Traffic to the Unique Venues of London (UVL) website (www.uniquevenuesoflondon.co.uk) has hit an all-time high, not only due to major improvements in usability and functionality, but also clearly reflecting the popularity of unusual venues. More than 300,000 pages have been viewed on over 20,000 visits to the website since its launch in February this year.

The new website has been designed to make it easier for buyers to navigate their way through the selection of unusual venues on offer in the capital, and it now also features the latest news about UVL. There’s also an e-newsletter, plus details of London's leading event suppliers, including caterers and production companies, as well as a job section.

Such improvements will undoubtedly attract more people to the site, and help build a community, but this is unlikely to have happened if the thirst for information about unusual venues wasn’t already out there. Consequently, the website is simply catering more effectively for a need, offering an improved service to those companies looking for unusual venues for their events.

The rise in traffic also shows the effectiveness of carefully thought out online marketing, something other venues should bear in mind when trying to attract business from the corporate marketplace.

Charlotte Reeves, UVL’s chairman and director of corporate relations at Somerset House, was delighted with the growing popularity of the website. "It is a fantastic site that allows event planners to search our diverse database of the most exclusive and prestigious venues in London,” she said.

UVL was established in 1993, initiated by the Natural History Museum. It is a membership organisation of 62 unique and specialist properties within London. The organisation was launched to showcase and celebrate London's diverse venue scene, while offering valuable problem sharing and networking opportunities for the industry.