Hospitality Live Leeds brings festival-style format to meetings and events industry on 20 April

A new trade show for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and events industry will launch at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on 20 April. Hospitality Live Leeds replaces the traditional exhibition stand format with relaxed meeting spaces, curated networking, and a programme of keynote speakers and bite-sized live sessions before transitioning into an evening event with drinks, music, and informal networking from 6pm. The event has been organised by Wayne Topley, Managing Director of Cedar Court Hotels and Chairman of the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association (LHVA) and the Royal Armouries team.

How the Format Works

The organisers describe Hospitality Live Leeds as a one-day MICE festival rather than a conventional trade show. Traditional exhibitions create rigid, transactional environments, whereas a more relaxed setting encourages genuine relationship-building between venue representatives, suppliers, and event bookers. The day runs from midday with curated networking and speaker sessions, then shifts into a festival-style evening from 6pm. Free delegate tickets are available at hospitality-live.com, with venue partners able to apply for a space through the site.

““With this new approach, we have taken away the formalities and rigid structure of a traditional trade show with the aim of providing opportunities for delegates to create genuine new connections. Hospitality Live is proof that with collaboration and teamwork, we can make a meaningful impact on the industry.”

— Wayne Topley, Chairman, Leeds Hotels and Venues Association

Zarach Charity Partnership

The event has partnered with Zarach, the Leeds-based children’s bed charity, through an innovative bed donation programme. Exhibitors can include a brand-new bed as part of their showcase, with all beds donated to Zarach at the end of the event. The organisers have committed to donating 25 beds and mattresses, which the charity says will have an immediate impact on the children receiving them, supporting better sleep, wellbeing, and educational engagement.

Why this matters for Leeds

Leeds’s meeting and event sector has grown significantly in recent years, driven by events like UKREiiF and a wave of new hotel openings. A locally organised event at the Royal Armouries, backed by the 60-strong LHVA membership, gives Leeds’s venues and suppliers a platform to showcase the city’s conference and events capacity directly.