Royal Armouries Hosts Record-Breaking UKREiiF 2024: Showcasing Leeds as a Premier Events Destination

POSTED Thursday, May 30, 2024

It’s been just over a week since the Royal Armouries welcomed UKREiiF 2024 to Leeds for a three-day event bringing together a wide array of key decision-makers from every area of the built environment including the public sector, government, investors, funders, and developers.

The event not only gave experts from the real estate and investment industry the platform to connect and discuss issues of national importance. The event was also a fantastic opportunity to showcase Leeds and the Royal Armouries as a premier events destination.

 

The Tiltyard Pavilion events tent at the UKREiiF.

UKREiiF is one of the largest annual events festivals in the country with the event welcoming a record number of attendees this year.

The Royal Armouries hosted:

  • 12,000+ Event Attendees
  • 2,500+ Fringe Event Attendees
  • 800+ Speakers Across 30 Stages                                                             
  • 40+ Stages
  • 150 Exhibitors
  • 100+ Fringe Events

The sheer number of exhibitors allowed for incredible networking opportunities and insightful discussions with industry leaders. Notable attendees included Angela Rayner, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up delivering a keynote address as well as industry leaders such as Lord Dominic Johnson CBE – Investment Minister, Department for Business and Trade and Pam Smith – Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council.

Guests had the opportunity to listen to talks on such varied topics as “Redefining Partnerships to Solve the Housing Crisis” and “Creating The Homes That The Homeowners of the Future Need” as well as attending welcome breakfasts and smaller networking events.

UKREiiFF 2024 was truly a fantastic opportunity to connect people, places, and businesses to accelerate and unlock sustainable, inclusive, and transformational investment.

 

The Royal Armouries. Photo credit The Royal Armouries Museum

This was all made possible by the fantastic work of The Royal Armouries staff to ensure that the event ran smoothly, as well as our recent million-pound renovation creating the very best facilities to host this event.

The Royal Armouries and New Dock Hall provided a versatile blank canvas for exhibitors with the three flagship event spaces – the Royal Armouries Hall, the Pearl Suite, and New Dock Hall – being versatile rooms perfect for hosting keynote speakers.

Our recently renovated smaller spaces offered a cosy, comfortable lounge feel rather than a sterile office space, perfect for smaller networking events.

 

 The Pearl Suite

 The Pearl Suite. 

 

UKREiFF also promised significant opportunities for development for Leeds and West Yorkshire.

Our very own Director-General & Master of the Royal Armouries Museum, Nat Edwards,  was joined by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire and cultural sector leaders for a panel discussion on ‘Culture as an Anchor’, sharing transformational plans for their cultural and creative industries in West Yorkshire.

Central to the discussion was the power of culture to unlock a wealth of opportunities across Leeds and West Yorkshire; growing the local economy, creating jobs, boosting innovation, and attracting creative people to our region.

Nat Edwards also spoke of the Royal Armouries Museum’s exciting plan to develop the current Tiltyard site as a multifunctional, cultural events centre.

 

Nat Edwards, Director-General & Master of the Royal Armouries Museum sat with cultural sector leaders during the 'Culture as an Anchor’ panel discussion.

 

We're thrilled to announce that planning is already underway for UKREiiF to return to the Royal Armouries Conference & Events in 2025. In the meantime, stay tuned as we welcome a host of other exciting events in 2024, starting with Climb24 which we welcome in June.

For more information on our upcoming events or enquiries to book the Royal Armouries for your own event, please contact us via email at venuehire@armouries.org.uk or give us a call at 0113 220 1990.

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