Cost of Conference Centre Hire
across the UK

# Conference Centre Hire Accreditation

The main trade bodies overseeing conference centre hire in the UK include the British Association of Conference Destinations (BACD), which represents destination management organisations and venues across the country, and Visit Britain's quality assessment schemes. The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) also sets standards for conference organisers who work with venues. Additionally, individual venues may hold ISO 9001 certification for quality management systems, or comply with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standards for workplace safety. These accreditations signal that a venue has met defined operational, safety and customer service standards, though there is no single mandatory regulatory body governing all conference centres in the UK. Understanding which accreditations are held tells you what areas a provider has committed to maintaining.

To verify a provider's credentials, you should ask directly for evidence of membership or certification and check it against the trade body's official register—BACD, ABPCO and BSI (British Standards Institution) all maintain public listings of accredited members. Request copies of relevant certifications and check their expiry dates, as accreditations require regular renewal and audit. You can also contact the trade body itself to confirm a venue's standing. This verification matters because accreditation demonstrates the venue has undergone independent assessment of its facilities, safety procedures, accessibility compliance and service standards. It gives you objective assurance that the provider meets defined benchmarks, reducing the risk of poor quality, safety issues or service failures that could undermine your event.

Accredited conference centres typically charge 10 to 20 per cent more than non-accredited competitors, reflecting the costs of maintaining certification, meeting safety and quality audits, and often investing in better facilities and staff training. While this represents a genuine additional expense, the premium usually justifies itself through reduced risk, better insurance coverage for your event, assurance of consistent standards