The venue & Birmingham
Catering sponsor
Thank you to Gateway Qualifications for sponsoring catering throughout the event.
Conference Aston, Birmingham
This year's National Conference will be located in the heart of England - at Conference Aston, part of the Aston University campus in Birmingham. The conference accommodation sits within the green, landscaped university campus - so green in fact that you'll forget you're a few minutes walk away from Birmingham's city centre and all the convenient facilities it has to offer.
Getting here
Conference Aston is based within a 10-15 minute walk of Birmingham New Street, Moor Street or Snow Hill train stations and the main Bull Ring shopping centre. It's easily accessible by major bus routes and only a few minutes drive of the M6 / Aston Expressway.
It is located within Birmingham's Clean Air Zone so charges for car users may apply. Check your vehicle online in advance.
The address is as follows:
Conference Aston - Conference Centre and Hotel, Aston University, Aston Street, Birmingham B4 7ET
Drivers - head for Car Park 12, postcode B4 7PS.
Directions
On foot? Take a look at this YouTube video to show you how to get from Birmingham New Street station (Grand Central) to the Aston University campus:
Car parking
Delegates can park in the secure, underground Conference Aston car park during the event.
Parking must be pre-booked and paid for, online, prior to arrival - the cost is £7.95 per vehicle. This ticket will be valid from the morning of Friday 28 June until the evening of Saturday 29 June 2024.
A permit and access code for the car park barrier will be emailed, together with a map and directions, once you have booked your parking space. The permit must be displayed in the vehicle windscreen at all times, as the car park is regularly patrolled and penalties apply for vehicles not displaying a valid permit.
Book you car parking space online
If the onsite car park is fully booked, nearby parking is available at Millennium Point - find out more
Download a full location guide from the Conference Aston website
Conference Aston facilities
Conference Aston has its own hotel so delegates, exhibitors or speakers who are staying over at this year's conference will undoubtedly be impressed by the quality of the overnight accommodation. The very comfortable ensuite bedrooms are 4 star standard and come complete with free WiFi, an LED TV, an ironing board, tea and coffee making facilities and natural daylight!
Residential guests will also have access to the onsite Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre with its 25 metre Victorian pool (Birmingham's oldest swimming pool) and 160 station gymnasium.
For our Muslim guests, room 143 on the first floor has been allocated as a prayer room throughout the weekend.
All meals, which are freshly prepared using seasonal ingredients will be served in the Courtyard Restaurant. It overlooks a beautifully landscaped outside space - perfect for those sunny July coffee breaks!
Wifi
Conference Aston's WiFi can be easily accessed by following these steps:
Health & safety at the venue
Conference Aston prioritises the safety of its guests at all times.
The hotel’s fire alarm system consists of both an audible siren and visual alert, with additional support for hearing impaired guests advised under the Sleeping Spaces section. There are protected safe zones in the lift lobby areas of Lifts 1 and 2 within the hotel.
Emergency call points are located at various points across the hotel to aid guests in the event of an evacuation.
Personal evacuation plans will be created as required for guests staying in the hotel or attending the conference. Evac Chairs are also located in all stair wells to assist with the evacuation of all guests in the event of an emergency.
About Birmingham
Birmingham is the UK’s second city, and a centre for culture, sport, music and architecture. Home to European Cup winners Aston Villa, as well as world famous bands and some of the best shopping centres in Europe, there’s no end to the list of reasons to visit this historic and energetic city.
Why not stay for the whole weekend to take advantage of a trip to Birmingham? Find out more about what the city has to offer.
