The end of June saw a summer solstice success as the Brighton Centre hosted its ‘Ultimate Site Visit’, a truly unique event which saw over 100 VIP conference, exhibition and event organisers experience first-hand the Centre’s recently completed £1million renovation programme.

AVT Connect joined forces with the Brighton Centre to deliver an event which featured an immersive and interactive tour of the venue, incorporating the use of film, sound and performance. The Ultimate Site Visit showcased the versatility of the main auditoriums and also the syndicate and breakout spaces around the Centre, with a distinct Brighton twist. The live event, hybrid and digital media options surprised and inspired visitors and brought the refurbishment memorably to life.

The tour began with a presentation and welcome in Auditorium 1 for which AVT designed a stylish stage set that strongly delivered the event brand in a daytime conference theme. AVT’s CEO, Jon Fox, gave a short presentation on the use of technology at events which included live streaming straight to Facebook, webcasts, interactive launches and virtual meetings platforms – all of which are available at the Brighton Centre.

In the afternoon, the same auditorium was ‘magically’ transformed into an evening Awards Ceremony, demonstrating the flexibility the space has to offer and the speed in which staff can turn an event from day to night. The guests got to experience the transformation by attending an ‘Awards Night’, complete with awards MC and performance from special ‘guest’ artist Frank Sinatra.

The Centre’s mass media floor was arranged as the technology and press hub, featuring a TV news channel room displaying 10 HD Plasma TV screens each tuned into different news channels, as well as a brainstorming room, a tranquil office and a press briefing and conference area. Each room featured multi-media capabilities and effective props that brought the rooms alive.

The performance continued on the fourth floor where cabaret act, Cherry Shakewell, took centre stage whilst Dolly Rocket manned an ice cream trolley, handing out ice cream to all guests within a cheeky seaside setting to complete the Brighton experience.

Ground floor syndicate rooms flaunted a Las Vegas-themed champagne and chocolate red carpet experience hosted by Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley and a pair of wise cracking gangster stilt walkers. Upstairs in the syndicates rooms delegates could watch a tourism film from the 1950’s or take part in a business style life drawing class, all of which ensuring an experience not to be forgotten.

The tour included a presentation on Event Sustainability in Auditorium 2. In keeping with the theme, AVT designed an environmentally friendly experience which included a green lit stage set amongst bird soundscapes and trees, where guests heard about the venue’s continuing commitment to working with organisers to reduce their environmental impact through the implementation of the Centre’s sustainable credentials.

After the tour, visitors were invited to enjoy a lunch created by celebrity chef Frank Bordoni. Head Chef at the Brighton Centre and member of the Guild of Master Chefs, Dan Loader and Chef Bordoni were on hand to detail the menu and his culinary inspirations.

Howard Barden, General Manager of the Brighton Centre explains, “The idea of the event was to create a platform to bring the Centre to life for conference, event and exhibition organisers whilst showcasing our fantastic refurbishment project, with a unique Brighton edge.

Howard continues “The creation of the Ultimate Site Visit would not have been possible without the support from our partners, Aeon Events, AVT Connect, Kudos, Sussex Signs, VisitBrighton and X-Hibit, who helped visitors imagine the venue’s refurbished spaces and facilities in a fresh way, engaging them through live performance and an unforgettable audio-visual experience.”

Jon Fox, CEO of AVT Connect, later commented, “We’ve been working with the Brighton Centre since they opened in 1977, in that time we have produced plenty of conferences and events there for many different companies. We couldn’t be more delighted to be helping The Brighton Centre today with their own event, The Ultimate Site Visit, which has been highly entertaining and unique.”

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