Hosted within the impressive new Fulham Pier development, the meeting began with a keynote address from Chris Wickham, who outlined the vision behind creating a destination that operates successfully all year round, rather than solely on matchdays. The concept focuses on maximising the use of high quality spaces throughout the week, while seamlessly integrating matchday activity when Fulham FC are playing at home.

The setting itself provided a powerful demonstration of this approach in action. With favourable weather on the day, the riverside walk and ground floor public areas were visibly busy, with visitors enjoying the cafés, bars, and food outlets. Dog walkers, runners, families, and local residents were all making use of the facilities, illustrating the value of creating a venue that serves the community daily.

A central theme of the Hot Topic discussion was how venues can generate consistent non-event income and create year-round engagement with their local communities. Attendees explored both the opportunities and the practical considerations involved in developing such initiatives. These included health and safety requirements, security and crowd management, access and egress planning, the implications of Martyn’s Law, sustainability and environmental responsibilities, operational and staffing models, capital investment decisions, and the need to demonstrate a clear return on investment.