2019 - A Year of Change

With 2020 in full swing, we’ve decided to reflect back on 2019, a time that saw a positive year of change for Reading FC Conference & Events. We started the year as the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre and ended it with a new name, look, website, and food philosophy!

In April we introduced our new Mindful Meeting packages, these focused-on sustainability, healthy living and stress-free meetings. The concept bought in a new food ethos for us, with a change in menus focusing on plant-based dishes, reducing the amount of red meat and minimising food waste.

Continuing with the Mindful Meeting food ethos, we were challenged with reducing our food wastage, in May Head Chef Allen Townsend created soups from veg trimmings that would have otherwise been thrown away, that were then used for conferences and Reading FC match days.

One of the main concerns for meeting hosts and organisers is the fear of running out of food. In June, we created a new buffet style presentation, this was to help us deliver our ethos of food waste reduction, based on smaller dishes that were more frequently refreshed. This meant that food never runs out and we have a tighter control of waste management.

In August, we were extremely proud to receive a ‘Food for the Brain’ Accreditation. This showcased our commitment to nutrition, wellbeing and achieving high standards of nutritional excellence in our catering. The packages have been designed to be mindful of the health and wellbeing of guests and the planet. Created using brain foods to keep delegates alert all day, the mindful menus remove unnecessary and hidden sugars, and are created using the whole ingredient to further reduce food waste and the impact on the environment.

Ready for the 2019/20 football season, the 1871 Suite was refurbished and relaunched as Club 106. Inspired by Reading FC’s title winning campaign of the 2005/06 season, the name pays homage to this joyous season that saw Reading accumulate the most amount of points in a single season. The new suite gives guests a more premium and modern experience.

In October, we went through our biggest and most exciting change since opening and relaunched as Reading FC Conference & Events to better align the venue brand with its Madejski Stadium location. To mark the occasion, we also launched a new website, www.readingfcconferenceandevents.co.uk, to reflect the newly enhanced brand identity. The relaunch will further enhance the customer journey through creating a streamlined experience for guests visiting the stadium for a non-match day event. 

To mark Black Friday and the Thanksgiving Holiday, Reading FC Conference & Events raised over £1400 for our nominated charity, the British Paralympic Association and we are looking forward to working with them in the future.

2020 will see a continuation of the same values and ethos, while continuing our passion of delivering the best service to our customers and introducing new and innovative ideas and practices into the hospitality industry.