Edinburgh Napier University

  Purpose - Events venues are incredibly diverse and yet a coherent typology fails to be apparent in the mainstream literature. Indeed, the focus of research has predominately been on the demand as opposed to the supply side of events venues. The article attempts to ameliorate this gap in knowledge and reviews the literature on current methods of classifying events venues. Design/methodology/approach - To provide a context for the analysis and evaluation of events venues, it is necessary to explore the evolution of events venues classifications. Then, the paper offers a series of different criteria that can be used to explore the concept and scope of events venues. Findings - The main aim of developing a new typology of events venues must be to produce a more effective and efficient classification of this sector. At the same time, the new typology needs to address various criteria that might further differentiate venues in terms of those factors which are outlined in the paper. Indeed, it should be noted that the discussed criteria could act as a foundation for how they can be classified into different types. Originality/value - The proposed criteria provide a context that will guide academics and practitioners current and/or future classifications of events venues. A number of conclusions and recommendations for developing a new typology of events venues are then discussed.