East Midlands’ leading venue brand, Imago Venues, has unveiled its new visual identity and showcased the completion of phase one of a major £4.5m refurbishment of Burleigh Court Conference Centre and Hotel. The Loughborough University owned venue group is kicking off its new 3-year growth plan with these exciting updates, as it continues to deliver strong financial performance despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
The new brand identity was created with the aim of better reflecting Imago’s vision to “create a place where people love to be”. Rob Chamberlain, Head of Marketing and Brand for Imago, explains the thinking behind the new design:
“Our purpose was to create a brand identity that better reflects our DNA as a business. We exist to facilitate people coming together to connect; to grow and flourish through face-to-face interactions and learning. That’s true of our guests and of our team. It’s about coming together and connecting as individuals and transforming into something greater, built on our key values of care and kindness. The word “Imago” actually refers to the final metamorphosis of a winged insect – the caterpillar to the butterfly, if you will.”
The new logo subtly represents four elements – the four quartiles “coming together” represent connection, people, teamwork, and the venue itself. The top part of the logo signifies growth, upward movement, and ambition, while the negative space represents the “butterfly”, change, and transformation. The top half of the negative space also represents care, support, and nurturing, in line with Imago’s vision of creating places where people love to be.
The new brand identity is being launched in conjunction with the completion of phase one of a major £4.5m investment into Imago’s flagship property, Burleigh Court. This project will greatly enhance the guest experience and establish Burleigh Court as the premier venue in the East Midlands.
Phase one of the project has already been completed, and it has significantly increased the meetings and conference capacity of Burleigh Court. It has also introduced a new restaurant, Fifty The Street, which offers a “plant forward” concept with “50% plant powered food for all”. This transformation also turns the hotel into a true 7-day operation. The previous restaurant space has now been converted into flexible conferencing and gala space, with a capacity of 230 people in a cabaret-style setup. It can also be split into four smaller, soundproofed conference spaces. Delegates will have the option of having lunch served from Fifty The Street or the new bar and lounge area, Carney & Scott’s, named after Loughborough alumni and England Lionesses Karen Carney and Jill Scott.
Spencer Graydon, CEO of Imago Venues, expressed his delight at the completion of phase one of the Burleigh Court transformation:
“We’re delighted to unveil phase one of the major transformation of Burleigh Court. Our company vision is “to create a place where people love to be” and this project delivers that in spades. We have a really strong business, and this investment sets us up to deliver our next 3-year plan that focuses on 2 strategic pillars – People and Planet. It also celebrates our relationship with Loughborough University by recognising the amazing academic and sporting heritage we have.”
Phase one of the project was completed in June, with the entire transformation scheduled for completion by August 2024. An official opening event is planned for September 2024.
For more information on Imago Venues and its latest plans, please visit www.imagovenues.co.uk.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.