Birmingham venue brings trained staff, clear advance information, sensory-considerate spaces and flexible planning together to help organisers create events that work for different minds.
The Eastside Rooms has expanded the practical support available to organisers planning neuroinclusive events, bringing its guidance, trained team, pre-arrival information and on-site facilities together into a clearer offer for clients and delegates.
The approach builds on the venue becoming the first in the UK to achieve Gold Neuroinclusive Venue Accreditation from Welcome Brain Consulting in 2025. Rather than treating the accreditation as an end point, The Eastside Rooms has continued to embed neuroinclusion across the full delegate journey, from the first enquiry and pre-event communication to room setup, arrival, participation and feedback.
Organisers can now draw on a practical combination of support, including:
- Early conversations with the venue team about the needs of delegates, speakers and event staff.
- Organiser checklists, sample attendee wording and neuroinclusion FAQs to support clear communication.
- Visual travel guidance, an interactive floor plan and a virtual venue tour so delegates can understand their journey and surroundings in advance.
- Flexible room layouts with seating choice, easier access to exits and the option to identify quieter areas and lower-sensory routes.
- Practical consideration of lighting, sound, signage, registration queues, breaks and other elements that can contribute to sensory overload.
- Access to the permanent Wellness Room and other quieter spaces where attendees can step away from the main event.
The Wellness Room began as a temporary initiative for the 2025 ABPCO Festival of Learning. Positive delegate feedback led to it becoming a permanent feature. Designed as a calm retreat from busy event spaces, it includes relaxed seating, softer adjustable lighting, noise-cancelling headphones and simple activities such as cards and colouring.
In May 2026, colleagues from marketing, sales, operations, human resources and reservations also completed further neuroinclusivity training with Welcome Brain. The session covered how neurodiversity can present differently from person to person, how everyday event environments can create barriers and how team members can recognise distress and offer respectful, practical support.
“Neuroinclusion becomes meaningful when it changes the ordinary details of an event: the information someone receives before travelling, the choice of where they sit, the confidence to use a quiet space and the response they receive if they ask for help. Our aim is to make those considerations part of normal planning, not an extra request added at the end,” said Tanita Gill, Marketing Manager at The Eastside Rooms
The venue’s support is designed to be practical for organisers. Neuroinclusive planning does not always require a major change to an event. Clearer instructions, a well-signposted quiet space, a slightly adjusted schedule, seating choice or a few lines explaining what delegates can expect may make a substantial difference to comfort and participation.
The Eastside Rooms is encouraging organisers to discuss neuroinclusion at the earliest stage of planning so that useful adjustments can be considered as part of the event design. The support is available across meetings, training sessions, conferences, exhibitions and other events at the venue.
The work forms part of The Eastside Rooms’ wider commitment to making events more accessible and welcoming. The purpose-built venue provides step-free access throughout, Changing Places facilities, flexible event spaces and a team focused on ensuring that physical, sensory and communication needs are considered together.
