P&J Live has beaten international rivals to win the large venue of the year title at a prestigious awards ceremony in London.
“What a way to top off the week,” is how one of the triumphant Aberdeen conference, exhibition and events centre team hailed the success.
P&J Live, which opened in August 2019, had already won a raft of property awards.
But it has now been declared the cream of the crop in a category for venues of more than 20,000 square metres (about 215,300sq ft) in the AEO Excellence Awards.
The Aberdeen venue’s latest success was announced at a lavish ceremony at the Grosvenor House hotel in London earlier today.
The winner for Venue of the Year >20ksqm (sponsored by @GESGlobal) goes to @PandJLive, congratulations! #aeoawards22 pic.twitter.com/3jSZ4z78p5
— AEO (@aeonews) June 24, 2022
The AEO (Association of Event Organisers) Awards represent the best the events industry has to offer and showcase some of its finest achievements, recognising and celebrating high standards of excellence from venues and service quality by suppliers and contractors.
P&J Live won against some impressive competition, fending off the likes of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre, ExCeL London, RAI Amsterdam, Birmingham’s NEC, and the O2 in London, not to mention a rival closer to home in the SEC (Scottish Event Campus) in Glasgow.
‘Absolutely thrilled’
Nick Waight, managing director, P&J Live, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have picked up this award, especially being such a new venue operationally, while other venues have been open for decades.
“We are lucky to offer a state-of-the-art venue, but the real event delivery is down to the dedicated team of experts in-house who help make the event a reality, and the support of our operating company, ASM Global.
“The team very much believes in making small things matter to enable big things to happen.”
We've only gone and won! 🥳
P&J Live – VENUE OF THE YEAR – more than 20,000sqm at the AEO Excellence Awards 2022!
What a way to top off the week! @aeonews@ASMGlobalLive#Winners pic.twitter.com/NMJdH5ZLey
— P&J Live (@PandJLive) June 24, 2022
The Aberdeen venue opened to the public in August 2019, replacing the Aberdeen Conference and Exhibition Centre in a different part of the city, and swiftly acquired a reputation as one of the UK’s premier venues.
Covid-19 disrupted the event programme but there was an impressive list of big entertainment acts lined up to appear as soon as the pandemic restrictions relaxed.
Stars including Justin Bieber, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Andre Rieu, George Ezra, Kevin Bridges, Westlife, Blue and the Proclaimers are currently on the venue’s “what’s on” list.
P&J Live is now also at the heart of a growing campaign to bringing the Eurovision Song Contest to Aberdeen in 2023.
Speculation over the host city has been rife since the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the song contest, announced it hopes to bring it to the UK next year.
Boasting world-class conference and exhibition facilities and a 15,000 capacity arena, P&J Live is also home to major energy industry conferences such as Offshore Europe.
Event organisers have access to around 517,000sq ft of flexible space, with the site – close to Aberdeen International Airport – also home to 350 hotel bedrooms and a 150-seat restaurant.
Conversation