Client: Northumbrian Water Group
Interviewee: Jennie Collingwood, Head of Corporate Affairs
Event Type: Senior Leadership Conference + smaller meetings and sub-team sessions
Delegates: 150–170
Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) runs a range of internal events across the year, bringing together leaders from its operations in the North East, Essex, and Suffolk. Its largest annual event — the Senior Leadership Conference — gathers around 170 senior colleagues for strategy updates, best-practice sessions, and guest speakers.
When the organisation hosts its conference in the North East, it often heads for Crowne Plaza Newcastle – Stephenson Quarter, a spot they’ve come back to time and again for everything from big leadership gatherings to smaller meetings and board sessions. It’s the kind of place that feels welcoming, modern, and ready to make things run smoothly.
Jennie highlights that, while part of the global Crowne Plaza network, the Newcastle property has its own character with Geordie warmth, plus a diverse team of local and international staff who love the city.
“It feels rooted in the place, not like a copy-and-paste hotel,” says Jennie.
As someone involved in regional tourism organisations, she also notes that Newcastle’s reputation has shifted significantly in recent years. The city regularly hosts cultural, sporting, and business events, and NWG’s conferences often benefit from the wider activity in the city.
Jennie notes that the hotel’s connection to the local community — and NWG’s own sustainability work with them, such as water-efficiency audits — helps the events feel grounded in local partnership rather than detached corporate activity.
As a regulated organisation, NWG is mindful of how its event spending is perceived by customers. “The venue we use must provide the facilities, accessibility, and high-quality needed to host senior leaders and large groups, while reflecting the organisation’s professional standards and operational responsibility.”
Jennie adds: “We need venues that are fit for purpose while ensuring we’re making responsible choices with our resources.”
NWG places a high value on trust and familiarity when running large events. The conference brings together senior leaders whose diaries are difficult to align, so flexibility around provisional dates is essential, too.
“Getting 170 leaders in one place isn’t straightforward. The Crowne Plaza Newcastle team has always been helpful with holding dates and being patient while we align diaries.”
Jennie also notes occasions where operational issues have arisen during events — a normal reality for a utility provider — and the hotel has quickly offered private spaces for urgent calls or ministerial conversations.
“It’s the kind of thing you can’t plan for, and they’ve stepped in to make it work.”
NWG’s delegates travel from across the UK, and occasionally internationally via the Group’s headquarters in Hong Kong. Easy access to Newcastle Central Station and proximity to the airport are significant factors.
“Colleagues can step off the train and be at the hotel within minutes. For people travelling long distances, that really helps.”
— Jennie Collingwood
Newcastle has relatively few venues that can comfortably host more than 150 attendees with suitable breakout rooms, so the hotel’s meeting capacity also plays a role in the decision.
The organisation adapts different parts of the hotel depending on the event size:
The mezzanine level is used frequently, offering an informal but still professional environment where people can work or take calls.
NWG often incorporates additional activities around the main leadership sessions. These have included:
Delegates also frequently extend their stay to meet colleagues or spend time exploring the city.
For Northumbrian Water Group, Crowne Plaza Newcastle isn’t just a venue — it’s a partner in getting things done, with a wee bit of Geordie warmth along the way.
