Leading design firms, hotels and suppliers to attend Meet Up North

Terrace of King's Street Townhouse
1024 576 Hamish Kilburn
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The inaugural Meet Up North will take place in Manchester’s King Street Townhouse on July 18, 2018…

With less than a month to go until the inaugural Meet Up North kicks off in Manchester’s King Street Townhouse on July 18, Hotel Designs has announced the stellar line-up of designers, architects, hotels and suppliers who will be attending.

Among the many leading design firms attending the evening networking experience will be AEW Architects which led the design project of the venue Kings Street Townhouse that opened in early 2016. Other leading firms, among others, include B3 Designers, DWA Architects, ReardonSmith Architects and JM Architects. Also attending as well as being the headline speaker of the evening will be Principal of Richmond International, Fiona Thompson.

In addition to the designers, representatives from some of the UK’s most recognised and celebrated hotels will also benefit from the exclusive event. These include, among other, reps from The Zetter Group, Hotel Football, AC Hotel Manchester City Centre and The Lowry Hotel.

Completing the mix will be a selection of highly regarded suppliers. Marca Corona, which produces some of the world’s finest Italian ceramics, is Meet Up North’s headline sponsor. Other suppliers attending will be Simba Sleep, Dyson, Molton Brown, Crosswater and Hamilton Litestat.

Meet Up North will commence with an official welcome from the newly appointed editor, Hamish Kilburn, who will briefly talk about the history of Meet Up, it’s purpose and why this year it’s being taken outside of London.

The mic will then be handed over to the award-winning Principal of Richmond International Fiona Thompson, who will speak the audience about past projects, future predictions and the significance of worthy collaborations.

Completing the line-up of speakers will be the headline sponsors of the event, Marca Corona, which will provide the audience with an in-depth industry insight and will be available to answer questions after.

The evening will then continue with all the ingredients for a successful networking recipe. Canapés and complimentary drinks will be served on the balcony of Manchester’s most talked about hotel in 2017 and 2018.

How to get involved

If you are a hotelier, architect, designer or supplier and would like to also benefit from the event, there are very limited spaces available.

If you are a supplier, click here to book your place.

If you are hotelier, interior designer or architect, click here to secure your place.

Hamish Kilburn / 25.06.2018

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.