RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR EVENTS HUB

Bosses at a leading Peterborough events centre are celebrating a record-breaking year.

The East of England Arena and Events Centre says that bookings for meetings and events rose by 30 per cent last year compared to a year earlier.

They also say that the venue, which attracts about 800,000 visitors a year, has a schedule of events that covers more than the next three years.

Jason Lunn, venue director, said: “It’s been an amazing year.

“We have grown the number of events hosted at the venue by 30 per cent, with the Bah Humbug! Festival finishing off the calendar for 2018.

“And we’ve reached 428 separate events for the whole year.

Mr Lunn added: “I have to say a huge thanks to the small team here at the East of England Arena and Events Centre that has worked so hard to deliver an excellent schedule.”

News of the record-breaking year for the centre follows a million-pound refurbishment of the arena, plus extensive investment in infrastructure and onsite services.

The investment by the venue owners, the East of England Agricultural Society, saw a range of improvements carried out to the Cambridge and Peterborough Suites, which are both used for corporate entertainment and public events.

The venue also awarded a £4.4 million catering contract to NEC provider Amadeus.

Mr Lunn said: “The East of England Arena has steadily increased occupancy rates over the last two years, culminating in this year’s record increase in the number of events.”

The East of England Arena and Events Centre.