But it’s not just event planners and companies that are driving this trend, the venues themselves are also playing a key part. "To an extent, unusual venues have driven this trend by making themselves available. They have come to realise that events provide a lucrative source of revenue that is additional to their core business, and are therefore keen to increase market share in order to supplement their income from other sources," says Greenhill.

Getting yourself out there

So it’s important to get yourself out there, as Briant explains: "The 'need' for an usual venue from the event buyer also increases demand as there is an urgency to find the 'next best unusual venue'. So people are trawling the internet, talking to tourist boards and looking at guide books to come up with something a little different."

Of course, there is an obvious contradiction here, as Hunt points out: "The more popular something becomes, the less unusual it is! Years ago, the idea of having a Christmas party in a massive tent with a load of other companies, buying tables for the night was bizarre. Now it is commonplace. At that time you would have been regarded as something of a maverick if you suggested holding a conference in a theatre or a dinner in a gallery, but again these are now options that wouldn't raise an eyebrow."

So are we all going to go full circle at some point in the future?

Probably not, Hunt believes that spectacle is the key to unlocking the lucrative corporate market. "Any venue with something to see will generate interest, whether it is the Spirit of St Louis hanging from wires overhead or a Formula One car in reception. Any place where great things were accomplished will also attract attention."

So if you have something unique or spectacular about your venue that makes you stand out from the crowd, you could well be sitting on a goldmine. You could be the next big thing on the unusual venues circuit. If you’re not already making yourself known to event planners and local and national corporates, or at least making it easy for these people to track you down, then maybe it’s time to start.

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