Sheffield City Hall has been crowned Large Event Space of the Year by industry publication, Event Magazine.

Beating off stiff competition from Chelsea Football Club, the Royal Albert Hall, Alexandra Palace and the LG Arena, Sheffield City Hall picked up the prestigious accolade at the Event Awards ceremony, which took place on Tuesday 20 September 2011 at the Roundhouse in Camden.

Now in its 14th year, the Event Awards celebrate the creative, exhibition and experiential sectors of the live events industry, while the Large Event Space Award recognises excellence within venues that can cater to 700 plus capacity events.

Sheffield City Hall hosts more than 750 events every year, from a wide range of music concerts, comedy gigs and entertainment shows to weddings, conferences, exhibitions and community events. It is one of 17 entertainment, leisure and sports venues that make up Sheffield International Venues' (SIV) portfolio.

Dominic Stokes, General Manager of SIV Events, said: "To win this award is an incredible achievement and, what makes it even more important, is that we have been recognised as the country's leading large event venue ahead of major London names.

"It demonstrates the great strides being made by SIV and Sheffield to place the city as an attractive alternative destination for organisers who would usually look to the capital for major conferences and events."

Sheffield City Hall's Event Award is one of a string of accolades that SIV have celebrated this year. iceSheffield was a finalist at the national Conference Awards in June and SIV Events has been shortlisted in the Welcome to Yorkshire's White Rose Awards for Business Tourism which will be announced on October.

Sheffield City Hall has also been selected as the host of the National Union of Students (NUS) national conference in April 2012 and 2013, which will entail a three day conference that is estimated to generate over £2 million pounds for the local economy.

Dominic added: "The Event Awards are a benchmark of excellence for the industry and this accolade is a testament to the hard work, dedication and innovation show by our team day in day out.

"It is always rewarding to receive recognition for good work, but awards play a key role in attracting prestigious events, such as the NUS conferences, to the city, which in turn, are directly increasing tourism to the region."