North West events specialists Scene My Event rebrand as Exceed Events – seeing high booking demands through to 2023
The team behind North West events specialists Scene My Event have revealed a major rebrand and reposition as Exceed Events and Concepts - with bookings being made right up until 2023.
The team behind North West events specialists ‘Scene My Event’ have embarked on a major rebrand following the pandemic – repositioning the organisation as ‘Exceed Events and Concepts’.
Using the time in lockdown to evolve their offering for a changing marketplace, Bolton-based founders Chris Warbrick and Martyn Stuttard announced they’d be taking the business into a “new era” from August 12 – responding to the crisis of the events industry through innovation.
Despite the long-term restrictions imposed on mass gatherings, Chris and Martyn believe consumer confidence is now returning – with a huge number of events already being booked for the next three years.
Development has also been completed on their new website – exceedevents.co.uk – which is being used to showcase the organisation’s market-leading events technology to offer new virtual events and socially-distanced live experiences.
The domain will also house a ‘client area’ – where customers can easily manage their event, booking details and music requirements at any time.
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Exceed
Director Chris said: “We’ve used the time in lockdown to look at who we are as a business, our identity, our image and what our clients want, and felt that Exceed Events is a more fitting representation of who we are.
“With where we see the company growing over the next five years we wanted the brand to reflect this journey and long term position.”
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“The meaning of Exceed is all about going above and beyond, being better than your previous self and your competition and of course, exceeding expectations! That has always been at the core of how we operate and really fitted with who we are and can span over all of our sectors, from weddings and corporate events to event technology and bars and clubs.”
According to Chris, adapting to the “new normal” has been key to developing the new Exceed brand.
He added: “During lockdown we had the time to look at a rebrand, and we’ve been doing virtual events with live streaming and moved all of our face to face consultations to zoom consultations.
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“It’s certainly made us think differently and reimagine how events will go moving forward. Even after lockdown, the events scene will look different for some time and there will be a blend of physical and virtual events which has made us think differently and innovate in how we do that.
“We’ve invested in more technology to bring that to the client. We believe we can accommodate both sides and we’re working with our partners on things like virtual show rounds, providing as much upfront content to our clients as possible and actual virtual parties.
“At the start of August we were approached to bring our previously indoor interactive Bedlam Bingo, to the outdoor drive in Park N Party held at Event City, Trafford Park. Due to the amazing success we are now in conversations to run this continuously over the coming months.”
Exceed
Chris and Martyn said the gradual easing of restrictions saw future booking enquires pick back up in June with a surge in July and August of private and corporate clients now making reservations through to 2023.
“Our bookings are now strong again,” said Martyn.
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“Consumer confidence is picking back up with people wanting to get events booked back in for something to look forward to after these challenging times. We therefore believed mid August was a good time to launch our new brand – with the further easing of restrictions from August 15th onwards very much in mind.”
Founded by entrepreneurs Chris Warbrick and Martyn Stuttard in 2017, the company has become known for its industry innovations, premium entertainment offerings and investment in hi-tech events solutions.
That includes their 360 Xperience platform, used to great effect at the PFA Awards in May 2019 with the ensuing videos of football stars using the platform reaching over 5m people on social media.
Partner venues across the North West include Manchester Hall, Mitton Hall, Holmes Mill, Larkspur Lodge, Victoria Warehouse, while clients have included AO.com, Panini, Fifa, In the Style, BLVD and Manchester Airport.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD9bnl5hHfl/
Exceed has also been the events company of choice for a host of high profile celebrities, brands and influencers.
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This has includeed the engagement party of Love Island star Olivia Buckland and Bradley Dack at Cloud 23 bar in Manchester, and the launch of Jacqueline Jossa’s fashion launch at In the Style in Salford.
The company has also helped to organise the wedding of TOWIE star Maria Fowler at Nunsmere Hall in Cheshire and the engagement party of Geordie Shores Holly Hagan and Jacob Blyth at Victoria Warehouse.
After winning Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday award in July 2018, the events company were then brought in by the former Dragons Den star to showcase their 360 Xperience at the 10th anniversary of his SBS Awards in Birmingham in early 2020.
