By Bev Fearis, published 28/10/20

Demand for workspace has boosted bookings for meeting and events company etc.venues.

The firm says it has has acquired close to £2m worth of workspace bookings for the second half of 2020 as a result of changes to requirements and working practices resulting from Covid-19.

Bookings are coming from large corporations, the public sector, small businesses and associations operating in a wide variety of markets.

Chief Operating Officer Nick Hoare said: “Regular workspace bookings have added an exciting additional strand to our business. We are expecting many of the bookings to continue into 2021 while new enquiries continue to arrive as organisations review their workspace needs and costs.

“There are several reasons why our clients are choosing to book this space on a regular basis. Some need additional room to accommodate extra staff and activity resulting from Covid-19, but do not want to commit to office leases, as their needs may change in the near future. Other organisations have decided to operate without an HQ, with staff mainly working from home, so are booking rooms as a place to maintain connections with their team, suppliers and clients by meeting face-to-face on demand.”

He said alongside the new workspace bookings, many organisations continue to hold meetings and training courses with up to 30 people in person and more joining virtually.

“Some forward thinking event organisers are being creative within the bounds of the regulations, bringing together more people in person in separate locations connecting virtually, benefiting from our technology partnerships, enabling many customers to stage first class hybrid events with us,” said Hoare.

Etc.venues has 18 venues in London, Birmingham, Manchester and New York City with more than 270 meeting rooms.

See the latest edition of The Business Travel Magazine for our feature on how hotels and serviced apartments are adapting their products to the new home-working environment.