Smallest room in the biggest house

It’s great when a disused space can be used for something very worthwhile.


The Convention Centre needed a dedicated boardroom and, with its redevelopment a few years ago, it didn’t need a cleaner’s cupboard or an out of the way disabled toilet.


And so the compact space alongside the first floor conference room, sometimes used as a speaker or compere’s preparation area, was transformed from a caterpillar into a butterfly in the last few weeks.


Senior Venue Event Officer, Craig Burton, says often the Convention Centre is engaged to accommodate hundreds of people but sometimes it receives an inquiry where only a handful of people want to sit round a table.


Up until recently the rooms were too big for a small, intimate gathering but now the boardroom fulfils that purpose.


The room can cater for up to 20 people sitting round the oblong table and it provides a 50 inch plasma screen and whiteboard.


Work began late in 2007 and was completed late last month (January). The dividing wall was removed and the enlarged space renovated, recarpeted and soundproofed. Improved lighting and air conditioning were installed.


Now the room can be used as a stand alone boardroom or as an additional breakout room when the complex is engaged for a large conference. With its proximity to the main conference room, it can be easily be catered for with food and refreshment.


The room has already had its first booking and Craig anticipates many more to come.


And now when people ask for the smallest room in the house – Craig can either point them in the direction of the boardroom or the restroom.