 Manchester’s excellent and varied portfolio of conference venues is constantly attracting a range of high-profile events. Our series of features on the city continues with a look at some of the notable conferences that have recently been held in this lively and stimulating destination.
Manchester’s prominence within the UK conference industry is underlined by the number of large associations who choose the city for their events.
Within the past eight months the National Union of Teachers, the Association of Clinical Embryologists and the Society of Editors have all staged major events here, among many others – and all have given sound endorsements of the hospitality they received and the professionalism they encountered.
 Last November the Society of Editors held its ninth annual conference at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel in the historic Free Trade Hall, with an additional gala dinner at the Lowry, the spectacular theatre and arts venue located on Salford Quays. The society’s executive director, Bob Satchwell, is full of praise for the way he and his delegates were looked after.
"the city is a throbbing, thriving and thrilling place to visit"
‘The Radisson is a superb hotel and the service was terrific,’ he says. ‘I’d say it was one of the best hotel experiences I’ve had in recent years. And the Lowry was another experience – a great venue which put on a terrific evening for our delegates. Everyone spoke very highly of the whole event. And as far as Manchester is concerned, the city itself is a throbbing, thriving and thrilling place to visit.’
 Also last year the University of Nottingham¹s Institute for Enterprise and Innovation held a residential conference and three-day series of workshops at Old Trafford, home to Manchester United, where an extensive selection of meeting rooms and conference spaces can hold events for up to 1,200 guests.
Tracey Hassall-Jones, who organised the event, was very impressed with the venue. ‘It was a fantastic event in a fantastic venue,’ she says. ‘Everyone on the events team at Old Trafford was really helpful.’
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