In April 2025, Spaces at The Spine welcomed back the North West Coast Research & Innovation Awards, marking the second consecutive year the organisers chose the Liverpool venue for its ability to host a polished, wellbeing-focused awards ceremony with a strong sense of occasion.
Located within The Spine, one of the UK’s healthiest buildings, Spaces at The Spine offers state-of-the-art event facilities with panoramic city views and biophilic design. Built to inspire connection and wellbeing, it has quickly become a destination for organisations seeking a contemporary venue for awards or high-profile gatherings in Liverpool.
More than 180 guests gathered to celebrate healthcare innovation and research across Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and South Cumbria, with the venue playing a central role in setting the tone for connection and collaboration.
A venue designed for meaningful connection
The awards were as much about recognising achievements as building relationships across the NHS and industry. The organisers highlighted how Spaces at The Spine's layout naturally encouraged movement, interaction and conversation throughout the evening. “The space is just ideal for hosting an awards ceremony,” said Alison Mythen, Events Coordinator at Health Innovation North West Coast. “It’s perfect for networking beforehand, and we had excellent feedback on the venue from day one.”
Guests were welcomed in the reception area before moving upstairs for networking with canapés, followed by a two-course dinner and the ceremony. This flexible format helped create more meaningful interactions without losing the sense of occasion expected of a high-profile event.
At the heart of the building, The Atrium offered an additional bright, adaptable space for interviews, breakout sessions and informal networking. Filled with natural light and wellbeing-oriented biophilic design, The Atrium helped maintain energy across two floors while giving organisers space to shape different parts of the evening.
Seamless technical and event support
Behind the scenes, Spaces at The Spine’s in-house AV team helped bring the ceremony to life with professional production touches, including a 30m LED star cloth that set the tone for the night, moving head lighting, stage wash lighting and tailored AV stings suited to each award category. Having hosted the event the previous year, the AV team were able to anticipate requirements and deliver a smooth, confident production that impressed both the hosts and the audience.
Equally important was the support of Spaces at The Spine’s event planners. From tailoring menus to allow more networking time with canapés, to accommodating a late date change without disruption, their flexibility and creativity were praised by the client. “I’ve never known them to say no…They always find a way to make it work.”
This combination of technical expertise and responsive planning meant the client could focus on their guests and programme, confident that the logistics were being handled seamlessly in the background. The result was an event that not only looked polished but felt effortless to deliver.
Results
Feedback from guests, sponsors and stakeholders was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the food, atmosphere and venue. The client described the 2025 ceremony as even “smoother and slicker” than the year before, reflecting on how insights from past experiences were thoughtfully incorporated by Spaces at The Spine.
“The full package just works for us,” concluded Alison Mythen. “From the views to the team, it’s everything we need in an awards venue, especially one that brings people together.”
Get in touch with the team today to start planning your awards ceremony at Spaces at The Spine: Enquire now.
