A multi-million-pound conference and events centre that opened in December is making its mark as a business and community facility. Dave Horsley reports.

A £5M conference and events centre, built to provide facilities for both business and the local community, has got off to a flying start and is way ahead of its long-term development plans.

The Xcel Centre, which opened in December in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, includes high-quality conference and events facilities, as well as a coffeehouse and day nursery open to the public.

The conference facilities have been selected to host a number of regional business gatherings, including a major business roadshow staged by regional networking organisation Network North-East.

The Little Cubs Day Nursery, which has capacity for 70 children a day, has 80 on its books and a waiting list, and has led to well-supported mother and toddler and out-of-school clubs starting.

And the 64-seat Jackson’s Coffeehouse, a Starbucks concession, is doing a roaring trade from parents, members of the Xcel Church – which officially opened its new home within the centre on Saturday – and surrounding businesses.

Xcel Centre manager Kerina Clark says: “After overcoming so many barriers – attracting support for the chosen location, the loss of the original main contractors and then the snow bringing the region to a complete standstill – it is very rewarding to see the centre so quickly embraced by the local community and bustling with activity.

“Even at this early stage, the Xcel Centre is fulfilling its commitment to provide tangible benefits to the local community.

As well as providing business and social facilities on various levels, it is providing 40 full-time and part-time jobs for local people, with the hope of up to ten more before the end of the year.”

The 33,000sq ft centre, on a 4.25-acre site in Long Tens Way, on Newton Aycliffe Business Park, is strikingly designed both internally and externally, and incorporates a number of environmentally-friendly and sustainable features, including natural ventilation, ground source heating and low-energy and sensor-controlled lighting.

It has six seminar/meeting rooms of various sizes, all fitted with modern conference technology, an exhibition hall with seating for 250, and an auditorium with a moveable stage, state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment and a capacity of up to 1,200. The centre has free WiFi throughout and free parking for up to 150 vehicles.

Stewart Watkins, managing director of County Durham Development Company, which provided the land for the development, said: “A conference facility of this magnitude and quality has been badly needed in our region and we are committed to supporting its success.”

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson said: “This is exactly what is needed for the area and is a fantastic opportunity for Newton Aycliffe. It will attract new people and business to the area and is an excellent facility for both the surrounding community and the North-East.”

Mrs Clark added: “Any profit the Xcel Centre makes will be reinvested in the local area via community action projects and charitable activities. This means that a business or organisation choosing to hold a meeting or training day here could help renovate the home of someone in need or fund a social event for the elderly.

“We want every section of the wider community to feel welcome, and one of the early steps has been defining the centre’s culture, a key part of which is training all staff, from caretaker to receptionist, to NVQ Level 2 in customer service.”

Mrs Clark paid tribute to the support given by County Durham Development Company and the professional contributions of main contractor Caddick Construction, which took on the project after York House Construction went into administration, and architects Watson Batty.

She said: “The conference and meeting facilities are, we think, unrivalled in the region, with room sizes and facilities to support most requirements, and we are actively looking to work in partnership with local hotels to attract new business to the region.

“The overwhelming demand for places at the day nursery and the success of the coffeehouse is already demonstrating that Xcel is a valued facility in the right location.

“The really big challenge we now face is establishing it as the venue of choice for major events, such as fashion shows, concerts, exhibitions and gala dinners – and the best way do it is by encouraging people to come and see for themselves exactly what Xcel has to offer.”

For more information about the Xcel Centre, call 0845-450- 5871 or go to xcelcentre.com

■ On Thursday, March 18, Business Link will hold The Innovation Factory, a free day-long event helping businesses learn through innovation, at the Xcel Centre.

For more details, call 0191- 281-5777, email businesslink@btob.co.uk or register at innovationfactory2010.co.uk