A catch up with Skye Thompson

Tell us about yourself and your role at Moving Venue

I first joined Moving Venue over four years ago as an intern for a specific event, Esquire Town House with Hearst Live. The event came and went, and my role has continually evolved at Moving Venue over the years, however the annual Esquire Town House is always a firm fixture in my calendar every year.

As an Event Sales Manager, I am responsible for a portfolio of some of London’s most prestigious events and act as a venue expert for those clients looking for Moving Venue to cater their event. The scale and breadth of these venues is so vast, ranging from places like The Cutty Sark and Tower of London to The Roundhouse and Museum of London. This means that all events I work across are so diverse that no two days are the same.

Within my role, I am also responsible for the annual Aeronautic Airshow at both Farnborough and Paris. I cannot wait to be back onsite for any event but especially those huge projects!

How has lockdown been for you and what have you learnt?

I have been lucky enough to work consistently throughout the last year with Moving Venue. I have had great fun diversifying our catering product over the last year in creating virtual catering packages.

We have catered a whole host of events ranging from simple cheese and charcuterie boxes to wine tastings, brand launches and cook-a-long experiences. It has been a really difficult year for the entire industry however, I have learnt the importance of diversifying and our virtual events have kept us in the forefront of our client’s minds.

At home I have been cooking up a storm in the kitchen and getting creative with new vegan recipes. I have to say though I am so excited to eat out again and not have to do the washing up!

Lockdown was perked up with a new addition to my household…my gorgeous cat, Rupert! He has kept us highly entertained and been the perfect WFH buddy.

What was your favourite event pre-lockdown?

I have a few favourite events, all for different reasons!

One of my absolute favourites must be Esquire Townhouse with Hearst Live at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace. The event is so unique and sees us working with some of London’s top chefs to deliver intimate supper clubs for 20 people. Over the course of the week the schedule is always jam packed, so I am always on the move and can quite often be found with two radios on running from room to room! But the satisfaction from running a successful Esquire Townhouse is second to none.

Historically I have also worked on some of our big projects such as the Paris and Farnborough Air Show and Christmas at LSO St Luke’s. Both these events can be so diverse from overseeing 7 chalet’s in Paris to running an apocalypse themed event at LSO St Luke’s, I have seen so much with these two projects and I cannot wait for them to be back!

What are you most looking forward to when live events return?

That moment of being back on site is going to be pure magic! Our clients and venues are so ready for that moment, so I think it is going to be really special.

Working on virtual events has been such a great way to still engage with many of my lovely clients, one of which is Imperial College, who I have worked on their Natural History Museum welcome party for the past 4 years. It’s going to be a very surreal and exciting moment when that event is back and I am stood in Hintze Hall with 1,200 guests!

It will also be so nice to have our team all back together again. It has been so strange going from seeing some people every day to not seeing them for over a year!