What's Floating Around? 28 January 2019

Welcome to another week and one of the few resolutions we made here at Cloud 9 Towers in 2019, was to become better at all things film, and especially cinema.

Our viewing habits have changed significantly in the last decade with on demand being very much the order of the day, and yet with so much choice, there rarely seems anything worth watching unless you want to binge on reality TV. Christmas viewing this year in particular seemed full of repeats so the big screen it is, and what a year ahead we have.  So, here are our top nine films to look out for during 2019.

In particular we are looking forward to next week when Can You Forgive Me opens, and stars comedy actress Melissa McCarthy who takes a more serious turn as an actor in this awards season contender. McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, a struggling author who forges letters from dead writers and  Richard E Grant co-stars as Jack Hock.

The first of Disney’s live-action remakes in 2019 is Tim Burton’s Dumbo which opens in March. Based on the fantastic 1941 animation of the same name, Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito and Eva Green all star.

The second is a live-action remake of the 1992 animated classic, this time Aladdin is directed by Guy Richie with Will Smith following in Robin Williams’ footsteps as the Genie.

In June, we can look forward to Men in Black International, and although Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones may not be appearing in the fourth instalment of the franchise, comic duo Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson have stepped up in this reboot set in the same universe.Focused on the London team of the Men In Black, the two agents set out across the globe to solve a murder mystery.

Who doesn't like Toy Story and the fourth film will open in June and see the return of Woody and Buzz Lightyear as they set off on a road trip adventure alongside new toy Forky.

Much darker in July is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  Quentin Tarantino is back with a 1960s set LA movie about the Manson family murders which looks at Sharon Tate's murder. Tate is played by  Margot Robbie alongside a packed cast with Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Damian Lewis and Dakota Fanning.

Also a little darker, is Joker, the latest take on the comic book villain with Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role. The Joker turns to murder after failing as a comedian in this film, which also stars Robert De Niro.

In September we have the film version of Downton Abbey which star s Downton favourites Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery and Hugh Bonneville.Not much on the script yet, but we loved the TV series! 

 

We have a long wait until December but Star Wars XI, the third and final instalment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy is out in 2019 bringing the Skywalker saga to an end. 

And if you want somewhere unusual to view this array of great films, then why not hire your own private screening in either a hotel or cinema - just ask us - we can secure you the perfect venue with our free venue finding service, and you can enjoy the big screen in style.

Have a great week. 

What's Floating Around? 21 January 2019

Welcome to another week and this week we're looking forward to the AIEA event on Friday which takes place at the Doubletree Chester and is a combination of a member meeting, an introduction to a new platform for #eventprofs by MICE Book, a supplier showcase and our irreverent awards.

It's also fancy dress and as we are in Chester the instruction is that all attire should start with the letter C, and no doubt we will see endless Cowboys and Clowns, Cavemen and Crayons dotted about!

Perhaps more seriously is that we step into the chair role for the Alliance for the next two years and have a great opportunity to shape the future of this amazing organisation.

     The Alliance of Independent Event Agencies is an Alliance of incredible people and agencies and we can only drive it forward with the engagement of members, so we have three key objectives for our tenure - Expansion,  Education and Engagement.

·       

Expansion is the easy bit. We want to recruit more members, and make the application process simpler, and Sally Clift and Ellis Salsby are looking at members recruiting members, a simplified entry process and more member benefits.

Education is next, and we have plans for our first member conference in September of this year. It might be that you want to learn how to develop your social media skills, understand how to generate more business or bring yourself up to date with GDPR or TOMS. We are keen to ask members just what they want the event to be. 

Engagement is next, and this is a split into four key areas starting with Partnerships engagement, with other trade bodies and the industry at large. The second string to engagement is with suppliers and not just increased commissions but with new and improved communication channels. Charity is the third element and we are very much about giving back to the industry. Lastly is our most important element which is the engagement of members in our events, our objectives and our education.

It's going to be a great year for the Alliance, so if you are not yet a member then its time to sign up!

Have a great week and don't forget our free venue finding service!

 

What's Floating Around? 14 January 2019

Welcome to another week and here at Cloud 9 Towers, we are quite excited about the prospect of so many fabulous new hotels and venues opening in 2019. Our free venue finding service likes to stay up to date so we can always offer a well informed service to clients, and there are some amazing new venues to look out in the year ahead. 

