What Should You Look for When Choosing a Training Venue?
A good training venue should make it easier for people to concentrate, participate and get value from the session. The wrong space can create unnecessary distractions, from poor Wi-Fi and uncomfortable seating to a room layout that simply does not work for the type of training being delivered.
If you are working out how to choose a training venue, it helps to look beyond the room itself. Think about how attendees will arrive, how the trainer will deliver the session, what equipment will be needed and how people will use the space throughout the day.
The following points provide a practical way to compare potential venues before making a booking.
1. Choose the Right Room Size
Start with the expected number of attendees.
The room needs to comfortably accommodate everyone without feeling cramped, but bigger is not always better. A small group in an oversized conference room can make a training session feel disconnected, while squeezing too many people into a smaller space can make group exercises and movement difficult.
Consider how the room will actually be used rather than looking at capacity alone.
If delegates need laptops, workbooks or training materials, they may need tables as well as chairs. Sessions involving practical exercises or group discussions may also require additional space for people to move around.
When speaking to a venue, provide your expected attendee numbers and explain the format of the training rather than simply asking whether the room can hold a certain number of people.
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2. Consider the Best Room Layout
Room layout can have a significant impact on how effectively a training session works.
Different formats suit different styles of learning.
Classroom style works well where attendees need tables for laptops, notes or training materials.
Boardroom style can be useful for smaller groups where discussion and collaboration are important.
Theatre style allows more people to be accommodated and is suitable for presentations, seminars and speaker-led sessions.
Cabaret style places attendees around tables, usually facing towards the presenter, making it useful for workshops and group exercises.
U-shape layouts allow participants to see both the trainer and each other, which can work particularly well for interactive sessions.
Before choosing a layout, consider how much of the training will involve listening, discussion, group work or practical activity.
It is also worth asking whether the venue can change the room configuration if your requirements develop before the event.
3. Check the AV and Presentation Equipment
Most professional training sessions now require at least some presentation equipment.
Before booking, find out what is already provided and what the trainer will need to bring.
Depending on the session, this could include:
A presentation screen or projector
HDMI or USB-C connections
Speakers
Microphones
Flipcharts
Whiteboards
Video conferencing equipment
Presentation connections are particularly important. A trainer arriving with a laptop that cannot connect to the available screen can cause an avoidable delay at the beginning of the day.
Ask what connections are supported and whether adapters are available.
If possible, presentations and equipment should be tested before attendees arrive.
For larger training sessions, you should also consider whether everyone can clearly see the screen and hear the trainer from wherever they are sitting.
4. Make Sure the Wi-Fi Is Reliable
Reliable Wi-Fi is increasingly important when considering how to choose a training venue.
Even when the training itself is delivered face-to-face, attendees and trainers may rely on internet access throughout the session.
This could include:
Online training platforms
Cloud-based presentations
Interactive quizzes or exercises
Shared documents
Remote speakers
Video conferencing
Delegates working from laptops or tablets
Ask whether Wi-Fi is included and whether the connection can support the number of people expected to attend.
A connection that works perfectly well for a small meeting might struggle if dozens of attendees attempt to access the same online training platform simultaneously.
Where internet access is essential, trainers should also consider downloading important presentations and documents as a backup.
5. Look at Accessibility
A training venue needs to work for everyone attending.
Accessibility considerations can include step-free access, accessible toilets, appropriate parking and sufficient space for people to move comfortably through the building and training room.
You may not always know the individual requirements of every attendee when making the initial booking, so it is worth discussing accessibility with the venue early.
You should also think about the entire attendee journey rather than just access to the training room.
Can people easily enter the building? Is the registration area accessible? Can attendees reach breakout areas and refreshment facilities comfortably?
If somebody has told you about a specific requirement, discuss it directly with the venue before the event.
6. Consider Parking and Transport
Even an excellent training room can become inconvenient if attendees struggle to reach it.
Think about where delegates are travelling from and what transport options are available.
Useful questions include:
Is there on-site parking?
Is nearby parking available?
Are there public transport connections?
Are directions easy to provide?
Is the entrance clearly signposted?
Where should attendees go when they arrive?
For staff training days where people may be travelling from several offices or locations, convenient parking can make a noticeable difference to the start of the day.
Clear joining instructions should be sent in advance, including the venue address, parking information, arrival time and where attendees should register.
