What
The Industry Great Debate
Where
Cambridge Union Society
9a Bridge Street, Cambridge, CB2 1UB
9a Bridge Street, Cambridge, CB2 1UB
When
January 14, 2027, 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM
This house believes Preferred Supplier Agreements are creating a closed shop, and biased venue sourcing culture.
In collaboration with the Cambridge Union Society, the Alliance of Independent Event Agencies are delighted to present the 5th edition of the Industry Great Debate.
This year's debate will take place on Thursday 14th January 2027 in the famous Cambridge Union Chamber. The motion before the house is ‘This house believes Preferred Supplier Agreements are creating a closed shop, and biased venue sourcing culture.’
Tickets are FREE but we do ask you register here so we can keep an eye on numbers. We have a number of small hosted buyer groups attending the event - if you are part of one of these groups, there is no need for you to register as your host will do this for you.
The evening starts with a drinks reception before we move to the Chamber for the debate itself. At the end of the debate, we 'vote with our feet' and make our way back to the bar for drinks and to await the results.
To find out more about the debate and how you can get involved, please sign up here or speak to one of the committee:
Sabine ([email protected])
Emma ([email protected])
Katherine ([email protected])
John ([email protected])
Bart ([email protected])
For any questions regarding the Cambridge Union Society (including how to book the venue for your next event) please speak to:
Ben ([email protected])
This year's debate will take place on Thursday 14th January 2027 in the famous Cambridge Union Chamber. The motion before the house is ‘This house believes Preferred Supplier Agreements are creating a closed shop, and biased venue sourcing culture.’
Tickets are FREE but we do ask you register here so we can keep an eye on numbers. We have a number of small hosted buyer groups attending the event - if you are part of one of these groups, there is no need for you to register as your host will do this for you.
The evening starts with a drinks reception before we move to the Chamber for the debate itself. At the end of the debate, we 'vote with our feet' and make our way back to the bar for drinks and to await the results.
To find out more about the debate and how you can get involved, please sign up here or speak to one of the committee:
Sabine ([email protected])
Emma ([email protected])
Katherine ([email protected])
John ([email protected])
Bart ([email protected])
For any questions regarding the Cambridge Union Society (including how to book the venue for your next event) please speak to:
Ben ([email protected])
Timings and accommodation
Guests are invited to attend a pre-debate drinks in the Keynes Library at 18h30. A chance to catch up and mingle before we move downstairs to take our seats in the Chamber at 19h15.
The debate will begin at 19h30. Please see information below about how we debate.
Following the debate we gather in the Orator for drinks and networking.
Events Agents are invited to apply for complimentary overnight accommodation kindly provided by our debate sponsors. Please indicate on your registration if you'd like to stay in Cambridge. Do note that accommodation is not guaranteed and not confirmed until you have received confirmation in writing from us as we have limited rooms available.
A number of Cambridge hotels are offering special rates for guests who are not allocated or don't qualify for complimentary accommodation.
The Fellows House: £145 room only, single occupancy. Book via [email protected] quoting Industry Great Debate.
Clayton Cambridge: Use code DCR1208 through their website booking system.
Gonville Hotel: £170 bed and breakfast, single occupancy plus 20% off F&B.
Wilde Aparthotles Cambridge City Centre: 15% discount on BAR when you log in with your email address.
The debate will begin at 19h30. Please see information below about how we debate.
Following the debate we gather in the Orator for drinks and networking.
Events Agents are invited to apply for complimentary overnight accommodation kindly provided by our debate sponsors. Please indicate on your registration if you'd like to stay in Cambridge. Do note that accommodation is not guaranteed and not confirmed until you have received confirmation in writing from us as we have limited rooms available.
A number of Cambridge hotels are offering special rates for guests who are not allocated or don't qualify for complimentary accommodation.
The Fellows House: £145 room only, single occupancy. Book via [email protected] quoting Industry Great Debate.
Clayton Cambridge: Use code DCR1208 through their website booking system.
Gonville Hotel: £170 bed and breakfast, single occupancy plus 20% off F&B.
Wilde Aparthotles Cambridge City Centre: 15% discount on BAR when you log in with your email address.
Debating at the Cambridge Union Society
From its small beginnings as a debating society, the Cambridge Union currently has over 70,000 life members worldwide. Now the oldest debating society in the world, and the largest student society in Cambridge, the Union remains a unique forum for the free exchange of ideas and the art of public debate. In the past the Society has hosted such great figures as Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt and the current Dalai Lama, and it continues to provide Cambridge students with the opportunity to meet and question the people that shape our world, and has grown into the central forum for student discussion in Cambridge.
