Business View Oceania | Volume 3, Issue 8

55 56 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 do everything from 10-person board meetings to conferences with over 400 attendees. We have hosted first birthdays, school formals and concerts, funeral services, team lunches…We really can do anything, and the best part of my job is being able to show that off to new users of the space.” Given that the events industry is so competitive, an important part of Lower Hutt Events Centre’s success is being able to differentiate themselves from their competition. Bascand elaborates, “We are the only purpose-built and exclusively dedicated venue for events and conferences in the entire Wellington region. Our venue is very flexible, not only in the physical space, but also through our wonderful team and the service element that they provide.” The centre also houses a café that runs seven days a week, Venter adds. “We have a culinary team operating in the events centre supporting our café as well To further support guests and grow their confidence in the venue as New Zealand slowly eased recreational restrictions, Lower Hutt Events Centre put in place a fail-safe condition on all bookings. Bascand elaborates, “When we were able to operate again, we put a lot of thought into how we could give people the confidence to make bookings in the future, since unfortunately our industry was one that was impacted at a higher level than others. Clients didn’t want to commit to bookings because they could be forced to cancel, or their booking conditions could change at the very last moment. We quickly decided that we would implement a policy that supported our guests above all else; in the event that a booking had to be cancelled or postponed as a result of COVID, clients could do so at no extra cost. We committed ourselves to absorbing that financial penalty, as all of the catering services for our events. Our chefs and organisers adapt their service to the market, needs and requirements of each event, and because we control that process end-to- end, it’s very easy for us to adapt our culinary experience to the needs of every single guest.” Usual industry-related challenges experienced by the team at Lower Hutt Events Centre have recently been dwarfed by those presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a story similar to those shared by events industry centres and organisations around the world, the Lower Hutt venue was forced to close during lockdown for a number of weeks. Remaining in touch with clients and maintaining important business relationships became integral to the continued running of the events centre, and as they reopened, communication continued to be key. A broad range food distribution division supplying dry, chilled, frozen, non food goods and beverages. Foodservice has access to all major brands as well as selectively developed quality Exclusive Brands products. Our promise to you is to consistently provide the freshest and best quality produce. Our relationships with local markets and specialty growers sets Bidfresh apart, ensuring we are able to bring the very best produce straight to your door. bidfood.co.nz 0800 bidfood LOWER HUTT EVENTS CENTRE