Riverside Whitstable, for example, offers free on-site parking alongside its business event spaces, removing one additional consideration for organisers bringing groups together in Whitstable. (Riverside Whitstable)
7. Think About Breakout Space
Not every part of a training day needs to happen in the main room.
Breakout areas can be extremely useful for sessions involving:
Small group exercises
Role-playing
One-to-one discussions
Team activities
Breakout workshops
Trainer preparation
Having another space available can also give attendees somewhere different to spend refreshment breaks rather than remaining in the same room throughout the day.
If breakout sessions form an important part of your agenda, ask whether additional rooms or informal spaces are available and how close they are to the main training area.
Moving groups across a large building can quickly eat into your schedule, so nearby breakout areas are generally preferable.
8. Check Refreshments and Catering
For a short workshop, tea, coffee and water may be sufficient. For a full-day training session, catering becomes much more important.
Scheduled breaks help structure the day and give attendees an opportunity to reset before the next session.
Think about whether you need:
Tea and coffee on arrival
Mid-morning refreshments
Lunch
Afternoon refreshments
Water throughout the session
You should also collect dietary requirements from attendees in advance and confirm how the venue handles allergies and different dietary needs.
Choosing a venue with catering available on site can reduce the amount of coordination required. Riverside Whitstable, for instance, offers on-site catering and café facilities for business events.
Try to build refreshment breaks into the agenda rather than treating them as an afterthought. Training days that run continuously for several hours can quickly become tiring.
9. Consider the Environment
Some of the most important characteristics of a good training venue are also the easiest to overlook.
Think about what it will actually feel like to spend several hours in the room.
Consider:
Natural light
Temperature
Ventilation
Comfortable seating
Noise from surrounding rooms
Space between attendees
Areas where people can take breaks
A room might look perfectly suitable during a ten-minute viewing but feel very different after six hours of training.
Comfort matters because uncomfortable attendees are more likely to become distracted.
Where possible, visit the venue before booking or look at photographs, floor plans or virtual tours to get a clearer idea of the space. Riverside Whitstable, for example, provides a 360-degree tour of its event facilities online.
10. Ask What Support Is Available on the Day
Even a well-planned training day can encounter unexpected issues.
A presentation may not connect correctly. The room layout might need adjusting. Additional chairs may be required. Catering timings may need changing.
Knowing that someone from the venue is available can make these situations considerably easier to manage.
Before booking, ask who your contact will be on the day and what type of support is included.
This is particularly valuable if you are organising the training but are also expected to participate in it. You do not want to spend half the session dealing with practical venue issues.
Training Day Checklist
Once you have shortlisted a venue, use this training day checklist to make sure the main practical requirements have been covered:
Confirm number of attendees
Check room capacity
Choose the preferred room layout
Confirm projector or presentation screen
Check laptop connections and adapters
Confirm Wi-Fi availability
Check access to power points
Arrange flipcharts or whiteboards
Confirm breakout space if required
Check accessibility
Confirm parking arrangements
Send travel and arrival information
Arrange tea, coffee and refreshments
Confirm lunch requirements
Collect dietary requirements
Arrange directional signage
Confirm the registration area
Identify your venue contact
Confirm start and finish times
It can also help to divide your checklist into three categories: what the venue provides, what the trainer is bringing and what your own organisation needs to arrange.
Choose a Venue That Reduces the Workload
One of the benefits of using a dedicated business venue is that many of the practical requirements may already be in place.
Instead of organising presentation equipment, furniture, refreshments and parking separately, you can discuss your requirements with one venue and build the setup around the training agenda.
When comparing meeting rooms for training and workshops, look at the complete package rather than room hire alone. Riverside's venue spaces include flexible room layouts, AV support, catering and free parking, with rooms designed for training sessions, workshops and business meetings.
The most suitable option will ultimately depend on your group size, training format and the amount of equipment and additional space you require.
Before You Book Your Training Venue
Knowing how to choose a training venue largely comes down to thinking through the day from an attendee's perspective.
How will they get there? Where will they sit? Will they be able to see and hear the trainer? Can they get online? Where will group exercises take place? What happens during breaks?
Before confirming your booking, speak to your chosen venue about the room setup, presentation equipment, accessibility, catering, parking and support available on the day.
Getting those practical details right in advance gives trainers fewer distractions to deal with and allows attendees to concentrate on what they came for: the training.