In every debate there is a motion: a statement, idea or policy that is disputed and framed within the prefix ‘This House’. Usually, the motion is either a policy which changes the status quo (e.g. This House Would Provide All Police Officers With Firearms) or a statement, the truth or falsehood of which is examined in the debate (e.g. This House Regrets the Decline of Marxism in Western Liberal Democracies). There are two sides to the debate: the proposition and the opposition. The proposition, supports the motion whilst the opposition opposes it. After the debate, the audience will decide with their feet, which debaters were the most persuasive.
How is the debate structured?
The debate starts with the Vice President of the Union entering the Chamber ringing the famous bell followed by the President of the Union and their side chairs and the speakers.
There are 6 speakers in total, 3 for proposition and 3 for opposition. The debate starts with a welcome from the President followed by a brief explanation of debating and how the audience can get involved.
The first speaker from the proposition begins the debate speaking for 10 minutes. After this speech is complete the President invites the first speaker from the opposition to bring their 10 minute argument. During the speeches, the audience is allowed to make ‘Points of Information’ where they can argue against the point being made. It is up to the speaker whether or not they take these points of information, they do not have to.
Following this first round of speeches, the President will ask the audience for any floor speeches, one for proposition, one for abstention and one for opposition. These should be no longer than 1-2 minutes.
After audience participation, the second speaker for the proposition is invited up for 10 minutes followed by the second speaker for the opposition. We then move back again to the audience for their thoughts.
The debate then runs back and forth between Proposition and Opposition until the end of the debate where the audience is then asked to vote with their feet. The audience is asked to vote through the exit doors which are sign posted ‘Ayes’ (left door), ‘Noes’ (right door) or ‘Abstention’ (middle door)
The Union will have officers outside the Chamber counting the audience vote as they leave.
We will announce the results of the debate in the Union bar, The Orator.
In every debate there is a motion: a statement, idea or policy that is disputed and framed within the prefix ‘This House’. Usually, the motion is either a policy which changes the status quo (e.g. This House Would Provide All Police Officers With Firearms) or a statement, the truth or falsehood of which is examined in the debate (e.g. This House Regrets the Decline of Marxism in Western Liberal Democracies). There are two sides to the debate: the proposition and the opposition. The proposition, supports the motion whilst the opposition opposes it. After the debate, the audience will decide with their feet, which debaters were the most persuasive.
How is the debate structured?
The debate starts with the Vice President of the Union entering the Chamber ringing the famous bell followed by the President of the Union and their side chairs and the speakers.
There are 6 speakers in total, 3 for proposition and 3 for opposition. The debate starts with a welcome from the President followed by a brief explanation of debating and how the audience can get involved.
The first speaker from the proposition begins the debate speaking for 10 minutes. After this speech is complete the President invites the first speaker from the opposition to bring their 10 minute argument. During the speeches, the audience is allowed to make ‘Points of Information’ where they can argue against the point being made. It is up to the speaker whether or not they take these points of information, they do not have to.
Following this first round of speeches, the President will ask the audience for any floor speeches, one for proposition, one for abstention and one for opposition. These should be no longer than 1-2 minutes.
After audience participation, the second speaker for the proposition is invited up for 10 minutes followed by the second speaker for the opposition. We then move back again to the audience for their thoughts.
The debate then runs back and forth between Proposition and Opposition until the end of the debate where the audience is then asked to vote with their feet. The audience is asked to vote through the exit doors which are sign posted ‘Ayes’ (left door), ‘Noes’ (right door) or ‘Abstention’ (middle door)
The Union will have officers outside the Chamber counting the audience vote as they leave.
We will announce the results of the debate in the Union bar, The Orator.
speakers
We extend a heartfelt thanks to our speakers for the 2026 debate pictured above with 2025 Committee Members Sabine and Kerry.
Speaker details will be updated here as they are announced on social media.
Speaker details will be updated here as they are announced on social media.
Proposition Speakers
Proposition Team Speaker 1
Watch this space
Proposition Team Speaker 2
Watch this space
Proposition Team Speaker 3
Watch this space
Opposition Speakers
Opposition Team Speaker 1
Watch this space
Opposition Team Speaker 2
Watch this space
Opposition Team Speaker 3
Watch this space
Our Sponsors
We are grateful to our sponsors who have helped support this event - we couldn't make it happen without you!
