One Week, Two Worlds: Behind the Scenes of Events Through Austin’s Eyes

I truly believe that we all have a role to play in opening our doors to the younger generation – giving them a chance to see just how exciting and rewarding our industry can be. It’s been an absolute pleasure having Austin with us this past week. He genuinely has a curiosity and passion for events, and it’s been brilliant to watch him soak up knowledge, ask questions, and get hands-on. I’m confident this experience will stay with him as he begins to explore where he wants to go – and hopefully, that journey will lead him straight into our brilliant industry. (David Tremmil)

My Week in the World of Events – From Venues to Agencies

Last week, I had the most amazing opportunity to dive into both sides of the events industry – getting stuck in with a busy event agency and seeing how a top venue works behind the scenes. It all kicked off on Sunday at Wyboston Lakes Resort, and honestly, it’s been a week I won’t forget!

Sunday – Checking In at Wyboston Lakes Resort

I arrived at Wyboston Lakes on Sunday and was given such a warm welcome by Louisa Watson (who’s the Marketing Director at the resort and Chair of the Beam Association) and her husband. We all sat down for drinks and a really lovely chat with Louisa, followed by a complimentary dinner and a stay at the hotel – which was such a brilliant way to start the week.

Monday – Seeing the Venue Side in Action

The day started by heading into the Wyboston offices with Louisa. She introduced me to her team and invited me into their morning meeting. Straight away, I noticed how friendly and supportive everyone was – the team atmosphere was so positive.

Later, I met Richard Smith, the Chief Commercial Officer. He gave me a really interesting overview of the business and commercial side of the venue. Here are a few things I took away:

• They focus a lot on long-term office space contracts – and they’re almost fully booked all year round.

• A big part of their job is building relationships with venue-finding agents and staying ahead by researching competitors.

• They work with loads of different sectors like the police and professional services.

• Even one new contract every year or two is seen as a win – it’s such a competitive space!

After that, I met Lydia Tickner, Head of Meetings and Events, who explained how they focus on keeping strong relationships with clients even after the event ends – something I hadn’t really thought about before.

After lunch with Louisa and David Tremmil, Lydia showed me around the driving range and took me to the Woodlands Event Centre where I met Catherine Guillaume. She described the venue as a "blank canvas", and it was amazing to hear how creative clients can get when designing their events there.

Then I went over to the Willows Training Centre with Joshua Spence, the Venue Manager. He walked me through the space – showing both the older and recently refurbished rooms, plus the gaming area and sports bar. It’s perfect for training-focused events.

At the end of the day, Joshua dropped me back at the hotel and I met up with David again to head back to the InLoco office.

Tuesday – Inside the InLoco Events Agency

Tuesday was all about the agency side of things. David showed me around the InLoco Events office and introduced me to a tool they use called the Venue Directory. It helps them find venues quickly based on location, size, availability – everything. It saves so much time and makes finding the perfect venue way easier.

Wednesday – Stadium Site Visit (and It Was Epic)

Wednesday was another highlight. I joined David, Mark Blyth, Wendy Sibbald and David Evrall for a site visit at Coventry Stadium, where we were shown around by Joshua Brown, the National Business Development Manager. His passion for the place was infectious!

Coventry Stadium is massive – with:

• Over 32,000 seats for football and space for 40,000+ for concerts.

• 121 hotel rooms on-site (some even double as dressing rooms!).

• A 6,000 sq metre hall (plus an extra 1,000 sqm linked directly to it).

• They’ve hosted big names like Rammstein, the Spice Girls, Sean Paul – and even had a Harry Styles fan village.

There’s also a casino, exhibition space, and loads of options for events big and small. It was awesome to see how flexible the venue is.

Later that day, I sat in on a call with David and a new client who’s planning an event in Amsterdam for 370 people. It was so cool to see how international events get planned and how much goes into getting them just right.

Thursday – Getting Hands-On

Thursday was a bit more hands-on. I shadowed Wendy Sibbald at InLoco and saw how the team manages enquiries, follows up with venues, and keeps everything running smoothly. It made me realise just how important organisation and communication are in this industry.

Looking Back on the Week

I’ve learned so much this week – from how venues market themselves, to how agencies match clients with the right space, and how both sides come together to deliver amazing events. I genuinely didn’t realise how much goes on behind the scenes – it’s really opened my eyes.

Massive thank you to everyone at Wyboston Lakes, Joshua at Coventry, and the whole team at InLoco Events for making me feel so welcome and teaching me so much. This week has been such a brilliant experience and it’s made me even more excited about the future!