CGA met with an Events Manager at a London hotel recently and a worrying statistic emerged; 30% of potential customers for large-scale functions declined to book their venue after viewing the ballroom, as there were no flying points.
The actual number of ‘lost clients’ is probably even higher, as many events companies having previously visited would already know that flying points were not available, so would not even consider the venue as a potential option in the first place.
So if you have a good size function space, one which can cater for over 200 guests, with a good height ceiling and no flying points, then maybe you too are missing out on a large portion of the available business.
So what is a flying point?
Flying points are in principal big hooks or fixing points fitted to the structure of your roof or ceiling. They allow events companies to hang equipment without having to build up from the ground with stands or scaffolding, therefore leaving your events space looking more like a purpose-built function space. A flying point also has the added safety benefit of being rated and tested with a loading which specifies the weight of equipment that events company can hang or fly from it.
So why do I need flying points in my events space?
There is a growing trend that companies booking hospitality spaces to host large scale events are either events companies themselves, or the company making the booking will be employing an events company to manage the occasion.
The events company will want to bring in speakers, lighting, video screens and lots of other technology to make the occasion special or even spectacular! All of this equipment needs to be mounted, often at a high level, to allow visibility and sound dispersion throughout the function room to create the desired effects.
Is there anything else I should consider?
If you are considering adding flying points to your events space, you must work with a structural engineer to ensure that your building is capable of taking the weight required to be hung. If this is confirmed, engage a reputable rigging company to ensure that they correctly install flying equipment in the right place, with the correct weight loading capability required.
To ensure minimal visual impact, you may also choose to work with an interior designer to enable that these flying points ‘disappear’ when they are not in use. Although please remember it is paramount to let the structural engineer & rigging company agree the location of these points NOT the designer, to ensure the safety and functionality of the points.
Plan to maintain flying points in your annual budgeting. As they are essentially lifting gear, they need to be regularly tested to ensure that they are safe and compliant with industry standards.
If you are investing in flying points to enable events companies to fly lots of technology, you equally need to consider power and cable management. Think about how best to supply a suitable amount of power to the points, some in the roof space, as well as how the power will be routed from the floor of the venue up to these flying points without having unsightly bundles of cables swinging around.
If you would like to find out more about installing flying points then please give us a call on 01344 456500, email or maybe take a look at refurbishing your events space on the CGA website and we can advise you how to start the process to maximise the effectiveness of your critical events space.
