Beam

beam – Setting the standard for the business events, accommodation, and meetings industry.

beam, formerly the HBAA, is the UK trade association for the business events, accommodation, and meetings industry. Driven by leaders, united by collaboration, and representing £70bn* spend into the UK economy. Spearheading representation to government and policymakers, elevating a sector voice, championing change, and sustainable economic health. The association is underpinned by four pillars:

Resilience Innovation Ethics Quality

*source BVEP events report 2020

07/10/2026

Loads happening across the beam community this week, from major contract wins and award success to new events, ideas and important conversations shaping the future of our industry 👇

MEMBER NEWS:

🟣 The Delegate Wranglers®’ DW on the Road returns to Aintree Racecourse, exploring practical work-life hacks for busy event professionals

🟣 Conference Care is appointed global venue sourcing partner for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

🟣 WorldBuilder Summit chooses Olympia UK’s new International Convention Centre for its first EMEA edition

🟣 The Eastside Rooms is named Best Venue at the Memcom Excellence Awards for the second consecutive year

🟣 Westminster Venue Collection announces its Annual Showcase 2026

🟣 Quadrant Events celebrates a triple Gold win at the M&IT Awards

🟣 Event leaders call for the industry to do more to showcase rewarding, long-term career opportunities to the next generation

🟣 Legends Global welcomes the events industry to AO Arena for the inaugural CHS Manchester CHS | For Event Professionals

INDUSTRY NEWS:

🔹 Bookings are now open for beam’s 30th anniversary Gala Dinner, London Calling, taking place in January 2027 – with entries for the beam Awards still open

🔹 New research from NOWIE - The Network of Women in Events CIC finds four in five women surveyed have experienced harassment while working on site at events, prompting an important call for industry action

NEW JOB OPPORTUNITY

🔸 Company of Cooks is recruiting a Conference & Events Sales Executive at HMS Belfast in London, with a salary of £34k per annum

Grab a cuppa and catch up on all the latest from across our community 👇

05/10/2026

☎️ London Calling… and you’re invited!

Bookings are OPEN for the 2027 beam Gala Dinner, kicking off our 30th anniversary year with a night to remember.

📅 Friday 22 January 2027
📍 The Tower Hotel, London

If you joined us for Moulin Rouge at The Belfry or our Bridgerton-inspired evening in Birmingham, you’ll know Mr & Mrs Grey don’t do things by halves. Back for a third year, they’re bringing the entertainment to the capital for another showstopper!

🏆 We’ll also reveal our 2027 beam Award winners, celebrating the people and businesses raising the bar across our industry.

Thirty years of beam. One big celebration. Will we see you there?

👉 Book your place via our events page: https://beam-org.uk/2027-events-calendar/

01/10/2026

beam joined the inaugural CHS Manchester at AO Arena yesterday. As part of the programme, beam took over the Industry Hub from 9:30am to 10:15am for beam Community Hub – Connect, Collaborate & Discover. The session put the beam community at its heart, exploring membership through the experiences of the people who are part of it.

Thank you to Ross from for sharing his agency perspective, and to Deb, Kylie and Marc for discussing the benefits of supplier membership. Together, they highlighted the opportunities to build relationships, share experience and access support through beam.

Beyond the Industry Hub session, Deb, Marc, Kylie and Jessica were based at the beam stand throughout the day, meeting existing and prospective members and answering questions about membership.

Support from the beam Buddy team helped bring a friendly face to the association and introduce visitors to the people behind it.

Great work guys!

30/09/2026

And just like that, we’re at the end of September! We’re delighted to bring you the latest edition of Spotlight, this month introduced by beam Governance Director, Sian Sayward.

Inside this edition, you’ll find…

🟣 Deb Collins, Kylie Stevens, Marc Buxey, Jessica Brabant and David Tremmil representing beam at CHS Manchester today. Thank you to Ross Millward for supporting this morning’s Industry Hub takeover too.
🟣 Final spaces for our Great Venue Showcase next week, in collaboration with IACC Meetings at Warwick Conferences.
🟣 Registration details for our Autumn All Members Meeting at Oxford Belfry Hotel & Spa and Agency Engagement Meeting at Down Hall Hotel Spa & Estate.
🟣 A reminder to get your nominations in for the beam Awards by 30 October, with reasons to enter and a look at our esteemed judging panel.
🟣 A celebration of our beam members’ success at this year’s M&IT Awards and The Business Travel People Awards. Congratulations to you all, and good luck to everyone shortlisted at tonight’s Business Travel News Europe Awards!
🟣 Our latest Agency Focus featuring Caroline Medcalf from XSEM, exploring recent changes within the business and plans for the future.
🟣 Details on Cvent CONNECT Europe, including why you should attend and how to book.
🟣 News from Disrupt Talent on the launch of Disrupt Search and its joint venture with Robert Kenward.
🟣 The launch of the TM44 Alliance by Greengage | B Corp™, alongside mission : net zero and Sustainable Hotel Buyer, to improve air conditioning compliance.
🟣 An introduction to our new members, Ashorne Hill, Ipswich Town FC and Extreme Production Group.
🟣 beam hitting the headlines, with plenty of coverage to catch up on in our PR Replay.

