Why graduations have become big business

Rhiannon Thomas, head of sales and marketing at historic London venue Central Hall Westminster, explores the growth in demand and frequency of graduation ceremonies.

London venues will typically host a wide variety of events each year – anything from conferences and exhibitions to awards ceremonies and fashion shows – and while this goes for Central Hall Westminster too, there is one type of event we’ve witnessed growing in demand: the graduation ceremony.

Graduations have always been part of our event mix, but over the last six years they have increased by 64 per cent and we now dedicate 24 days in our event calendar to them.

Bookings by 18 educational establishments, such as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and The Royal College of Radiologists, means more than 100,000 graduates celebrate their achievements in Central Hall Westminster’s Great Hall each year.

Graduations are big business: In the last year, they have driven £1.7m in revenue at Central Hall Westminster, contributing almost a quarter of our overall revenue.

And our success in this area is set to grow further. With enquiries up 40 per cent we expect the number of days dedicated to graduations, and subsequently the number of graduates being honoured here, to increase again this forthcoming year.

A growing number of universities and institutes are also opting to take over our venue for longer – compressing ceremonies back-to-back over several days. For example, BPP University, which runs schools focusing on law, business, nursing and technology, has booked out Central Hall Westminster for four days, hosting two ceremonies per day.

So, what is behind this growing trend for educational establishments to invest more in graduations?

Graduations were one of the first event types we saw bounce back after the pandemic, as there was a clear sense that people wished to celebrate their achievements in person, but as we’ve returned to normal this figure has increased, so we know it is not simply space to honour graduates that is driving this business.

What we have found is that the setting is incredibly important. Graduations are a significant milestone in every student’s life, providing them with the chance to receive recognition for their hard work and celebrate their achievements with families and friends, so the grandeur and history of Central Hall Westminster, especially the Great Hall, is a draw. With a number of graduates either attending from abroad, or having family visiting from overseas, this aspect, plus its central location makes it even more desirable.

Practicality is also important. The Great Hall has capacity for up to 2,000, an adaptable stage area that has been graced by luminaries such as former US President Barack Obama and Gandhi in the past. The space is also blind-spot free, meaning every person has the perfect view of every diploma being received.

Clients also require space for gowning, photography and post-ceremony celebration and they have a choice of 22 other rooms under our roof. The Lecture Hall and Library, for example, is a popular location for post-ceremonial receptions as the room can be divided into two distinct areas for registration and catering.

Our in-house production partner White Light is there to support while caterer Green & Fortune is on-hand to brew thousands of hot drinks, pour celebratory drinks and serve canapes and lunches.

All this, together with an expert in-house team who understand the specifics of graduations and are on hand to guide clients through the process and deliver on the day (sometimes three times!), is why graduations have become big business.

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