Meeting room hire: prepare your venue choice.

Turn the programme into space requirements.

A plenary session, workshops and informal discussions need different layouts. Specify the sessions, simultaneous attendance and room changes. Ask for a plan that fits your programme rather than relying on a single advertised capacity.

Fictional example: a team first meets together, then splits into two workshops. Check that two spaces can be used at the same time, with suitable acoustic separation and enough time to return to the plenary session.

• Distinguish participants, speakers and organisers.
• Ask for capacity in the chosen layout.
• Check circulation and break areas.

Assess access along the whole journey.

Compare access from departure points, the station or hotel, then movement within the venue. French environmental agency ADEME recommends considering public transport and accessibility from the planning stage.

Collect practical requirements without requesting medical details. Ask the venue manager to confirm routes, reception arrangements, toilets and facilities suited to these needs.

Reference: ADEME · Choosing a suitable venue.

• Check the final journey to the room.
• Plan suitable signage and reception.
• Confirm arrangements for participants and speakers.

Confirm capacity and conditions of use.

For venues in France, authorised occupancy is governed by the public-access building framework described by Service Public. Ask the venue manager for the capacity and conditions applicable to your layout. This French reference does not establish the rules for a UK venue; confirm the local requirements with the venue.

A brochure capacity does not validate your event. Dense layouts, additional equipment or unusable areas can change what is practical. For events outside France, check the local framework with the venue.

Reference: Service Public Entreprendre · Public-access buildings in France.

• Obtain a room plan and conditions of use.
• Identify areas shared with other events.
• Check contingency arrangements for outdoor sessions.

Test the equipment your programme depends on.

Prepare an operational list: screen visibility, sound, microphones, connectivity, sockets and support. For a hybrid meeting, check arrangements with remote speakers and the venue manager.

During the visit, assess acoustics, lighting, ventilation and whether workshops can run without disruption. Match advertised features to your intended use; test them when the programme depends on them.

• Ask which equipment and options are included.
• Identify who can support technical tests.
• Plan an alternative if equipment fails.

Compare quotes on a common scope.

Attach a response, evidence or an open question to each criterion. Essential requirements help rule out unsuitable venues; preferences help compare the remaining options.

Include access hours, catering, permission to use external suppliers and change conditions. Your checklist helps the Sourcing Force team search for a venue, even if you have already selected a room and only need another service.

• Keep proposals and venue responses.
• Separate inclusions, options and unconfirmed items.
• Record requirements and existing choices in your brief.