RICC doing what it does Best!

The Chartered Institute of Housing set up “home” at the Riviera International Conference Centre (RICC) recently for their South West regional conference, an event which takes place annually attracting in excess of 700 housing professionals.

Delegates of this three day conference arrived on Wednesday 15th April, and were treated to a packed programme of workshops and seminars as well as a large exhibition which attracted leading housing and development organisations such as Spectrum Property Care and Galliford Try.

The Conference also included a gala dinner which took place at the RICC, as well as a quiz night held at the organisation’s HQ hotel, the Imperial.

The arrival of this conference kicked off a jam packed spring period for the RICC and the Bay’s accommodation providers, who last weekend welcomed 4,500 young farmers for their annual convention in Torquay.

Nicky Harding, Manager of Conference English Riviera said:

“The National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (NFYFC) have been holding their annual convention at the RICC periodically since 1996 and this year they have already committed to returning in April 2017”

Amongst other organisations returning with their annual conferences this spring / summer are the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, the British Association of Day Surgery’s, and the English Bridge Union. Added to these events are a selection of national events making their first visits to the RICC, including the Obstetric Anaesthesia Annual Conference, the National Hip Hop Championships and the Optimus Film Festival. In total the Centre expects to welcome in excess of 10,500 delegates by the end of July.

Simon Jolly, General Manager of the RICC said:

“Whilst it is an honour to welcome every event to the Centre, we are particularly thrilled when an event returns to us because there is no better endorsement of a job done well. To have large organisations such as the NFYFC and NFRN return as regularly as they do is of even greater significance to us.”

There is no better example of this than the West of England Brass Band Association who have been returning to the RICC for a whole weekend every March since 1997. Some 74 bands participate in this annual competition, consisting of more than 3,000 players and supporters who take their turn to perform in the hope of qualifying for the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.