We're staying in the UK for now, as to cover all of the international openings would mean a war and peace length blog -  but lets just say, wherever you want in the world, we have it covered, and we'll keep it a little closer to home....

Come spring, on the corner of Oxford Street and Park Lane, the doors to the new Hard Rock Hotel will open. Destined to be a haven for music lovers, this 1,000-room hotel will boast two vibrant bars, plus a Hard Rock Café set to serve American cooking with a British twist, and will also have great meeting and event space. 

Staying in the capital the NH Hotel Group will bring its nhow brand to the UK capital in a new development from internationally acclaimed studio Foster + Partners, located within Shoreditch and the City of London. The area, known as ‘Tech City’ is  at the heart of the Capital’s technology and digital sector and widely recognised as the most rapidly growing commercial centre in the UK.

Magazine, a new venture from the group behind the club Printworks, will open on the Greenwich Peninsula in the summer of 2019. With capacity for 3000, its set to be a huge and iconic event space in London for those wanting something a little different.

Whilst this renovated Victorian mansion, Caer Rhun Hall, opened  just before Christmas, the extensive refurbishment will be completed by the end of 2019 which will see the room count grow to 76. Located in the heart of the Conwy Valley on 20 acres of lush parkland, making it perfect for avid walkers and cyclist and ideal for exclusive use events. 

 

Staying in Wales the the new and exciting ICC Wales has taken inspiration from the world's best convention centres and opens in early Summer.The large slate and glass building will cater for over 5,000 delegates, offers 2,000 on site car parking spaces, and has bridges straight into fresh air and woodland.

Yotel in Glasgow’s city centre will open in November and increase the he brand’s UK key count considerably, and it will sit alongside the new Edinburgh property in the shadow of the Castle. Down at the Marina, the Hyatt is set to open a new hotel on the resort in the next 12 months, with 187 bedrooms and impressive event space.

Innside Melia is coming to Liverpool this spring, and plans are also underway for a new Innside in Newcastle in the next 18 months. 

There are lots more we promise, and we're keeping an eye on the industry!

Have a great weekend, and do call if you need a venue - we're on it - +(44)0203 858 7809

What's Floating Around? 7 January 2019

Welcome to another week and if you haven't yet packed up your decorations, eaten the last of the holiday chocolates and recycled your cards and tree, then what are you waiting for?

Time to get going in earnest for the year ahead and a New Year provides a great opportunity for fresh start and revived interest in your goals. However, be realistic.Nothing will encourage a team more than the expectation of greater success, but set expectations on how you want your team to perform during tasks and activities - and always remember to outline your expectations of how much time and energy you expect each team member to place into team building processes.

When wanting to build a stronger team and encourage people to work better in general, it's important to ensure that these team members are correctly motivated and what motivates one person, doesn't always motivate another. Get to know the people and what matters to them.

Every employee will have a different personality and knowing the personality of each team member will allow you to best understand their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can use team building activities to enhance the strengths and allow them to work on their weaknesses.

Relationships with employees, and their relationship with each other, is incredibly important and teams with strong and empowering bonds will be more motivated and will work better together. A strong team culture encourages knowledge sharing, trust and forms strong employees bonds; all things which are the fundamental framework for team building processes to happen on.

A team that clearly knows their boundaries will be happier and more productive so setting some ground rules will make all the difference. Rules will allow everyone to know what to expect from each other, and procedures and ways in which they can overcome obstacles and meet deadlines.Just don't be too restrictive or you could end up looking like a dictator! 

Lastly, make sure that everyone is engaged and listen rather than lecture - it could end up that you have a much better team on your hands for the year ahead. 

If you need us to help you source a venue or a team building event for your next company conference or meeting, then please do get in touch. Our service is free, fast and friendly and we can normally turn any enquiry, however obscure around in less than 48 hours. 

Enjoy!

What's Floating Around Cloud 9?

 

Welcome to another busy year ahead and please remember if you are planning any events then get in touch and take advantage of our free venue finding service - locally, nationally and internationally sourcing the best venues and the best rates for you and your next event. Additionally, if you need any event logistics or management support please let us know as we are always happy to help.

T + (44) 0203 858 7808