There’s lots to digest, so get comfy and get up to speed on everything happening at beam.

Read the full edition here 👉https://heyzine.com/flip-book/fc24ea86e7.html

29/09/2026

Another week, another round of brilliant updates from across the beam community - From award wins and exciting appointments to new opportunities and industry milestones, here’s what our members have been up to this week...

🟣 RBH Hospitality Management appointed to manage luxury property Cameron House Resort on Loch Lomond

🟣 The Celtic Collection makes history as the first Welsh winner of the prestigious AA Group of the Year Award

🟣 Eventurous Ltd celebrates double silver success at the M&IT Awards 2026

🟣 The Venues Collection offers event organisers the chance to win a Christmas party for 50

🟣 British Motor Museum brings its curatorial expertise into the conference programme

🟣 Manchester gathers for the inaugural CHS | For Event Professionals Manchester

🟣 Davies Tanner appoints Tracy Halliwell MBE as Non-Executive Director and Special Advisor

Plenty to catch up on! Grab a cuppa and dive into the latest news 👇

28/09/2026

How much of your attention does technology get each day?

At the beam Autumn All Members Meeting, keynote speaker Alexander Bell will bring humour, history and science to a question that matters across meetings, events and hospitality: how do we use technology while giving people the space to be fully present?

From 150 years of the telephone to AI and smart glasses, Alexander will explore our changing habits and share practical Tech Rules® to help protect attention, improve digital wellbeing and build genuine human connection.

📅 12 November 2026
📍 The Oxford Belfry

Join us for this members-only event. Register here: https://beam-org.uk/events/beam-all-members-meeting-3/

25/09/2026

We’re heading to London 2027! 🙌

beam is delighted to be joining the event as an official partner, bringing our network and the voice of the business events, accommodation and meetings industry to Excel London.

Taking to the stage will be beam Board Directors Katie Niland and Linden Beattie, joining a panel exploring how hoteliers can unlock the full value of their hotel space.

We’re looking forward to two days of fresh ideas, new connections and collaboration across the hotel and accommodation sector.

📅 24–25 February 2027
📍 Excel London

Who will we see there?

24/09/2026

Agency members asked for more time to talk. We listened.

Our next beam Agency Engagement Meeting starts earlier and runs longer, giving you more time with fellow agents to discuss what 2027 could hold for meetings, events and transient business.

We’ll review the 2026 data with Jason Gutteridge from Cvent/Venue Directory, then open up the discussion to hear what you’re seeing in your own business. There’s an open mic session too, so tell us what you’d like on the agenda when you register.

📍 Down Hall - Hotel | Spa | Estate
📅 19 November 2026 | Arrive from 11am
🎟️ Exclusive to beam agency members, with the meeting, dinner and an overnight stay complimentary

Register here: https://beam-org.uk/events/beam-autumn-agency-engagement-meeting-2/

23/09/2026

It's been a busy week for our beam members. Here's a quick recap on everything that has happened in the last 7 days...

🟣 Clarity Business Travel launches new apprenticeship-first programme with highest-ever intake
🟣Five years, 4,400 bookings and 654,000 teas and coffees: The Eastside Rooms celebrates Birmingham milestone
🟣New Film, New Mindset: Crowne Plaza Newcastle - Stephenson Quarter Puts Its People Centre Stage and on Screen
🟣 Warbrook House Heritage Hotel Achieves Greengage ECOsmart Silver Award
🟣 The Celtic Manor Resort and ICCWales crowned at the M&IT Awards 2026
🟣 Church House Westminster launches Christmas carol services as part of new festive events collection
🟣 Nottingham Venues Shortlisted in Three Categories at the mia Awards 2026
🟣 EICC launches Nourish Event Catering with a fresh culinary vision
🟣TM44 Alliance launches as heatwaves spotlight hotel air conditioning legal risk
🟣Louisa Watson named M&IT Personality of the Year
🟣Government Response to CMS Committee Published

Grab a cuppa and take read here 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/weekly-update-beam-org-mnfde

22/09/2026

We’re still on a high after Friday night’s M&IT Awards, where our 2025 Chair Louisa Watson scooped Personality of the Year🏆💜

Seeing Louisa recognised was a brilliant reminder of the exceptional people we have across our industry, and now it’s your opportunity to celebrate those making a difference in your business.

Entries for the 2027 beam Awards are already coming in, so don’t leave yours until the last minute.

This year includes our brand-new Account Manager of the Year category, alongside the newly renamed Chris Peacock Award, recognising the rising talent within our industry.

Who deserves their moment in the spotlight?

Entries close 30 October 2026.

👉 Submit your entry: https://beam-org.uk/2027-beam-awards/

Address

58 Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE10AS

Telephone

+442075931711

Website

https://beam-org.uk/

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