University of Worcester Arena

Information Sheet

Contents

  1. University Arena overview and background1-2
  1. Arena Facilities2-3
  1. Event Management4
  1. Accommodation & Travel5-9
  1. Contact Details10

1. Introduction

University Arena overview and background

The University of Worcester Arena is ableto offer unique services to local sports clubs in the community as well as elite and professional athletes across the country.

With spacious, high-tech facilities, the 2000-seat University Arena is the perfect venue for conferences, events, sporting fixtures, team building events, and training sessions.

The University of Worcester Arena has provided new and exciting opportunities for young and old, amateur and professional, able-bodied and disabled athletes to get involved in a host of sports.

To date (July 2014), the University Arena has welcomed over half a million people through its doors, with community classes, student-led play schemes, coaching sessions and sports roadshows all ensuring that members of the local community have been able to make full use of the spectacular new venue.

The facility, praised by International Paralympic Committee President, Sir Philip Craven, as being a ‘wonderful place’ created by ‘the right people with the right attitudes’, has also been successful in attracting top quality, elite-level sport to Worcester on a regular basis.

Over 80 major sporting events have been staged at the University Arena, among them national level badminton, netball, Boccia, taekwondo and basketball and international netball, basketball and wheelchair basketball. The venue has also provided a fitting new home to the Worcester Wolves Basketball Club, who in the 2013-2014 season won their first BBL honour in their eight-year top-flight history.

Currently, the University of Worcester provides Worcester County Cricket Club, Worcester Wolves, Aston Villa FC, Birmingham City FC and West Bromwich Albion FC with support in the areas of performance analysis, fitness and nutrition advice.

Through the opening of the University Arena, the University has broughtadditional opportunities to the region and isattracting a great range of top-class regional, national and international events to the City including performances by the BBC Orchestra of Wales and several highly rated comedians.

In recent years, the University has also become a Centre for Coach Education, offering courses at all levels as well as extensive sports science support to a range of sporting organisations.

TheUniversity of Worcester Arenawas one of only six national projects to receive funding from Sport England’s Iconic Facilities Olympic legacy fund, with a grant of £1.5m. A recent survey conducted by Sport England asking members of the public their thoughts on the Arena found that the facility had achieved a 100% satisfactory record from the public. This is the first time in the country that a survey for iconic funding conducted resulted in a 100% satisfactory rate. The university arena also attracted generous grants from The Trustees of the Foundation for Sport and the Arts (£250,000), England Basketball (£375,000), England Badminton (£200,000) and Herefordshire philanthropist Clive Richards (£25,000).

2.Arena Facilities

2.1Competition Venue & Address

University Arena

Hylton Road

WR2 5JN

2.2Competition Venue Owner

University of Worcester

2.3Competition Venue Management

April White - University of Worcester Arena Manager

Stephen Buchanan – University of Worcester Arena Events Officer

2.4Competition Seating Capacity

2000+ seating capacity on ground floor

300 capacity on first floor

2.5Comment on the flexibility of the venue (configuration & seating)

All seating managed by a numbered ticketing system

Ground Floor

1386tiered seating to support a 12 court hall

Additional flat seating available to take to 2000 seats

First floor

260 Flat seating available

2.6Additional facilities within/adjacent to the competition venue

Competition Venue -University Arena (please see Appendix 1 for site layout) containing:

  • 12 court sports hall with fully sprung floor
  • Scoreboards, screens
  • Power Weights/Strength & Conditioning Suite
  • Flexible lecture rooms which can be utilised for training / warm up
  • Corporate hospitality area (first floor)
  • Bar & Servery
  • Media suite
  • Media connectivity: Plug in access for Sky Sports TV and gantries
  • 6 fully accessible group changing rooms
  • Officials changing / shower rooms x 3
  • Parking
  • Offices
  • Full wi-fi access
  • First aid / medical room
  • Large storage facilities
  • Shop / merchandising area

Adjacent Competition Venue - Riverside Building Containing (newly refurbished):

  • Performance Analysis laboratory
  • Large social learning/relaxation area (also utilised as lounge/briefing area)
  • Large reception area
  • Flexible lecture theatres / rooms
  • Dance studio
  • Sports hall
  • Offices
  • Parking
  • Full wi-fi access

Additional services which can be provided (subject to costs) by University staff / students:

  • Sports Therapy
  • Motion Analysis
  • Performance Analysis
  • Data collection
  • Sports Massage
  • Sports Journalism
  • Sports Media

3. Event Management

Let the University of Worcester manage your events

Conferences, events, Sporting fixtures, team building events, and training sessions are all fundamental activities for many organsations, and we recognise that they can be time consuming and complex to arrange. Our team has the experience and knowledge to recommend new arrangements that could rejuvenate and deliver success to any event.

