need a venue in or around the area, then our free venue finding service is always available!