London’s elegant Hurlingham Club recently hosted more than 500 top events industry professionals celebrating a spectacular night of awards for the most creative, inspirational and innovative events staged in the UK during 2007.

The Eventia UK Awards honoured outstanding business-to-business and business-to-consumer events including corporate events, product launches, company exhibitions, presentations, hospitality and celebratory events and meetings and conferences of all sizes and formats.

This year, 11 categories were dedicated to honouring leading-edge events including motivational, celebratory and B2B, B2C and B2E events of every description. A further nine categories were devoted to organisers and service providers including venues, caterers, logistics providers and event management teams. Best use of CSR in an event headed up the list of new categories this year.

Lodestar Events won the coveted Platinum Award for the four-day live Philips Simplicity Eventm which featured a series of ‘islands’ housing a collection of lifestyle themes set within a 360° theatre. A 110% increase in the number of brand ambassadors was achieved, with 1,600 guests attending the event.

A first-ever Outstanding Achievement Award was given to Vanessa Cotton, managing director, Conferences and Events at ExCel, London, in recognition of her contribution to the industry, including her establishment of the Events Organisation Company and her role as board director at the London International Exhibition Centre. She has been influential in the campaign to develop London’s Eastside into an enticing event destination – just one in a range of voluntary projects.

It was a particularly good night for Cotton, as her venue ExCeL took the award for best venue.

Commenting on the sparkling ceremony, Eventia executive director Izania Downie said: “These awards recognise the best and most innovative UK based events in our industry. The quality of the work entered year upon year is testament to the energy and enthusiasm that is driving face-to-face communication to the forefront of marketing strategy. Eventia champions standards of excellence in the events industry – and I’m particularly proud of our winners tonight as they do represent the best in class.”

Meanwhile, chairman of Judges Andrew Wright, director of FABI and Eventia board director, added: “I was particularly impressed not only by the number of entries, but also by their quality. The new categories were well received and it was good to see a spread of new names entering – as well as the usual high profile players in the industry. The results tonight demonstrate the quality that exists in our market.”

The following Gold Awards were given:

– ExCel London, Event of the Year

– The Conservatory at Chelsea, Best Event (under 500)

– ExCel London, Best Event (over 500)

– The Recipe, Catering Firm of the Year

– Maximillion, Teambuilding Firm of the Year

– Lodestar Events, Supplier of the Year: Creative

– Smyle, Supplier of the Year: Technical

– Gallowglass, Supplier of the Year: Logistics

– Rise up and join the party (Sara Blonstein Associates), Best New Event

– British Red Cross London Ball (DNA Productions), Best Celebratory Event

– Gaggenau Vario Cooling and Series 200 product launch (Penny Jekyll), Best Product Launch

– Kaupthing Corporate Hospitality (Lunch Communications), Best Hospitality Event

– Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve (Jack Morton Worldwide), Public Event of the Year

– Philips Simplicity Event (Lodestar Events), Best Conference

– Lloyds TSB Stars in Their Eyes (Conference Connections), Best Incentive/Motivational Event

– BI at Southwood School (BI), Best Event Demonstrating CSR

– KPMG Live (TRO), Most Effective Delivery of ROI

– Heritage and Innovation (Sheffield Hallam University, Most Creative Use of a Small Budget Corporate Events Team)

For a complete list of all winners, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze Awards and Finalists, please visit: www.eventia.org.uk/ukawards.

Look out on Thursday for EVENTS:review's video review of the night, including interviews with many of the Gold award winners