The University of Worcester is passionate about creating events that meet your needs and there's no other feeling like designing an event with success and fulfilment built in. The University of Worcester prides itself on delivering a high quality service; generating new ideas and seeing it all come to fruition.

Event delivery all-in-one package

The one-stop-shop for all your event management needs. Our complete end-to-end result offers customers the opportunity to have their events fully managed by the University of Worcester Arena Events Team - from concept through to completion, irrespective of event size or budget. We can tailor our solutions, coordinate, plan and manage anything from one element through to an entire event.

Organising an event has never been so easy!

We offer support throughout the event planning process, including;

Pre-event management

  • research target audience and compile database
  • develop an event concept and schedule
  • provide and arrange accommodation and travel options
  • manage delegate responses, registration and fees
  • design and creation of marketing material and delegate information packs
  • book guest speakers and manage travel arrangements
  • control of financial budget for the event
  • manage delegate responses, registration and fees

On-site management

  • event management on the day
  • management and supervision of Audio Visual support
  • Welcoming guests and providing entertainment
  • team building activities
  • catering arrangements
  • professional photography

Post event management

  • invoice processing
  • financial and end of conference report
  • event evaluation

4. Accommodation & Travel

Accommodation

4.1Hotel Accommodation

The following accommodation is available in Worcester (and surrounding areas) and the current rates are identified where available (most hotels have variable rates dependent upon room, occupancy, date etc.)

Hotel / Star Rating / Rooms Available / Room Cost / Meals included? / Proximity (miles)
Competition Venue / Training Venue
The Elms Hotel
/ 5* / 23 / See website / Breakfast / 12.0 / 11.8
Chateau Impney
/ 4* / 122 / £64-89 / Breakfast / 8.8 / 9.3
Worcester Whitehouse Hotel
/ 4* / 84 / £65-110 / Breakfast / 0.7 / 1.3
Bankhouse Hotel
/ 3* / 68 / See website / Breakfast / 4.9 / 4.6
The Pear Tree
/ 3* / 24 / See website / Breakfast / 8.0 / 9.0
Cricket Club Premier Inn
/ 4* / 200 / See website / Breakfast / 0.4 / 0.3

4.2University Accommodation

In addition to the various Worcester city hotels, the University also offer a number of halls of residence. The current University accommodation pricing structure can be seen below

Hall of Residence / Rooms Available / Room Cost per night / Proximity (miles)
Competition Venue / Training Venue
City Campus / 300 Platinum Plus Rooms / £32.00 / 0.2 / 0.5
St Johns Campus / 0.2 / 0

In addition to the platinum plus rooms identified above, the University have additional rooms for spectators/families with lower budgets.

4.3University catering

The University can supply 3 meals per day from pre-agreed menus (to suit athletes and organisations budget). The University have previously catered for large international sporting residential events which include:

  • GB performance Paralympicbasketball competition (including Canada Spain),
  • Lithuanian Basketball Federation,
  • GB Performance Basketball,
  • GB Aikido,
  • GB Women’s’ Performance basketball

Menu examples can be provided on request and our catering team is able to adjust menus to fit dietary requirements. Teas and coffees can also be provided for meetings as well as packed or buffet styled lunches.

4.4Arrivals & Departures & Travel between Venues

Travel between Venues / Accommodation

Walking:Minutes

By Coach / Car: Minutes

Venues

Venue / Arena Venue / Riverside Building
Miles / Walking / Car / Coach / Miles / Walking / Car / Coach
Competition Venue: Worcester Arena / NA / NA / NA / 0 / 0 / 0
Additional Facility Riverside Building / 0 / 0 / 0 / NA / NA / NA

Accommodation

Miles / Walking / Car / Coach
University of Worcester City Campus / 0.2 / 10 / 10
University of Worcester St Johns Campus / 0.2 / 10 / 3
The Elms Hotel
/ 12.0 / NA / 21
Chateau Impney
/ 8.8 / NA / 23
Worcester Whitehouse Hotel
/ 0.7 / 15 / 10
Cricket Club Premier Inn
/ 0.4 / 15 / 5
Bankhouse Hotel
/ 4.9 / NA / 15
The Pear Tree
/ 8.0 / NA / 18

