Social programme
Welcome Reception & Dinner - Thursday 29th May 2025, The Balmoral
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
- 19:10 Guests meet in the hotel lobby
- 19:20 – 19:30 Walk to The Balmoral
- 19:30 – 20:00 Welcome Reception in the Holyrood Suite
- 20:15 – 22:30 Welcome Dinner in the Sir Walter Scott Suite
- 22:30 – 22:50 Transfer back to Hotel by coach
Dress code: Business casual
Overlooking Edinburgh Castle, The Balmoral - where the Old Town meets the New - is a legendary hotel with an iconic clock tower: a symbol of its city.
Arrive at The Balmoral Hotel on any given day and the first thing you will notice is its glorious clock tower that’s never quite on time.
This irregularity (or calculated miscalculation as the locals call it) is a historical quirk as legendary as the hotel itself and dates back to 1902 when The Balmoral was built as a grand railway hotel, and its turret clock was set three minutes fast to make sure passengers never miss their trains. To this day, the hotel’s clock is dependably inaccurate, but everything else about The Balmoral is on point. Everywhere you look, the Scottish heritage of the hotel shines through. With so much history and grandeur, The Balmoral is right in its claim to be an Edinburgh landmark and is therefore the perfect venue for our Welcome Dinner.
Partners’ Programme - Friday 30th May 2025
Programme subject to possible changes.
Language of the programme: English only.
Dress code: casual and comfortable clothing and footwear.
Short description
Experience Edinburgh like never before on this exclusive tour. Begin your journey aboard a vintage 1962 red double-decker bus, where you’ll be whisked away to the prestigious Royal Yacht Britannia. Enjoy a private, bespoke tour of this iconic vessel, once home to Queen Elizabeth II, and uncover the regal stories behind its stately rooms and historic events.
Next, revel the scenic Edinburgh’s New and Old Towns from the vintage red bus, where a local expert will guide you through the city’s most iconic landmarks, from the towering Scott Monument to the dramatic extinct volcano Arthur’s Seat.
The next stop is one of Scotland’s last traditional kiltmakers, where you will be introduced to the timeless craft behind this emblem of Scottish heritage. Discover the meticulous process of creating a kilt, from choosing the finest tartans to the final stitching.
The journey concludes with a stroll along the Royal Mile, before indulging in a tasty afternoon tea at the Colonnades in the Signet Library—an elegant setting steeped in history of the Society of Writer’s to His Majesty’s Signet. This is an unparalleled Edinburgh experience, designed for those seeking the extraordinary.
Awards Reception and Dinner – Friday 30th May 2025, the Assembly Rooms
54 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LR
- 19:05 Guests meet in the hotel lobby
- 19:15 – 19:30 Transfer by coach
- 19:30 – 20:00 Awards Reception in the Ballroom
- 20:15 – 23:00 Awards Dinner in the Music Hall
- 23:00 – 23:15 Transfer back to Hotel by coach
Dress code: Business casual
‘The Assembly’ was, in a sense, a club open only to those of a certain rank. The first assemblies were organised for profit, but they soon came under the direction of a company of philanthropic titled ladies – the Lady Directresses.
These philanthropic ladies donated the proceeds to various charities, like the founding of the Royal Infirmary in 1729. Under their guidance, a public subscription was begun in the early 1780s, which eventually raised the money needed for the creation of purpose-built Assembly Rooms on George Street.
Nowadays the Assembly Rooms is a multi-purpose, unique event venue hosting a range of events from music concerts and festivals to business conferences and exhibitions. For more than 200 years the venue has been at the heart of the capital, has hosted both monarchy and celebrity royalty, played its part in two world wars and celebrated artistic excellence.