Find out more about how Exceed are taking events into the new normal by visiting their website.
Business
Manchester Marathon found fresh community fund following milestone charitable efforts
Danny Jones
The Manchester Marathon has begun a new community fund following more than a decade of incredible charity efforts.
Known as the Trafford Active Fund for the last 10 years or so, the initiative covers not only the city and its wider boroughs’ annual 26.2-mile long race, but various other sports and activity-based schemes across the region.
Now, though, the fresh Manc Marathon Fund is evolving in partnership with the existing Trafford Moving Fund and MCRactive arm of Manchester City Council by expanding its vital charity work further afield than ever before.
Launching ahead of the 2026 event this spring, runners will once again be behind crucial funding across the Greater Manchester region and beyond.
The new Manchester Marathon Community Fund logo (Credit: Supplied)
For context, back in 2024, the MCR Marathon raised nearly £30 million for the local economy and roughly £3.7m for charities like the Alzheimer’s Society; last April, that figure surpassed more than £4m, and the fundraising numbers only continue to increase with every year.
With that in mind, more than £60k is distributed to various partner programmes that “inspire movement, improve wellbeing, and create meaningful change for local people”.
Moving forward, not only will £1 from every paid entry into the Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half continue to go directly into the Manchester Marathon Community Fund (MMCF).
Andrew Smith, Chief Executive of A.S.O. UK – organisers of the MCR Marathon and Half – said: “We’re incredibly proud of the positive impact the Trafford Active Fund has delivered locally over the years, and we’re excited to extend that impact across both Trafford and Manchester City [Centre].
“By broadening our reach, the MMCF will help even more people to get active and contribute to a legacy of movement and wellbeing. Our relationship with Trafford remains as strong as ever, and we look forward to continuing to support the brilliant community projects that make a real difference there.”
Community groups and projects in Trafford or the City of Manchester can apply for funding via the Trafford Moving Fund and MCR Active (dependent on their location).
A panel from each organisation reviews applications and selects projects that best demonstrate lasting impact.
We share stories from funded projects throughout the year, so you can see the difference your event entry makes.
We love how much the North West regularly dedicates its charitable efforts, both socially and physically, towards important causes throughout the year.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via Manchester Marathon/ASO UK)
Business
Deansgate bar Simmons closes just over a year after opening
Danny Jones
London-born bar brand Simmons has closed their Manchester site just over a year after opening their first Northern location.
They’ve lasted roughly 15 months on one of our busiest nightlife strips.
Opening on Deansgate back in October 2024, Simmons Manchester wasn’t just their first foray here up in this half of the country but their only other venue outside of the capital.
An otherwise well-established and popular chain down south, they have a total of 15 different bars in central London, but things clearly haven’t quite taken off as planned here in Manchester.
Placing a poster in the unit’s shopfront besides the likes of Be At One, Yours, The Moon Under The Water Spoons and the Deansgate branch of Slug and Lettuce, as you can see, the fellow franchise founded over a decade ago said: “After much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye”, they add, “We’re incredibly proud of what the team built here and so grateful to them, as well as everyone who joined us over the past year.
“We’ve had some unforgettable nights. We love Manchester, and we hope to be back under the right conditions.”
They go on to thank everyone for being “part of the journey”, but for now, it looks like the room has closed effective immediately.
Simmons started back in 2012 when founder Nick Campbell opened the first bar below his flat in Kings Cross, and their presence has grown hugely since then. The closing sign was spotted and shared on social media earlier this week.
Offering everything from stylish cocktails to New York-style pizza, live music and even private karaoke booths, the place had plenty going on.
With rising business rates, energy bills and more dovetailing with the continuing cost of living crisis that is still hampering both hospitality and the nightime economy, they are just one of many to unfortunately close their doors of late.
For instance, it was only earlier this month that we saw multiple well-known names shut up shop here in the city centre or elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including another long-standing late-night favourite, Revolution.
It’s a shame for any business to close, and we certainly hope they’ll return someday with a model that can be sustained in the current climate.
The Manc -
21st August 2020 