4.5Accessibility

Distance: Miles

By Coach / Car: Hours : Minutes

By Train:Hours : Minutes (Changes)

Airport / Distance / By Car/Coach / By Train / Train Connectivity
Birmingham International / 37 / 0:41 / 1:09 (1) / All train travel is based on arrival at Worcester Foregate Street Station. The station is located in the town centre which is 2 miles from campus. Athletes would be collected by minibus and transferred (10 minutes) to the respective accommodation
Bristol / 70 / 1:22 / 2:15 (1)
East Midlands / 71 / 1:20 / 2:50 (2)
London Heathrow / 122 / 2:03 / 2:50 (2)
London Gatwick / 155 / 2:40 / 2:50 (2)
London Luton / 119 / 2:00 / 4:20 (3)
Stansted / 167 / 2:49 / 4:20 (2)
Manchester / 105 / 1:50 / 3:15 (2)
Sea Ports / Distance / By Car/Coach / By Train / Train Connectivity
Dover / 219 / 3:37 / - / All train travel is based on arrival at Worcester Foregate Street Station. The station is located in the town centre which is 2 miles from campus. Athletes would be collected by minibus and transferred (10 minutes) to the respective accommodation
Portsmouth / 138 / 2:43 / 4:10 (2)
Holyhead / 200 / 3:30 / 4:55 (1)
Fishguard / 194 / 3:33 / 5:24 (2)
Poole / 133 / 3:00 / 4:00 (2)
Swansea / 125 / 2:10 / 3:02 (1)
Plymouth / 175 / 3:10 / 3:45 (1)
Major Cities / Distance / By Car/Coach / By Train / Train Connectivity
Birmingham / 29 / 0:41 / 0:48 (0) / All train travel is based on arrival at Worcester Foregate Street Station. The station is located in the town centre which is 2 miles from campus. Athletes would be collected by minibus and transferred (10 minutes) to the respective accommodation
Bristol / 62 / 1:07 / 1:35 (0)
Portsmouth / 138 / 2:43 / 4:10 (2)
London / 132 / 2:21 / 2:50 (2)
Liverpool / 123 / 2:07 / 3:10 (2)
Manchester / 108 / 2:00 / 2:35 (1)
Glasgow / 314 / 5:07 / 5:33 (2)
Newcastle / 238 / 4:07 / 4:30 (2)
Car Parking
* Denotes City Centre / Spaces / Distance (Miles) / Walking (mins) / Cost (£)
1hr / 2hrs / 3hrs / 4hrs / 6hrs / 24hrs / Other
Riverside Building / 70 / NA / NA / 0.90 / 3.30
University: St Johns Campus / 1000 / 0.2 / 5 / 2.30 / £1 after 5pm & £1 per day at w/e
University: Arena / 130 / NA / NA / £3 on event days
Worcester Cricket Club / 200 / 0.3 / 7 / Price by Negotiation
Worcester Racecourse / 200 / 0.4 / 7 / Price by Negotiation
Croft Road* / 240 / 0.4 / 8 / 0.60 / 1.20 / 1.80 / 2.40 / 3.00 / 3.50
The Hive* / 314 / 0.5 / 12 / 0.90 / 1.80 / 2.70 / 3.60 / 5.00 / 6.00
Deansway* / 160 / 0.5 / 11 / 0.90 / 1.80 / 2.70 / 3.60 / 5.00 / 6.00
Crown Gate* / 750 / 0.5 / 12 / 1.20 / 2.20 / 3.20 / 4.20 / 6.20 / - / Max Stay 14hrs £15.80
Tybridge Street / 75 / 0.6 / 6 / 0.60 / 1.20 / 1.80 / 2.40 / 3.00 / 3.50
Swan Theatre* / 345 / 0.7 / 14 / 0.60 / 1.20 / 1.80 / 2.40 / 3.00 / 3.50
  1. Contact details

If you would like to book the Arena or require further information about its facilities or a booking then please contact:

April White

University of Worcester Arena Manager

University of Worcester

Tel: 01905 545525

E-mail:

Or alternatively you can contact:

Steve Buchanan

University of Worcester Arena Events Officer

University of Worcester

Tel: 01905 544010

E-mail: